Minor
Criminal Justice Minor
Pursue Your Passion for Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Minor
Your undergraduate degree can put you in the running for the job you want. Adding a Minor could make your resume more impressive.
A Minor is a set of courses that complements your Major and helps you reach your career goals. The broader your knowledge, and the more workforce-ready skills you acquire, the better chance you'll have for a promotion or a new job. Plus, earning a Minor shows potential employers you are eager to learn and are willing to put in the extra effort.
The Minor in Criminal Justice introduces the fundamentals of the criminal justice system. Coursework involves an interdisciplinary focus on agency operations, public policy, and the application of critical thinking in addressing crime, criminal law, the courts, and contemporary social problems. The Criminal Justice minor may complement majors such as Child Protection and Juvenile Justice, Security Management, Cybersecurity, and others.
Courses
Criminal Justice Minor Courses
Current students please login to BRUIN and select “Academic Progress” for your curriculum requirements.
Requirements (18 credit hours)
Required courses (15 credit hours):
(Click a course name below to view course details)
This course will focus on the basic aspects of the American criminal justice system and its processes. The study of criminal justice is a dynamic and ever changing field and the nuances associated with duties and responsibilities of criminal justice professionals including law enforcement officers, correctional officers, probation and parole officers, attorneys, and judges will be examined.
This course will examine the law enforcement profession, including the multifaceted structure from which they operate, as well as the activities and responsibilities associated with the job. The focus will also include an investigation into operational policies and procedures, as well as the public opinions associated with this complex occupation.
This course will focus on crime typologies, the control of crime, and the nature and extent of crime in American society. The emphasis will be on the underlying sociological, biological, and psychological explanations for criminal behavior.
This course will provide an examination of the entire criminal court system, from the basic pretrial procedures through the sentencing and appeals phases. Comprehensive discussions in this course will focus on prosecutors, defense counsels, judges, the presentation of testimony and evidence, jury selection and deliberation, plea bargaining, and major social policies and procedures impacting the courts.
This course will focus on the basic principles of criminal law and the procedural legal processes that occur from the investigation of a crime through the appellate stage. An emphasis will be placed on Supreme Court decisions related to search and seizure, interrogations, and confessions. Prerequisite: CJUS 210
Plus one of the following courses:
This course will focus on the fundamentals of criminal forensic examinations, as well as the investigative processes associated with crime scene security, processing, evaluation, and the collection and preservation of evidence. Prerequisite: CJUS 210
This course will examine the incidence of violent crime in America with a focus on the underlying causes, the impact on society, and the criminal justice system’s response. Prerequisite: CJUS 210 or CJUS 310
This course will examine the ideologies of criminal punishment in America and the social control and policy issues associated with the treatment of offenders. Topics will include the death penalty, restorative justice, sentencing disparity, and innovative criminal sanctions. Prerequisite: CJUS 210 or CJUS 320
This course will examine victimization patterns and causal factors for crimes involving family violence. The primary focus will be on the social and criminal justice system responses to physical and sexual child abuse, child neglect, domestic violence, and the handling of vulnerable adults. Prerequisite: CJUS 220 or CJUS 310
General Education Courses
Take general education courses that do more than fill a requirement. At Bellevue University, these courses build foundational skills that apply to any career—critical thinking, qualitative reasoning, and ethical leadership. And, you can take courses individually or in course clusters, which connect three courses around one theme, building skills as you go.
Elective Courses
Our broad selection of electives allows you to select courses related to your major or expand your perspective in other areas of interest.
University Accreditation
Bellevue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org).
Whether a college, university, or program is accredited is important to students with financial aid, employers who provide tuition assistance, donors, and the federal government.
This program is considered a non-licensure degree/certificate program and is not intended for those seeking licensure or the practice of licensed profession. This program may be relevant to multiple occupations that do not require licensure and was not designed to meet educational requirements for any specific professional license or certification.
*Consult with an admissions counselor to determine your eligible credits, as well as to verify minimum graduation requirements for this degree. Transfer credits must be from a regionally accredited college or university. Bellevue University makes no promises to prospective students regarding the acceptance of credit awarded by examination, credit for prior learning, or credit for transfer until an evaluation has been conducted.
Get credit for what you’ve earned.
Accelerate your path to earning a degree.
Thanks to our generous credit transfer policy, you can avoid retaking the classes you’ve already completed, and chip away at the credit requirements you need to complete your degree.
- Already have an associate degree? You could accelerate your bachelor's degree completion. Transfer your full associate degree or even your A.A.S.*
- You may be able to get credit for your military experience and training.
Finish Faster
*Acceptance of transfer credits is always subject to official transfer credit evaluation by Bellevue University.
Format
100% Online learning that works for your life and your goals.
Our flexible online courses are designed to bring quality learning into a format that fits your schedule, without sacrificing meaningful faculty feedback and collaboration with peers across the country. Stay on track with the help of your Student Coach — with you from day one to graduation.
On-campus classes offered on a convenient schedule.
If you prefer an in-person learning experience, our Omaha-area campus offers classes that accommodate the working professional’s schedule.
Tuition & Financial Aid
It’s more affordable than you think.
Earning a degree is an investment in yourself, and we want to help you make sure it’s a wise one with a generous credit transfer policy and competitive tuition rates.
2024 / 2025 Academic Year
$449 Online Cost Per Credit $339 In-Class Cost Per Credit (Daytime Residential Only)
(Additional fees may apply to individual courses within your major requirements)
Only pay for the credits you need.
Talk to us about our generous credit transfer policy so you can make more of the credits you’ve already earned count toward your degree.
Get help with financial aid.
Our counselors will guide you to find a financial aid plan that works for you. Explore all the ways to help pay for your degree.
Ready to get started?
Reach out to admissions.
- Get your questions answered about the Criminal Justice Minor
- Understand your financial aid and scholarship options
- Map out a schedule that fits with your priorities
