The Law Enforcement Area of Emphasis is ideal for students with a passion for public safety, policing, and investigative work. This emphasis places a strong focus on the history, philosophy, and practices of law enforcement agencies, including the operational and administrative aspects of policing. Students learn about constitutional and ethical issues in law enforcement, community policing strategies, decision‑making in policing contexts, and current challenges facing law enforcement professionals. Graduates with this emphasis are well‑prepared for careers as police officers, detectives, federal or state law enforcement agents, campus safety officers, or in other patrol and investigative capacities. While an area of emphasis is not required for the Criminal Justice degree, it can be a strong advantage for students who plan to pursue law enforcement careers. Students who declare this emphasis will also have it noted on their official transcript upon graduation.
Course Requirements
- General Education Course
- Milestone course: a key success marker for your major. See your advisor to discuss the importance of this course in your plan of study.
Course List | Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| CJ 211 | Intro to Law Enforcement | 3 |
| 15 |
| Admin of Criminal Justice | |
| Crime Scene & Investigations | |
| Applied Ethics in CJ | |
| Race, Ethnicity, Class & Crime | |
| Police Administration | |
| Terrorism | |
| CJ Decision Making | |
| Civil Liability Issues CJ | |
| Internship | |
| |
| Juvenile Justice | |
| Drugs and Crime | |
| Victims of Crime | |
| Understanding Cybercrime | |
| Women & the CJS | |
| Rural Criminology | |
| Miscarriages of Justice | |
| CJ Response to Dom Violence | |
| Total Credit Hours | 18 |
18 hours (CJ 200 Intro to Criminal Justice, CJ 302 CJ Research Methods, CJ 322 Criminal Law & Procedure, CJ 404 Theoretical Criminology and CJ 492 Senior Seminar do not count toward the 18 AoE electives.)
