Criminology and Criminal Justice, B.A.
The Criminology and Criminal Justice major at Saint Louis University helps you tackle big questions about crime, justice, and society, such as why do people break the law? How do courts, police, and corrections really work? And how can justice systems be fairer, safer and more effective?
At SLU, you’ll study criminal behavior, victimization, policing, courts, law, and corrections, while also examining the social and structural forces that shape crime and violence.
At SLU, justice is about people, not just systems. Grounded in the University’s Jesuit mission, the program centers human dignity—of victims, justice-involved individuals, and the professionals who serve them. You’ll learn to think critically, ask hard questions, and imagine how justice systems can better serve people and communities.
You’ll learn from faculty who are scholars and practitioners, bringing real-world experience into the classroom and taking time to work closely with students.
Faculty within the program are great mentors and easy to connect with. Each professor I have had has always been more than willing to meet with me whether to answer any questions about the course or for any career advice.”
— Kalie Yeager-Thompson, Class of 2021
Program Highlights
If you want to understand crime, challenge systems, and make a difference, the Criminology and Criminal Justice major is for you. Through innovative coursework, real-world engagement, and a strong focus on people, you will develop the skills to think critically and act responsibly in justice-related fields.
Human-centered approach. You will focus on the people behind the system—victims, justice-involved individuals, families, and communities—bringing humanity to how crime and justice are understood.
Engaging, up-to-date curriculum. You will explore the latest research, theory, and real-world practice in criminology and criminal justice, strengthening your ability to think critically about how systems work and how they can be improved.
Learning through service. You will put ideas into action through service and community engagement, connecting classroom learning with meaningful, compassionate work in real communities.
This major is a great fit if you’re interested in:
- Law, legal studies, or law school
- Local, state, or federal law enforcement
- Youth or adult justice work.
- Corrections, reentry, or advocacy
- Graduate study in criminology, social work, or public policy
Curriculum Overview
The Criminology and Criminal Justice curriculum at SLU goes beyond memorizing laws and systems. You will explore why crime happens, how justice systems respond, and how those systems can do better.
The major includes 11 required courses and three electives, for a total of 42 credit hours. Through the required coursework, you will build a strong foundation in understanding the causes and correlates of crime and the systems that respond to criminal and delinquent behavior. You will develop knowledge in areas such as crime theory, ethics, policing, courts, corrections, law, and justice research.
Electives allow you to tailor the major to your interests and career goals. You may choose from topics such as juvenile justice and delinquency, contemporary theories of crime, corporate and white-collar crime, serial crime, victimology and victimization, mental health and crime, and a criminology and criminal justice internship.
What sets SLU apart is its focus on human justice. You won’t just study institutions—you will study people. The program centers on the dignity of victims, justice-involved individuals, families, and professionals, helping you understand the real human impact of crime and justice policy.
Additional degree options include:
- Accelerated program: High-achieving students may apply to this selective program during their junior year. This accelerated program allows students to begin taking graduate-level criminology and criminal justice courses in their senior year of undergraduate studies.
- Honors courses: The criminology and criminal justice program offers advanced coursework approved for Honors credit.
- Minor: For those pursuing other majors who are also interested in criminology and criminal justice, the program offers a minor that provides students a foundation for understanding a variety of criminology and criminal justice professions and the core values of the field.
- 3+3 CCJ B.A. to J.D. program: If you are a high-achieving student interested in law school, you may apply to the 3+3 program after completing at least 15 credit hours, including 3 credit hours in CCJ, with a GPA of 3.2 or higher.
Fieldwork Opportunities
As a criminology and criminal justice student, you will have access to internships and job-related opportunities that provide valuable hands-on experience and professional connections before you enter the workforce. You may complete an internship or externship with a wide range of agencies and organizations throughout St. Louis City and St. Louis County, giving you diverse options to match your interests and career goals.
Placement opportunities allow you to work with juveniles or adults in private or public agencies at the local, state or federal level, as well as with community-based organizations serving at-risk individuals.
