The Criminal Justice Major

Required Courses
Eight Semester Plan
Course Descriptions

Expected Student Learning Outcomes

Criminal Justice Students: Success Stories

About the Department

One of the hottest degrees in the field of social science, a degree in criminal justice opens a wide choice of career opportunities, including law enforcement, corrections, probation and parole, human services, and the courts. Criminal Justice majors may also apply to law school or other graduate programs.

The qualifications for becoming a professional in criminal justice vary somewhat depending on the job, but some requirements can be generally applied across the board. Most criminal justice professions require a bachelor's degree. While not always required, it is a solid starting point because it provides the basic knowledge of law enforcement that forms the foundation of most the careers discussed above.

Prospective candidates for law enforcement and corrections careers should start a physical training regimen. Most of the positions require some physical exertion and have a physical exam as part of the application process. In addition, many of the jobs require written, oral, and occasionally psychological exams. Applicants should have a clean record themselves. Anyone convicted of a felony will be disqualified from many criminal justice positions. Finally, once an individual is hired, they are usually required to serve a probationary period where they can be observed and evaluated for employment potential.

Many criminal justice majors use the degree to prepare for law school. Law schools do not have specific preferences for majors in determining acceptance, but the training in legal procedures and critical thinking will be helpful to the student who plans to become a lawyer.

Associate of Applied Science Degrees And Certificate Programs:

The Associate of Applied Science Degree and the Certificate programs in Crime Scene Investigation and Law Enforcement Administration are available exclusively to Arkansas law enforcement personnel who are actively employed within a criminal justice organization of the State. The University of Arkansas at Monticello in partnership with the Criminal Justice Institute of the University of Arkansas System offers these certificate and degree programs. To successfully complete a program, students must take special courses through the Criminal Justice Institute along with general education courses from UAM. Contact the Criminal Justice Institute or the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences for more information.

Criminal Justice Department
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
UAM Box 3619
Monticello, AR 71656