The Indian Country Criminal Justice degree is designed to enable students and criminal justice professionals to master the complexities, challenges, and resolutions of providing criminal justice services in Indian Country. The historical and special relationships between American Indian nations, the United States federal government, and relationships with states have resulted in distinctive and complex legal and political environments. Indigenous Peoples have been and are still subject to discriminatory laws rooted in colonialism that have become institutionalized in criminal justice in Indian Country. Factual, historical, legal, and practical knowledge and cultural competency and understanding are necessary for better serving Indigenous communities and building more effective and culturally sound criminal justice systems.
This innovative, interdisciplinary degree will educate students about these critical dimensions of criminal justice in Indian Country, as well as provide training in the application of knowledge, skills, and theory in many settings, from law enforcement to judiciary settings to advocacy to policy development. Criminal Justice in Indian Country is a unique, complex, and specialized field.
American Indian officials state that Indian reservations in Arizona are underserved by law enforcement, especially those trained to work in American Indian communities. This creates a public safety issue for everyone (Indians and non-Indians) who lives there. This degree is designed for two kinds of students: Some will be students preparing themselves to enter career opportunities in criminal justice and related fields, within American Indian nations as well as other organizations that provide criminal justice and related services to American Indian populations. The other type of student will be those already working in these fields, from law enforcement to court systems to advocacy, to hands-on settings in administration and government, who seek to improve their knowledge and skills and advance their careers.
The interdisciplinary nature of this degree ensures that students will have a wide range of substantive knowledge in criminal justice and in Indigenous Studies, as well as special knowledge about legal jurisdiction and federal Indian policy as provided specifically by this degree. The degree will assist them to develop their communication, cultural, and interpersonal skills as well as analytic and problem-solving skills. The ICJ program is expected to grow over the coming years as more Indian nations establish their own justice institutions as a means to enhance self-government and nation-building.
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 | 2.0 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 114 |
| University Honors Program | Optional |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
| Progression Plan Link | Not Available |
Purpose Statement
Criminal justice in Indian Country is a unique, complex, and specialized field that is presently not taught at any university in the United States. To be proficient, a professional working in this field must know and understand how to analyze essential facets and challenges of the field, such as:
Throughout the program, these analyses are undertaken based upon the fundamental principle that American Indian nations are self-governing sovereigns and that current federal Indian policy promotes self-determination, self-government, and nation-building. The major in Indian Country Criminal Justice educates students with accurate, current knowledge about criminal justice and culturally-appropriate justice services on Indigenous lands, and helps students develop the unique skills they need to pursue criminal justice careers on and around Indigenous lands, with Indigenous peoples, in Indigenous communities, and with justice institutions of self-governing Indigenous nations.
Student Learning Outcomes
This major requires 42 units.
Take the following 42 units with a Grade of 'C' or better in each course.
The following course has additional prerequisites:
Students enrolled in this plan may not enroll in or pursue the following:
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.
Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.