Criminology and Criminal Justice - Bachelor's (BA)

DEGREE OVERVIEW

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRCJ) at UTA provides students with an academically rigorous education and prepares them for leadership positions in municipal, state, and federal agencies. Students new to the discipline have opportunities for internships with local criminal justice agencies and law offices.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Students in CRCJ take a scientific approach to understanding the correlates of crime, characteristics of victims and offenders, and the behavior of the criminal justice system (cops, courts, and corrections). They will also develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Our department has a tradition of producing graduates poised for important leadership roles in the criminal justice system at the local, state, and federal levels. Students will learn:

• All three major components of the criminal justice system: cops, courts, and corrections
• Criminal investigation, including theory and history, conduct at crime scenes, sources of information, collection and preservation of evidence
• Processes involved in the criminal justice system; the rules of evidence, laws of arrest search and seizure, and the judicial process from offense to conviction
• Use of forensic science methods for crime scene investigation
• Case and trial preparation

LEARN MORE

• Degree curriculum
• Degree information in the University Catalog
• About us
• Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Advising 

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

• Computer Forensics Investigator
• Corrections Officer
• Crime Scene Investigator
• Fish and Game Warden
• Forensic Science Technician
• Management Municipal Positions
• Police Officer
• Private Detective
• Probation and Community Control
• Officer
• Security Guard
• State and Federal Agencies
• State Trooper
• Crime Lab Analyst
• Victim Advocacy

DEGREE OPTIONS

FAST Minor

• Multidisciplinary approach designed for criminology and criminal justice majors pursuing professional careers in non-laboratory-based areas of forensic science, such as crime scene investigation
• Strong knowledge of the basic concepts of forensic science and technology would prove beneficial
• Students complete 18 credit hours for the FAST minor

FAST minor

WHY CHOOSE US?

• Students learn from a world-class faculty that includes teachers, scholars, and practitioners.
• We have two active student organizations that help students connect with other students and faculty.
• We have an internship program with a large number of possible placements with our criminal justice partners.
• Our faculty members have published in the top peer-reviewed journals in our field, and continue to do so.
• Our faculty members have received research funding from the National Institute of Justice, National Science Foundation, National Institute for Transportation and Communities, and Google.
• We have a strong alumni network of criminal justice leaders, including police chiefs, judges, special agents, and others working at the federal level.

GET STARTED

Take the next step toward investing in yourself by learning more about our Criminology and Criminal Justice - Bachelor's (BA) program.

• CRCJ Undergraduate Advising