Beginning fall 2025, this Applied Science - Justice Studies degree will be offered as the Criminal Justice Administration 90-30 degree.
The courses offered in the Justice Studies program are designed to provide students with a solid theoretical foundation from which they can address current issues facing the criminal justice field. The skills have been purposefully selected to enable students to succeed as a criminal justice practitioner and leader and enhance employment and career opportunities.
Students pursuing this degree will be prepared to enter a career in the criminal justice field and pursue a variety of assignments. For those currently working in the criminal justice field, the degree provides a pathway for moving into a leadership position or a specialty assignment.
This degree provides a criminal justice foundation and then allows for a specialization in criminal justice administration or intelligence studies. By learning from the top practitioners in the field, you will gain first-hand knowledge of popular criminal justice areas, such as juvenile justice, the court system, criminal justice leadership, ethics, forensics, intelligence studies, corrections, terrorism and legal issues for justice administrators.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the general studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Major GPA | C |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 114 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Required |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Optional |
| Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan | Optional |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
Purpose Statement
The BAS in Justice Studies provides online and distance-learning students with a professional, criminal justice-focused education that prepares students to ethically work and lead in the fields of criminal justice and intelligence studies.
To help students reach their education and career goals, all Justice Studies faculty members have advanced degrees and extensive experience in the criminal justice or intelligence fields, specializing in areas, such as, criminal justice investigations, police leadership, community policing, drug investigations, federal law enforcement, corrections, intelligence-led policing, military intelligence, cyber crime, and the law.
Students complete core courses in ethics, leadership, criminal justice, criminology, the justice system and effective writing.
The coursework ensures students develop an in-depth knowledge of their areas of interest within the criminal justice system as well as an understanding of the current, critical issues impacting the criminal justice field. This coursework also helps students use critical thinking to connect theoretical concepts with practical criminal justice situations; a necessary skill for practitioners to succeed in the criminal justice field.
In addition to working in the criminal justice field, many graduates choose to build upon their critical thinking, criminal justice and leadership courses by pursuing advanced degrees in criminal justice, leadership or the law.
Justice Studies Program Learning Outcomes
Core Justice Studies Outcomes
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
To be admitted into the Bachelor of Applied Science in Justice Studies you must have:
This Applied Science Specialization, associated with completing an Associate Degree at a Community College, requires 45 units distributed as follows:
BAS Requirements (18 units)
This coursework is designed to help you acquire a general knowledge of management, organizational, and policy issues while advancing your professional communication, computer, and quantitative skills. Some departments may require that you take specific courses from the BAS Requirements or may place other restrictions on the courses that the department requires. Please see departmental requirements for specific information. Other courses may be used to fulfill the BAS Elective requirements.
At least 15 units in the core must be upper-division (300-400 level) courses.
You may use the same course to satisfy both a General Studies and a BAS Requirement.
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or General Studies Requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.
Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.