Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences' Criminal Justice Program

Teaching the legal and social aspects of criminal justice

Prospective Students Current Students Apply

Welcome to the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences’ Criminal Justice Program

Welcome to the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences’ Criminal Justice Program! The Criminal Justice Program offers a course of study to prepare the pre-service student for entry into an occupation related to criminal justice. The program offers an introduction to the study of crime and its causes, the law enforcement system and the judicial system. Through an academic program of integrated, interdisciplinary sequence of courses in the behavioral and social sciences, in-service students can broaden their skills and direct their talents and occupational interests. By choosing appropriate criminal justice electives, students can concentrate in one of two areas of specialization – law enforcement or corrections.

Objectives

To prepare students for employment in law enforcement and/or criminal corrections.
To aid employed law enforcement and correctional officers in achieving professional growth and competence while preparing them for positions of increasing responsibility.
To educate students seeking an understanding of the processes in the administration of justice as a cultural part of their higher education.

Requirements

The Criminal Justice Program requires a minimum of 120 semester hours for a Bachelor of Arts degree. These include general education and institutional requirements, criminal justice required courses and criminal justice electives. A major in criminal justice requires 21 semester hours of core course work.

Apply today!

Shurunda Thrower, M.A.
Instructor of Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice Program Coordinator
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
(870) 575-8585
throwers@uapb.edu

Criminal Justice Features

Meet Our Chair
Shurunda Thrower
Ms. Thrower is earned her undergraduate Criminal Justice degree from from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and master’s degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She also holds a Master of Science in Sociology from Mississippi State University. A faculty member of UAPB since 1996, her research interests include victimization, domestic violence, and race and the criminal justice system. She is also a member of the University of Arkansas System’s eVersity Criminal Justice Curriculum Team and Sociology Course Developer.

OUR IMPACT

Academic Excellence

Providing an invaluable educational foundation to future professionals in law enforcement agencies, courts, forensic teams and more.

Campus Partnerships

Forging partnerships within the UAPB campus community to increase job placement opportunities for our graduates.

Industry Collaboration

Collaborating with local, state, and federal agencies to offer mentorship and internship opportunities.

Degree Options

The Criminal Justice Program offers a course of study to prepare the pre-service student for entry into an occupation related to criminal justice.

The program offers an introduction to the study of crime and its causes, the law enforcement system, the correctional system and the judicial system. Through an academic program of integrated, interdisciplinary sequence of courses in the behavioral and social sciences, students can broaden their skills and direct their talents and occupational interests. By choosing appropriate criminal justice electives, students can concentrate in one of two areas of specialization: law enforcement or corrections.

Bachelor of Art in Criminal Justice