Criminal Justice

The baccalaureate degree program in Criminal Justice is designed to prepare students for careers in law enforcement, community and institutional corrections, court services, and other criminal justice-related areas as well as for admission to law school.  It also provides students with the fundamentals for advanced study in graduate school.

Philosophy and Mission Statement

The philosophy of Kentucky State University’s criminal justice education program centers on preparing students to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, and effective practitioners within the criminal justice system. Effectiveness within the criminal justice system requires a commitment to social justice, criminal justice reform and due process. Our program prepares students to promote the essential tenants of the criminal justice system to prevent crime, protect life and property, preserve peace, safeguard civil liberties, maintain order and ensure liberty and justice for all. 

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Criminal Justice Core Values

• Justice and Fairness
• Integrity and Ethics
• Public Safety and Security
• Professionalism and Excellence
• Community Engagement and Collaboration
• Respect for Human Dignity

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Program Requirements

To satisfy the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, a student must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours, including 45 semester credit hours in Criminal Justice. The required courses are CJE 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice, CJE 215 Introduction to Criminal Law, CJE 220 Juvenile Justice, CJE 320 Law Enforcement, CJE 325 Courts, CJE 330 Corrections, CJE 335 Theories of Crime and Delinquency, CJE 340 Principles of Victimology, CJE 345 Comparative Criminal Justice, CJE 350 Criminal Justice Ethics, CJE 410 Criminal Justice Administration, CJE 415 Seminar in Criminal Justice, CJE 430 Criminal Justice Internship, CJE 433 Research Methods, CJE 434 Statistics in Criminal Justice. Students are also required to take one (1) Criminal Justice Elective course and three (3) support courses (i.e., SOC 203 Principles of Sociology, SOC 305 Contemporary Social Problems and ENG 216 Technical Writing or BUA 204 Business Writing).