Criminology and Criminal Justice, Minor
Explore key areas of criminal justice, including policing, courts, corrections and sentencing, while examining how social factors like race, ethnicity and gender shape justice outcomes. This minor complements many majors and builds knowledge for careers in public service, law and social sciences.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Minor description
Criminology and Criminal Justice minor description
The minor program in criminology and criminal justice allows you to explore issues of crime, law and the criminal justice system while pursuing other undergraduate programs at ASU. The program provides you with the tools to analyze complex issues and policies within the criminal justice system, enhancing your ability to understand the nature of crime and the system response to lawbreaking.
In addition to the three required courses, which provide a solid understanding of the field, you select electives to meet your specific interests.
Why earn a criminology and criminal justice minor at ASU?
Shape your path through upper-division elective choices, giving you the flexibility to focus on the topics that matter most to your goals.
Additional details
The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice houses three research centers. The Center for Correctional Solutions works to enhance the lives of people who live and work in the correctional system through research, education and community engagement, drawing on ASU's mission and expertise to support people who are incarcerated, strengthen community health and prepare students as future leaders. The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing delivers information that helps police more effectively address specific crime and disorder problems, hosting dozens of guides on issues ranging from alcohol and drugs to fraud and traffic that are widely used in police training and college courses. The Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety takes a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach, with faculty and students partnering with communities to build, implement and test new models for predicting, preventing and controlling violence.
Beyond the classroom, you can join student organizations such as Alpha Phi Sigma, the Criminology and Criminal Justice Club, and the CCJ Graduate Student Committee, and take part in undergraduate research.
Courses
This undergraduate minor includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below:
2026-2027 Catalog Year
The minor requires 18 credit hours. A "C" minimum is required for all courses in the minor, although students must maintain a 3.00 GPA in the post-baccalaureate certificate program.
| Requirement | Minimum grade | Credit hours |
|---|---|---|
|
The minor in criminology and criminal justice requires 18 credit hours of graded classroom and online coursework (internship or independent study not applicable), of which 12 are upper division. A minimum of 12 credit hours of CRJ resident credit must be completed at ASU. |
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Students much complete CRJ 100, at minimum, as the prerequisite for all upper-division CRJ courses. Some upper-division CRJ courses require junior standing. |
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CRJ 100 Introduction to Criminal Justice
(SOBE)
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
CRJ 203 Courts and Sentencing
or
CRJ 230 Introduction to Policing
or
CRJ 240 Introduction to Corrections
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
CRJ 305 Gender, Crime, and Criminal Justice
or
CRJ 306 Race, Ethnicity, Crime, and Criminal Justice
(CIVI)
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
CRJ 309 Criminology
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
Upper Division
CRJ Elective
Choose any two CRJ courses at the 300- or 400-level.
6 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 6 |
|
Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this minor.
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Students should consider meeting with a criminal justice advisor prior to registration. |
Enrollment requirements
GPA Requirement: 2.00
Incompatible Majors: BS in criminology and criminal justice; BS in public service and public policy with the following concentrations: criminology, law and policy, or emergency management and homeland security
Other Enrollment Requirements: None
Current ASU undergraduate students may pursue a minor and have it recognized on their ASU transcript at graduation. Minor requirements appear on the degree audit once the minor is added. Certain major and minor combinations may be deemed inappropriate by the college or department of either the major program or the minor. Courses taken for the minor may not count toward both the major and minor.
Here are the admission and application details
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this criminology and criminal justice minor prepares you for
Graduates of the criminology and criminal justice minor find a strong job market in the public and private sectors. Employment opportunities exist in:
- bank fraud investigation
- corrections
- the court system
- domestic terrorism investigation
- federal agencies
- homeland security
- law enforcement
- legal offices
- parole offices
- private security
- probation offices
- victim advocate agencies
Graduates also may pursue advanced degrees in law, criminology and criminal justice, and other social science disciplines. Advanced degrees or certifications may be required for academic or clinical positions.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
|
UCENT 600
SCCJAdvising@asu.edu
602-496-1658
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
