About

The curriculum of the Criminal Justice major is interdisciplinary, which provides great advantages in career choices. The major provides students with a background in various aspects of criminal law, criminology, policing, corrections, and victimology as well as issues of race and gender. Many courses include observations of court proceedings and police functions as well as visits to correctional institutions and programs. A broad background in the social sciences is integrated with specialized criminal justice courses. Experiential learning is also available to criminal justice students enrolled in Service Learning courses and internships.

B.A. In Criminal Justice
M.A. in Criminal Justice

The mission of the Criminal Justice Program at Kean University is to prepare students as criminal justice professionals who contribute to the community, profession, and discipline through research and administration in the criminal justice system. Students in the program will develop a broad understanding of the criminal justice system including the correctional, courts, and juvenile justice systems; application of the law, and policing. The Criminal Justice Program maintains a philosophy of education that provides a comprehensive curriculum and fosters in its students an appreciation and respect for community, sensitivity for diverse cultures and opinions, and a desire to pursue graduate study.

Declaring a Major/Minor in Criminal Justice
Admission into the Criminal Justice program and program continuation in the major require a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5. All major courses require a grade of "C" or higher. New and transfer students must submit a Major/Minor Status Change form with an unofficial transcript or Program Evaluation to the Criminal Justice Office in Willis Hall 305. Forms will not be accepted if the current GPA is not 2.5 or higher. Completed forms will be submitted to the Office of the Registrar and students will be emailed a copy of an approved form. Declaring a Minor in Criminal Justice requires that students attain a grade of "C" or higher in all selected courses. Forms can be accessed here.

For a complete list of course descriptions and degree requirements, click here.