Criminal Justice, Comprehensive Major

Criminal Justice, Comprehensive Major, B.A. 

The following is a sample degree plan, based on the current catalog. It is based on the 120-credit graduation requirement and assumes no transferred credits, no requirements waived by placement tests, no courses taken in the summer or winter, no repeated courses, and no remedial courses that may be required. This sample degree plan is intended for first-year students entering UW-Eau Claire in the fall semester. Your own degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). UW-Eau Claire cannot guarantee all courses will be offered as shown, but will provide a range of courses that may enable prepared students to fulfill their requirements in a timely period. This sample degree plan is just a guide. Please consult your advisor, your degree audit, and the catalog to create your own degree plan. Note: In order to earn the required minimum of 120 credits for the degree in four years, you should plan to take 15 credits each semester or 30 credits each year.

To earn a degree, students must fulfill all University Graduation Requirements, including the Liberal Education (LE) Core.  LE Core course work in the following sample degree plan uses abbreviations such as LE-K1, LE-S2, LE-R3, and LE-I1 to represent the learning outcomes students will meet via completion of their liberal education course work.  Please click here for a description of the Liberal Education Core outcomes and requirements. Note that the LE Core may be completed through both course and non-course experiences.

Students in this major have the option to pursue either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree.  The degrees are distinguished by foreign language competency for the B.A. and a higher level of mathematics competency for the B.S.

SOME TIME IN THE FIRST YEAR
POLS 110American National Politics (LE-K2, LE-R3))3
CRMJ 103Survey of the Criminal Justice System (LE-K2)3
Foreign Language 101 - Beginning I (LE-S1) *4
WRIT 114Intensive Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (LE-S1) *5
OR
Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (LE-S1) *
PSYC 100Introduction to Psychology (LE-K2)3
SOC 101Introduction to Sociology (LE-K2, LE-R1)3
Foreign Language 102 - Beginning II4
LE Option: Knowledge 1 (LE-K1) Natural Sciences3
LE Option: Integration (LE-I1)3
TOTAL FIRST YEAR31
SOME TIME IN THE SECOND YEAR
MATH 246Elementary Statistics (LE-S2) *4
LE Option: Knowledge 1 (LE-K1L) Natural Sciences with Lab4
LE Option: Knowledge 3 (LE-K3) Humanities3
CRMJ 280Criminal Justice Research Methods (LE-S3)3
CRMJ 301Criminology Theory3
CRMJ Group Elective - Group A/B/C/D **3
LE Option: Knowledge 4 (LE-K4) Fine Arts3
LE Option: Responsibility 2 (LE-R2) Global Perspectives3
LE Option: Knowledge 3 (LE-K3) Humanities3
TOTAL SECOND YEAR29
SOME TIME IN THE THIRD YEAR
CRMJ 303Crime Prevention3
POLS 301State and Local Politics (LE-K2)3
CRMJ Group Elective - Group B3
LE Option: Responsibility 1 (LE-R1, DDIV) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity with Design for Diversity3
Elective - Upper-division if needed3
CRMJ 319Police in Society3
CRMJ 342Confinement and Corrections3
CRMJ Group Elective - Group A3
Elective - Upper-division if needed3
Elective - Upper-division if needed3
TOTAL THIRD YEAR30
SOME TIME IN THE FOURTH YEAR
CRMJ 302Youth Crime and Juvenile Justice3
CRMJ Group Elective - Group B3
CRMJ Group Elective - Group A3
LE Option: Integration (LE-I1)3
Elective - Upper-division if needed3
POLS 405U.S. Constitutional Principles - Due Process and Criminal Law3
CRMJ Group Elective - Group A/B/C/D3
CRMJ Group Elective - Group A/B/C3
Elective - Upper-division if needed3
Elective - Upper-division if needed3
TOTAL FOURTH YEAR30

Minimum total for the baccalaureate degree = 120 credits

Required placement test score will determine course eligibility. 

Note 1:  Some CRMJ Group Elective courses meet LE Core outcomes. 

Note 2 :  All students must complete the 30-hour Service-Learning Requirement via a non-credit or credit option (see University Graduation Requirements).

Course Information  
a.  Required placement test score will determine course eligibility.  
b.  MATH 246 fulfills the Statistics requirement in the Criminal Justice curriculum.  
c.  Criminal Justice majors need to earn 21 total credits from the Criminal Justice Group Elective courses, distributed across the following: Group A – Law, Constitution, Policy Area (minimum of 6 credits); Group B – Individual, Social, Political Behavior Area (minimum of 6 credits); Group C – Intervention and Application Area (no minimum or maximum requirement); Group D – Skills Area (maximum of 6 credits).

