2022-2023 Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Sociology and Criminal Justice, Dual BA


Criminal Justice is a discipline that attempts to identify and explain patterns of criminal behavior, as well as analyze society’s ability to control crime and delinquency. It emphasizes the study of crime, criminals, and the criminal justice system. The Criminal Justice degree program utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to capture both the academic liberal arts emphasis and the professional and policy knowledge required to educate criminal justice professionals.

Sociology applies the methods of social science to understand how broader social forces influence our thoughts, beliefs, and behavior. It provides an important background for careers in human resources, education, business, law, social work, criminal justice, politics, arts, sports, and public administration. Students may select from a broad range of courses related to contemporary issues and problems; inter-group relations, popular culture, social movements and social change, modernity and post-modernity, family patterns and relationships, sexuality, crime and deviance, environmental and social problems, globalization, and field experiences.

The dual Bachelor of Arts degree program in Sociology and Criminal Justice is designed to make it easier for students to complete these two majors simultaneously (in the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences and School of Public Affairs, respectively).

Policies and Procedures

Refer to the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences section  and the School of Public Affairs section  of this academic catalog for the eligibility criteria, policies, and procedures relevant to this program.

For further information, please contact:
The Sociology Department Chair or the BA in Criminal Justice Program Director.

General Requirements

  • A minimum of 120 credit hours including the UCCS general education courses must be completed with a cumulative CU grade point average of 2.0; at least 45 of these credit hours must be at the upper-division level (courses numbered 3000-4999).

  • Standard LAS/SPA college general education and Compass Curriculum courses are required.

  • No more than 54 credit hours of SOC and no more than 54 credit hours of CJ coursework can count towards the degree.

  • The last 30 credit hours of the degree must be completed while registered in the School of Public Affairs and the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences at UCCS.

  • Courses numbered below 1000 do not count toward degree completion.

Criminal Justice Major Requirements

  • A minimum of 25 credit hours of CJ coursework and 3 credit hours of PAD coursework, at least 18 credit hours of which must be upper-division (3000+ level).
  • All courses counting toward the Criminal Justice major must be completed with a grade of C or better.

Sociology Major Requirements

  • A minimum of 34 credit hours of SOC coursework, at least 18 credit hours of which must be upper-division (3000+ level).

  • All courses counting toward the Sociology major must be completed with a grade of C or better.

Course Requirements


Sociology Courses


Core Courses


Complete all of the following courses.

Note: SOC 3150 and SOC 3170 should be completed prior to the senior year, and must be taken at UCCS.

Summit Experience


Complete either the Honors or Standard Track Summit Experience.

Honors Track

Students completing the honors track will receive departmental honors upon successful completion and graduation. Complete both courses below.

Standard Track

Students must enroll in one of the primary courses listed below.  In addition, students must request a permission number from the instructor or sociology program assistant for SOC 4785-The Sociology Capstone, a one-credit add-on special topics course 

Elective Courses


Complete 6 credit hours of SOC elective courses to meet total and upper-division credit hours.

Sociology Exit Exam


Complete the Sociology Exit Exam during the final semester of course work.