• Graduates from our program receive a bachelor of arts in criminal justice and criminology. This differentiates WSU’s program from other programs where criminal justice may be an emphasis area under another degree field rather than its own stand-alone degree.
• Our criminal justice program is a policy-based curriculum drawing from the social sciences, specifically from the areas of sociology, psychology, and political science. It is not a vocational/technical program, unlike programs found at some other schools.
• Our program is the oldest existing criminal justice program in the nation, established back in 1943 as the Department of Police Science.
• The criminal justice national honor society, Alpha Phi Sigma, was founded here at WSU and has grown to over 360 chapters nationwide.
• The department emphasizes learning beyond the classroom by encouraging students to participate in study abroad programs and internships. Our students have traveled to London to visit various criminal justice system components (i.e. Parliament, Scotland Yard) and our interns have worked with various local, state, and federal agencies ranging from the WSU Police Department to the State Legislature in Olympia.

Certification requirements

24 completed semester credits
2.5 minimum grade point average
Completion of Crm J 101

Suggested classes for freshmen

Crm J 101: Introduction to the Administration of Criminal Justice
Crm J 205: Realizing Justice in a Multicultural Society
Pol S 101:  American National Government

Suggested classes for transfer students

Crm J 101: Introduction to the Administration of Criminal Justice
Crm J 201: Introduction to Criminological Theory
Crm J 205: Realizing Justice in a Multicultural Society
Crm J 330: Crime Control Policies

Pol S 101:  American National Government

Math requirement

Any UCORE, most commonly:
   Math 105: Exploring Mathematics
   Fin 223: Personal Finance
   Phil 201: Elementary Logic

Core courses

Crm J 101: Introduction to the Administration of Criminal Justice
Crm J 201: Introduction to Criminological Theory

Crm J 205: Realizing Justice in a Multicultural Society
Crm J 330: Crime Control Policies
Crm J 320: Criminal Law
   OR Crm J 420: Criminal Procedure

Crm J 365: Juvenile Justice and Corrections
    OR Crm J 390:  Criminal Justice Management

Crm J 450: Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice

For criminal justice majors

The V.A. Leonard Scholarship is for full-time undergraduate majors in criminal justice, awarded on the basis of financial need and academic achievement.

The Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service has up to eight scholarships of $1,000 each available to junior and senior students who demonstrate strong academic excellence and an interest in pursuing a public service career.

All criminal justice majors may apply for University-level scholarships and for more than $50,000 in scholarships awarded by the College of Liberal Arts.

For all students

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs. Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

Students should complete the Washington State University general scholarship application and the FAFSA to ensure their eligibility for the widest range of scholarships and need-based financial aid.

For information or to apply for financial aid and scholarships from WSU, see the Scholarships and Finances section of the WSU website.

• Interest in societal issues
• Desire to understand and prevent crime

What you can do with a degree in criminal justice

• Law enforcement

• Crime analysis

• Community corrections

• Victim advocacy

• Child protective services

• Border security

• Cyber crime prevention

• Security loss prevention

• Private security

• Court administration

Skills you can market with a degree in criminal justice

• Advanced critical-thinking skills to address real world problems

• Capacity to evaluate the consequences of polity and practice in the administration of justice

• Ability to use data and research methods to inform policy makers

• Understanding of criminal procedure and the rights guaranteed by the constitution

• Understanding of theoretical explanations for the causes of crime

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Understanding of ethical and diversity issues