Group A options:  PHIL 120 (K3, R3); PHIL 310; POLS 305 (K2, R3); POLS 338; POLS 343; POLS 346; POLS 403; POLS 404; POLS 406; SW 100 (I1, R2), SW 383.  

Group B options: CRMJ 325 , CRMJ 350, CRMJ 359; POLS 329; POLS 350 (DDIV, K2, R1); POLS 353; PSYC 245; PSYC 251; PSYC 331; PSYC 332 (K2, R1); SW 309; SW 385SOC 312 (DDIV, R1); SOC 316 (R1); SOC 321; SOC 332; SOC 351; WGSS 310 (K3, R1).  

Group C options: CRMJ 498 (Service Learning); PSYC 325; PSYC 380

Group D options: CJ 111 (DDIV, I1, R1); CJ 201 (K2, S1); CJ 202 (S1); CJ 301 (DDIV, R1, R3); GEOG 280; GEOG 335; PHIL 150.  

The following will be applied to specific categories based on content: CRMJ 291 ; CRMJ 395; CRMJ 397; CRMJ 399; CRMJ 491; CRMJ 499

Additional Information:  
The Criminal Justice program has entered into an Articulation Agreement with the Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) 720-hour Law Enforcement Academy. The agreement allows CRMJ majors to obtain their Wisconsin law enforcement certification during their junior or senior year and transfer up to 12 credits back to UWEC; 6 credits will go towards Elective Group C in the CRMJ Program. Majors who are interested in going into law enforcement should consider this option. You must speak with the CRMJ Program Coordinator prior to pursuing this option (Dr. Jason Spraitz – spraitjd@uwec.edu). There are limited seats in the CVTC academy and acceptance is highly competitive and not guaranteed. 

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES (HIPs) 
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire encourages all students to participate in High Impact Practices.  The following information identifies any specific recommendations that faculty in this major have concerning which HIPs might be most beneficial to students, and any recommendations about when those HIPs best fit into the degree plan. Students should also consult their faculty advisor for information on HIPs. There are many additional high impact opportunities available. Talk to your academic advisor for more information about incorporating HIPs like Study AbroadIntercultural ImmersionInternship, and/or Student/Faculty Collaborative Research into your time at UW-Eau Claire.


CRMJ 498 – Criminal Justice Internship: Completion of an internship is not required, but many students choose to do one. Students must be declared CRMJ majors and be juniors with approximately 30 credits applied to the major. Department consent is required and placement may be competitive. Note: Completion of CRMJ 498 fulfills your 30-hour Service Learning requirement and counts as a CRMJ Group C elective.

Student-Faculty Collaborative Research: Criminal Justice faculty have active research agendas and often include students on their projects. If interested in learning more, speak with your Criminal Justice professors. It’s recommended that you complete CRMJ 103 and CRMJ 280 before participating in research, but not required.

Liberal Education (LE) Core Guidance

Liberal Education Core (LE Core) 

The LE Core comprises 17 learning experiences across 11 learning outcomes. Students must complete a minimum of 36 credits in courses approved for the LE Core. 

  • K1 – Natural Sciences; two experiences (one lab science experience is required in K1 or K2). 

  • K2 – Social Sciences; two experiences (one lab science experience is required in K1 or K2). 

  • K3 – Humanities; two experiences. 

  • K4 – Fine Arts; one experience. 

  • S1 – Written and Oral Communication; two experiences (one experience must satisfy the University writing requirement). 

  • S2 – Mathematics; one experience (must satisfy the University math competency requirement). 

  • S3 – Creativity; one experience (can be fulfilled in a student’s major). 

  • R1 – Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity; two experiences (one experience must meet the UW System Design for Diversity (DD) requirement). 

  • R2 – Global Perspectives; one experience. 

  • R3 – Civic and Environmental Issues; one experience. 

  • I1 – Integration; two experiences (one experience can be fulfilled in a student’s major). 

  • SL—Service Learning; 30 hours 

Additional LE Core Information 

  • Most LE Core learning experiences are course based, and many courses meet more than one learning outcome (e.g., K3 and R2 or K1 and R3). 

  • Some learning experiences can also be met outside of a traditional course (e.g., undergraduate research (S3), study abroad (I1)). 

  • S1 – An English placement score that fulfills the University writing requirement fulfills one S1 experience. 

  • S1 – A foreign Language placement score that qualifies the student to enter the 102 level satisfies one S1 experience. 

  • S1, R2 – A foreign language placement score that qualifies the student to enter the 202 level satisfies one experience in S1 and the R2 experience. 

  • S2 – A math placement score that qualifies the student to enter Math 111, 112, 113 or 114 fulfills the S2 experience. 

  • S3 – Completion of two credits from any approved music ensemble fulfills the S3 experience. 

  • I1 – Any semester long study abroad program can fulfill one I1 experience.