Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (SCCJ)  is a nationally-recognized leader in the scientific study of the causes of crime and criminal justice system responses. The school provides its students with the foundation for entering many diversified criminal justice related careers in corrections, courts and law, juvenile services, law enforcement, private security, and victim services. The curriculum is composed of a broad range of courses in corrections, courts, criminology, diversity, deviant behavior and violence, juvenile delinquency, law, law enforcement, research methods, victimology and various special topics. Through the SCCJ internship program, students can obtain valuable work experience within various criminal justice agencies.

Although the bachelor of science in criminology and criminal justice degree can be earned entirely on the Lincoln campus, the degree is granted by the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice (BCCJ) degree requires the completion of 120 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.  Core major requirements are guided by a series of student learning outcomes.

Criminology and Criminal Justice Student Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate mastery of core areas in criminology and criminal justice.
• Locate, integrate and use information from varied sources to effectively communicate in writing and other mediums.
• Apply specialized knowledge through field-based learning experiences, civic and/or community engagement activities, and/or policy analysis.
• Explain diverse positions, including those representing different cultural, economic, and geographic interests in the context of criminology and criminal justice.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice (120 Hours)

Students who have been admitted to the University may apply for entrance to the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) as a criminology and criminal justice major by indicating their preference in the appropriate place on the University Application for Admission form.

Students who wish to transfer into the criminology and criminal justice major from one of the schools or colleges within the University or from another institution must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.

Admission Deficiencies

Students with high school admission deficiencies that have been admitted to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln may enter the College of Public Affairs and Community Service as a criminology and criminal justice major.  A college course may fulfill a high school deficiency and may also apply toward a degree in the College.

Transfer Students Declaring Criminology and Criminal Justice

Students wishing to transfer from another institution or department within the University of Nebraska must have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average to declare a criminology and criminal justice major. Students wishing to transfer are encouraged to contact an SCCJ advisor for more details on the transfer policy.

The policies set out above are intended to apply to all students who seek admission to the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. For good cause shown, the school has the discretion to make exceptions to the admission policy.

Acceptability of credits

The student should refer all questions concerning the acceptability of credits earned in programs such as Cooperative Education and Credit by Examination to the department in which enrolled. Credit earned in courses below the 100 level may not be applied toward the degree offered by the College of Public Affairs and Community Service.

Prerequisite Courses

Completion of a course within the major with a grade below a C- will not be considered as having fulfilled prerequisite requirements for additional courses taken in the major field of study.

Grade Appeals Procedure

Students who wish to appeal a grade that they feel was capriciously or prejudicially given shall first discuss the matter with the instructor within 30 days of the final course grade being posted. If the matter is not resolved, the student must meet with the department/school chairperson. If a satisfactory agreement cannot be reached, the student must appeal in writing to the department/school curriculum committee. If a satisfactory agreement cannot be reached, the student may submit a written appeal to the Office of the Dean within 20 working days of the exhaustion of the departmental procedures.

The Committee on Academic Standards and Curriculum for the College of Public Affairs and Community Service is the official body for handling the appeal.

In the event that the instructor is unavailable for handling a grade complaint, the student will meet with the school director and the dean to determine the most appropriate course of action agreeable to all parties.

Copies of the CPACS Procedures for Student Grades and Suspension Appeals are available from the chair of the Committee on Academic Standards and Curriculum for the College and the Office of the Dean.

Degree Audit and Application for Degree

Students are expected to develop a clear understanding of degree requirements and to plan their course of study with a College advisor. Students requiring clarification of outstanding degree requirements should visit with a College advisor promptly.

Students should access their Degree Audit via MyRED at least once each term to review degree requirements and progress toward graduation. It is the student's responsibility to make sure their Degree Audit accurately reflects their current College and program of study.

Students who believe their Degree Audit has errors or omissions should visit with a College advisor promptly. It is important that you resolve these matters as soon as practicable to avoid a delay in graduation.

Each student with MyRED access must submit an online Application for Graduation via MyRED for each degree to be received by:
 

• The fourth Friday in January for May graduation
• The second Friday in June for August graduation
• The second Friday in September for December graduation

Students submitting an electronic Application for Graduation via MyRED will be billed a $25.00 per degree fee on their student account. Those students without MyRED access may apply for graduation in person at Husker Hub in the Canfield Administration Building, or by mail. Applications for Graduation submitted in person or by mail must be accompanied by a check or money order in the amount of $25.00 payable to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Failure to submit a timely Application for Graduation may preclude the awarding of a degree in the intended term.