You will also benefit from Saint Louis University’s strong service-learning tradition. Through service-learning, you apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings while living out SLU’s Jesuit mission of service to others. These experiences provide meaningful field exposure, strengthen your employability, and deepen your connection to the St. Louis community.
In addition, you can volunteer with organizations throughout the region. The criminology and criminal justice program collaborates with more than 250 social service agencies, giving you opportunities to explore criminology and criminal justice careers while learning alongside experienced professionals.
There are a wide variety of programs for students interested in studying abroad, including Saint Louis University-Madrid.
Careers
A Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from SLU opens the door to meaningful work in justice systems, public service, and nonprofit organizations. With this degree, you can build a career that protects communities, supports victims, advocates for change, and improves how justice is carried out.
You can also use this degree as a strong foundation for law school, graduate study, or careers in research, policy and leadership.
With a criminology and criminal justice degree, you may pursue careers such as:
- Correctional officer
- Criminal investigator or detective
- Federal agent
- Juvenile justice staff member or administrator
- Police officer
- Probation or parole officer
- Policy analyst
- Private security professional
- Researcher
- Youth worker
- Lawyer
Criminology and criminal justice is a field for you if you want your career to matter — where your daily work connects to real people, real systems and real change.
Tuition
| Tuition/Fee | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Tuition | $58,960 |
Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:
- Graduates will be able to understand and apply criminology/criminal justice theory.
- Graduates will be able to conduct basic research in criminology/criminal justice and will be able to understand and apply research to their practice as professionals.
- Graduates will be able to demonstrate multicultural awareness and competence.
- Graduates will understand how the criminal justice system (policing, corrections, courts) operates.
- Graduates will be able to assess the ethical implications of criminology/criminal justice and practice ethical principles.
Students must earn a grade of 'C-' or higher in all courses used to fulfill the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| University Undergraduate Core | 32-35 | |
| Major Requirements | 42 | |
| CCJ 1010 | Introduction to Criminal Justice 1 | 3 |
| CCJ 2050 | Multiculturalism for Criminal Justice Professionals 1, 4 | 3 |
| or CCJ 2100 | Multiculturalism for the Workplace | |
| CCJ 2150 | Criminology: Nature of Crime 1, 3 | 3 |
| CCJ 2200 | Policing & Society | 3 |
| CCJ 2250 | Institutional & Community Corrections | 3 |
| CCJ 3200 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CCJ 3450 | Gender, Sexuality, and the Criminal Justice System 2 | 3 |
| CCJ 3700 | Research Methods in Criminology and Criminal Justice 1, 3 | 3 |
| CCJ 3750 | Statistics in Criminology and Criminal Justice 1 | 3 |
| CCJ 4050 | Criminal Law & Procedure | 3 |
| CCJ 4800 | Criminology and Criminal Justice Capstone 1 | 3 |
| CCJ Electives | 9 | |
Select three courses with a "CCJ Major Elective" attribute, option may include any the following: | ||
| Juvenile Justice & Delinquency | ||
| Contemporary Theories of Crime | ||
| Corporate & White-Collar Crime | ||
| Understanding Serial Killers | ||
| Victimology & Victimization | ||
| American Incarceration | ||
| Mental Health & Crime | ||
| Criminology and Criminal Justice Internship | ||
| University Electives | 46 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- 1
Students should take CCJ 1010, CCJ 2050, or CCJ 2100, CCJ 2150, CCJ 3700, and CCJ 3750 prior to taking CCJ 4800.
- 2
Students can take either CCJ 3450 or CCJ 3500 to meet the CCJ Required Courses. Students may take both CCJ 3450 and CCJ 3500 and one will count towards CCJ Required Courses and the other toward CCJ Electives.
- 3
Students are advised to take CCJ 2150 prior to CCJ 3150 and CCJ 3700 prior to CCJ 3750.
- 4
Students can take either CCJ 2050 or CCJ 2100 to meet the CCJ Required Courses.
Continuation Standards
- Cumulative GPA of at least 2.00.
