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Crime and justice studies (CJS) is an interdisciplinary and incredibly varied field of study. Knowledge specific to the discipline relies upon research from fields as varied as sociology, law, history, psychology, and political science. It encompasses analysis of federal, state, and local entities that seek to understand, control, and deter crime. The principal agencies charged with these responsibilities are law enforcement, the judiciary, and corrections. More fundamentally, however, crime and justice studies examines questions of social justice—concerns related to equality, fairness, freedom, security, and social order. If you are interested in understanding the causes, responses, and consequences of crime for the individual as well as the larger society, consider this program.
The military science concentration is intended specifically for CJS majors who are interested in pursuing a commission in the military (i.e. Regular Army Officer, US Army Reserve Officer, or US National Guard). Students graduating with this concentration will have both a BA in Crime and Justice Studies and a Minor in Military Science. Graduates will be academically and physically prepared to join the military or seek employment within the criminal justice field (i.e. law enforcement, corrections, courts) outside of the military.
View the crime and justice studies program profile for sample occupations, average salary, and employment projections. Crime and justice studies majors are employable in almost every public and private sector you can think of. They can target careers in:
 Michael Townsend has been assigned to protect numerous heads of state, including Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. |
 Madison Stiffler, a junior crime and justice major at Wright State, is a star on the women’s club bowling team. |
Our program attracts students with a wide variety of academic and occupational interests. For that reason, we feature a curriculum that provides both a tightly focused set of core classes combined with a more flexible, option-rich secondary set of clustered requirements. This configuration helps ensure you will master the essential subject matter of the larger field as well as develop expertise in more specialized topics. So, whether your interest is in policing, legal studies, probation, social inequality, or the countless other topics aligned with this major, our curriculum should meet your needs.
The CJS major entails completion of 15 three-hour courses across three major areas of focus—the CJS core, CJS foundation areas, and advanced CJS electives.
View the Bachelor of Arts in Crime and Justice Studies program information and requirements in the Academic Catalog.
To be admitted into the CJS/Military Science program, you must have:
This concentration is open to students who have completed Cadet Initial Entry Training (CIET), completed the requirements of Military Science 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 with a grade of C or better or are a graduate of Basic Training or other service component basic initial training. Students taking the CJS Major/MIL SC Concentration are required to complete five criminal justice core requirements, including an internship; four courses across criminal justice foundation areas (Behavior, Institutions and Practices, and Ethics and Diversity), and 6 courses in the Military Science minor, which will count towards the remaining CJS hours.
Review the college admission requirements and complete the admission application. Identify whether you will be majoring in Crime and Justice Studies.
If you are a current student and wish to change majors, go to the WINGS Express major/minor change request form and change your major. If you are an undecided/exploratory student, talk to your advisor about majoring in Crime and Justice Studies, Military Science Concentration.
After you receive your acceptance letter from the Office of Admissions, advisors will help you with any placement testing that may be required, plus help you register for classes. If you’re a transfer student who has already met the minimum requirements, you will be directly admitted to the College of Liberal Arts.
Once you've met the minimum requirements to be admitted to the crime and justice studies program, your file will automatically be sent to the College of Liberal Arts Advising Office, 937-775-2601. After the liberal arts advisors evaluate your transfer credit, they will forward your file to the crime and justice studies department. You will receive a welcome letter at that time which identifies your faculty advisor. However, feel free to call us at any time with questions at 937-775-2667 or email SoSSIS@wright.edu.
Finding the right college means finding the right fit. See all that the College of Liberal Arts has to offer by visiting campus.