Your Application for Graduation and required $25.00 fee are good only for the term marked on your application. Neither your application nor your fee are transferrable to another term. If you submit an Application for Graduation and pay the $25.00 fee for a specified term but do not complete your degree requirements in that term, you will need to reapply to graduate in a future term and incur another $25.00 fee.

Commencement ceremony information will be emailed to all degree applicants approximately one month before graduation. Each student who has applied for graduation must submit an online Commencement Attendance Form via MyRED, which will be available when the informational email is distributed.

Only those students who have applied for graduation, had the application accepted, and fulfilled all degree requirements as of the last day of the academic term may participate in the commencement ceremony for that term. Because the University of Nebraska–Lincoln has a commencement for each term, ceremony participation is allowed only in the term during which the student has properly and timely applied for graduation and fulfilled degree requirements.
 

College Requirements

College Admission

Students who have been admitted to the University may apply for entrance to the College of Public Affairs and Community Service during initial registration by indicating their preference in the appropriate place on the University Application for Admission form.

Students who wish to readmit or transfer into the College from another institution or another program within the University should refer to the individual school/department requirements to declare their intended major.

Admission Deficiencies

Students with high school admission deficiencies that have been admitted to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln may enter the College of Public Affairs and Community Service.  A college course may fulfill a high school deficiency and may also apply toward a degree in the College.

College Degree Requirements

Achievement-Centered Education (ACE)

All students completing their degree on the Lincoln campus must fulfill the Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) requirements. The 30-hour ACE requirement will include a minimum of 3 hours of approved coursework in each of the 10 designated Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) student learning outcome areas, which can be viewed at ace.unl.edu. Students will be provided a list of courses they can select from to meet each of the 10 ACE Student Learning Outcomes.

Foreign Languages/Language Requirement

Students in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service who have completed the University of Nebraska high school admission requirement of two years in the same language will not be required to complete additional language for their degree.

Minimum Hours Required for Graduation

Each candidate must present a total of at least 120 semester hours of college credit to meet graduation requirements.

Grade Rules

C- and D Grades

A minimum grade of at least C- must be earned in all required courses within the major, unless a higher grade is designated by the department/school. Completion of a course within the major with a grade below a C- will not be considered as having fulfilled prerequisite requirements for additional courses taken in the major field of study. A higher grade may be designated by the department/school.

Pass/No Pass Limits

See individual school/department limitations regarding Pass/No Pass.

GPA Requirements

Each candidate for the degree must attain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. A minimum grade of at least C- must be earned in all required courses within the major, unless a higher grade is designated by the department/school. All grades reported by the faculty to the registrar become a part of the student's permanent record and are included in the computation of the grade point average, even though some of these grades may be for work done in excess of the 120 hours required for graduation.

Transfer Credit Rules

The transfer of D grades in non-major courses are accepted only from within the University of Nebraska system. Students from other institutions must present a grade of C- or above for all coursework.

Generally, hours earned at an accredited college are accepted by the University; however, the college will evaluate all hours submitted for transfer to determine applicability toward the degree. A maximum of 64 hours may be transferred from a two-year college and a maximum of 90 hours from a four-year institution.

Course Level Requirements (Hour Requirement 300+)

Individual departments/schools should be consulted for the minimum number of upper-division hours required.

Residency

Thirty (30) of the last 36 hours required for the degree must be registered for and carried within the University of Nebraska system.

Independent Study and Internship Rules

Individual schools/departments should be consulted for rules regarding independent study and internship credit applicable to majors or minors.

Catalog Rule

A student registering in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service for the first time may, except for limitations described below, complete work for the degree according to one of these requirements:
 

• The catalog in effect the year the student enters CPACS.
• The catalog current at the time the student applies for the degree.

Students entering the College for the first time in the summer will be subject to the catalog for the academic year immediately following.

Students formerly in a CPACS program who dropped out of the College for one year must complete requirements of the catalog current at the time of readmission.

Failure to complete the requirements for the degree within seven years after the date the student first enters the College will subject the student to graduation under the requirements of a later catalog to be approved by the Dean.

The College reserves the right to institute and make effective, after due notice and during the course of a student's work toward a degree, any new ruling which may be necessary for the general good of the College and to substitute courses currently offered for those no longer offered.

• Demonstrate mastery of core areas in criminology and criminal justice.
• Locate, integrate and use information from varied sources to effectively communicate in writing and other mediums.
• Apply specialized knowledge through field-based learning experiences, civic and/or community engagement activities, and/or policy analysis.
• Explain diverse positions, including those representing different cultural, economic, and geographic interests in the context of criminology and criminal justice.