This roadmap is just one example of a semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. There are other plans students can and do take. The plan of study for each particular student is established in consultation with each student’s academic advisor; this roadmap does not replace academic advising appointments.
Roadmap notes:
- This Roadmap assumes full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
- Courses/Milestones marked with an “!” are critical and must be completed in the semester listed in the Roadmap to ensure a timely graduation.
- Course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
Please note that most CCJ classes are offered only once per academic year and need to be taken when offered.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CORE 1000 | Ignite First Year Seminar (Must be taken in first 36 hours at SLU/ Cannot carry attributes) | 2-3 |
| CORE 1500 | Cura Personalis 1: Self in Community (Must be taken in first 36 hours at SLU/ Cannot carry attributes) | 1 |
| CORE 1900 | Eloquentia Perfecta 1: Written and Visual Communication (Should be taken in first 36 credit hours at SLU/Cannot carry attributes. Or semester two.) | 3 |
| Critical course: CCJ 1010 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| General Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CORE 3200 | Ways of Thinking: Quantitative Reasoning (Should be taken in first 45 credit hours at SLU) | 3 |
| CORE 1600 | Ultimate Questions: Theology | 3 |
| Critical course: CCJ 2150 | Criminology: Nature of Crime | 3 |
| General Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| CORE 1200 | Eloquentia Perfecta 2: Oral and Visual Communication (Should be taken in first 60 credit hours at SLU) | 3 |
| CORE 1700 | Ultimate Questions: Philosophy | 3 |
| Critical course: CCJ 2050 or CCJ 2100 |
Multiculturalism for Criminal Justice Professionals or Multiculturalism for the Workplace |
3 |
| Critical course: CCJ 2250 | Institutional & Community Corrections | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CORE 3800 | Ways of Thinking: Natural and Applied Sciences | 3 |
| CORE 2500 | Cura Personalis 2: Self in Contemplation | 0 |
| Critical course: CCJ 2200 | Policing & Society | 3 |
| Critical course: CCJ 3200 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Critical course: Select one course with "CCJ Major Electives" attribute | 3 | |
| General Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| CORE 2800 | Eloquentia Perfecta 3: Creative Expression | 2-3 |
| CORE 3400 | Ways of Thinking: Aesthetics, History, and Culture | 3 |
| Critical course: CCJ 3700 | Research Methods in Criminology and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Critical course: Select one course with "CCJ Major Electives" attribute | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14-15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CORE 3600 | Ways of Thinking: Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| CORE 4000 | Collaborative Inquiry | 2-3 |
| Critical course: CCJ 3450 or CCJ 3500 |
Gender, Sexuality, and the Criminal Justice System or Race, Ethnicity, and the Criminal Justice System |
3 |
| Critical course: CCJ 3750 | Statistics in Criminology and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Critical course: CCJ 4050 | Criminal Law & Procedure | 3 |
| General Electives (optional) | ||
| Credits | 14-15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| CORE 3500 | Cura Personalis 3: Self in the World | 1 |
| Critical course: Select one course with "CCJ Major Electives" attribute | 3 | |
| General Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| CCJ 4800 | Criminology and Criminal Justice Capstone 1 | 3 |
| General Electives | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 122-125 | |
For admission questions contact:
Social Work School Graduate Admissions Office
sswadmissions@slu.edu
314-977-2752
For program questions contact:
Dyan McGuire, Ph.D., J.D.
Director of criminology and criminal justice programs
Associate professor of criminology and criminal justice
dyan.mcguire@slu.edu
314-977-2191
2+SLU programs provide a guided pathway for students transferring from a partner institution.
It is designed to make transferring clear, efficient, and supportive—so students understand how their coursework will apply toward a bachelor’s degree at Saint Louis University.
Through 2+SLU, students complete their first two years at a partner institution and then transfer to SLU to finish their degree. The pathway helps students:
- Transfer credits smoothly and efficiently
- Stay on track for timely degree completion
- Transition into SLU with clear academic advising and support