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Administration of Criminal Justice

FACULTY COORDINATING COMMITTEE Curtis (Political Science), Hall (Political Science), Scott (History), Zant (Sociology) Director; Adjunct Instructors Ogolin, Wyant.

The major in administration of criminal justice is an interdepartmental program of the faculties of history, political science, and sociology. Illinois Central College cooperates by offering lower-division courses in criminal justice on the Bradley campus.

The mission of the administration of criminal justice program at Bradley University is to provide our students with a thorough understanding of the institutions, structures, and processes through which society defines, perceives, and responds to deviance. Graduates of our program will have numerous career options, including graduate study in the discipline; pursuit of a career in the law; attainment of a professional degree in cognate disciplines such as public administration, social work, and correctional counseling; responsible careers in the growing private security industry; and line and specialist positions in service delivery organizations within the various criminal justice systems.

Transfer Students

Transfer students who have earned the Associate of Arts degree in criminal justice will have fulfilled the designated ACJ course work required for the degree.

Students who elect the academic exploration program or another major may change to administration of criminal justice if they have a cumulative GPA exceeding 2.0 and a GPA exceeding 2.0 in previously taken administration of criminal justice major requirements (see list).

Major Requirements (48 hours)

Lower Division Courses (21 hours)

  • ACJ 110 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3
  • ACJ 225 Criminal Law 3
  • ACJ 250 Police Organization and Administration 3
  • PLS 105 Introduction to American Government 3
  • PLS 202 State and Local Government 3
  • SOC 100 The Sociological Perspective 3
  • HIS 201 American History: Social 3

Research Requirement (3 hours)

  • PLS 209 Scope and Methods of Political Science or
  • SOC 240 Research Methods 3

Upper Division Courses (21 hours)

    • PLS 360 Judicial Politics 3
    • PLS 419 Introduction to Public Administration or
    • PLS 420 Public Management 3
    • SOC 430 Perspectives on Deviance 3

  • Two of the following courses 6

    • SOC 331 Correctional Policies & Society SOC 332 Juvenile Delinquency SOC 333 Sociology of Violence SOC 334 Crime & Society approved SOC 390 courses.

  • One of the following courses 3

    • SOC 302 The Sociology of Diversity SOC 312 Social Inequality SOC 313 Race, Ethnicity and Power SOC 342 Social Policy
    • HIS 309 History of U.S. Law Enforcement 3

Internship Requirement (3 hours)

  • PLS 480 Internship in Political Science or SOC 391/392 Internship in Applied Sociology 3

Strongly Recommended Electives (not required)*

  • ACJ 130 Introduction to Investigation
  • HIS 303 American Urban History
  • PLS 440 Public Policy Analysis
  • PLS 422 Urban Politics
  • PLS 459 Constitutional Law
  • PLS 460 Constitutional Law
  • SOC 322 Self and Social Interaction
  • SOC 340 Demography and Urban Studies

* Recommended electives also include any of the alternative courses noted above which were not taken as a requirement.

Please note: To graduate, ACJ majors must have a cumulative GPA exceeding 2.0 for all courses numbered 200 or above in the ACJ major requirement.