2021-2022
Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (accelerated masters degree option)
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Applied Science: Criminal Justice (G3 program) (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
Associate degree
Program description
The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs is a creative, interdisciplinary grouping of programs in the social sciences and professional arenas that provides students with the knowledge, skills and experience necessary for success in public service. The Wilder School brings together faculty from multiple disciplines that share a common interest in public affairs.
The major objective of this degree program is to prepare students for effective professional careers in criminal justice, forensic crime scene investigation, public service and other helping professions, and/or prepare them to pursue studies in law and other related graduate programs. Career opportunities are available in federal, state, local and private justice-related endeavors. These careers include law enforcement, crime scene investigation, juvenile justice, corrections and the courts.
This program also prepares students to enter law school or to pursue graduate studies in criminal justice or in several of the human services fields, usually related to justice. This program offers and encourages in-service justice employees and others to enhance their professional career development through higher education.
Career opportunities
Criminal justice students study the causes of crime, treatment of offenders and management of the criminal justice system, with a focus on balancing social justice and individual rights. Wilder School graduates typically pursue careers in public service and work in law enforcement, the court system, corrections or public policy. Students will learn under faculty experts in criminal justice, criminology, law, juvenile justice, organized crime, law enforcement, corrections, and transnational crime.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Child Protection Agents
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Correctional Officer and Jailers
- Court Clerks
- Crime Scene Analyst
- Criminal Investigators and Special Agents
- Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary
- Police Detectives
- Police, Fire and Ambulance Dispatchers
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
- Retail Loss Prevention Specialist
- Security Manager
Graduate and professional level job titles
- Attorney
- Forensic Scientist
- Government Agency Administrator
- Mental Health Counselor
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- MATH 131
- STAT 208
Science required
- Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
- Yes
Additional tuition/fees
- No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
Transfer major map
2021-2022
Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (accelerated masters degree option)
Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Applied Science: Criminal Justice (G3 program))
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
- Register for SDV 100.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your ENG and MTH classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Check on G3 funding for your AAS program.
- Attend Tyler orientation
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
- Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Create LinkedIn profile.
- Get involved with a student or professional organization.
- Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
- Visit career services to begin cultivating your own virtual brand across all social media profiles.
- Browse careers related to criminal justice through the career coach.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Understand how you will fund your education. Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Take a career assessment through the career coach.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
- Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Explore the accelerated BS to MS in Criminal Justice program.
- Meet with your academic advisor.
- Use Navigate to remain on your pathway.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus to get ahead.
- Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Join a professional organization related to criminal justice: Academy for Criminal Justice Sciences, Alpha Phi Sigma National Criminal Justice Honor Society.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
- Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
- Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
- Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
- Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
- Run for leadership in your student organization.
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
Recommended courses
2021-2022
Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (accelerated masters degree option)
Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Applied Science: Criminal Justice (G3 program))
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Requirements for AAS degree | ||||
| SDV 100 | College Success Skills | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 154 | Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 131 | 3 | General education |
| ITE 115 | Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts | INFO 160, 161, 162 | 3 | Elective |
| ADJ 100 | Survey of Criminal Justice | CRJS 181 | 3 | Major |
| ADJ 105 | The Juvenile Justice System | CRJS 252 | 3 | Elective |
| ADJ 201 | Criminology | CRJS 2XX | 3 | Elective |
| ADJ 111 | Law Enforcement Orgs. & Administration (or ADJ 245) | CRJS 1XX | 3 | Elective |
| ADJ 133 | Ethics and the Criminal Justice Profession | CRJS 1XX | 3 | Elective |
| ADJ 229 + ADJ 160 | Law Enforcement & the Community -AND- Police Response to Critical Incidents (both must be taken to receive credit for VCU equivalents) | CRJS 254 + CRJS 1XX | 6 | Major |
| PSY 200 | Principles of Psychology | PSYC 101 | 3 | General education |
| ADJ 211 | Criminal Law, Evidence and Procedure 1 | CRJS 2XX | 3 | Elective |
| ADJ 227 | Constitutional Law for Justice Personnel (or ADJ 241) | CRJS 2XX | 3 | Elective |
| ADJ 140 | Intro to Corrections | CRJS 253 | 3 | Major |
| ADJ 247 | Criminal Behavior | CRJS 2XX | 3 | Elective |
| SOC 200 | Principles of Sociology | SOCY 101 | 3 | General education |
| ADJ 236 | Principles of Criminal Investigation | CRJS 2XX | 3 | Elective |
| CST 100 | Principles of Public Speaking | SPCH 121 | 3 | General education |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| PHI 220 | Ethics | PHIL 201 | 3 | General education |
| John Tyler credits completed for AAS degree | 61 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science: Criminal Justice with a concentration in Justice | |||
| CRJS 355 | Criminological Theory | 3 | Major |
| CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 | Major |
| CRJS 475 | Criminal Procedure | 3 | Major |
| CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 | Major |
| CRJS | CRJS upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses) | 18 | Major |
| GVPA 100 | Making Policy Real: Social Problems and Policy Solutions | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses): consider a minor or a second major Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. | 15 | Elective | |
| Electives | Open electives | 8 | Elective |
| Credits Completed at VCU | 59 | ||
| Bachelor's degree total | 120 | ||
| Bachelor of Science: Criminal Justice with a concentration in forensic crime scene investigation | |||
| CRJS 355 | Criminological Theory | 3 | Major |
| CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 | Major |
| CRJS 475 | Criminal Procedure | 3 | Major |
| CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 | Major |
| CRJS 320 | Principles of Criminal Investigation | 3 | Major |
| CRJS 370 | Criminalistics and Crime Analysis | 3 | Major |
| CRJS 373 | Crime Scene Evidence: Law and Trial Procedure | 3 | Major |
| CRJS 425 | Violent Crime Scene Investigation | 3 | Major |
| CRJS | CRJS upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses) | 6 | Major |
| GVPA 100 | Making Policy Real: Social Problems and Policy Solutions | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses): consider a minor or a second major Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. | 15 | Elective | |
| Open electives | 8 | Elective | |
| Credits Completed at VCU | 59 | ||
| Bachelor's degree total | 120 | ||