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Credits and costs
Enhance Your Penn State Degree
Add a minor to get even more value out of your education.
Gain Specialized Criminal Justice Knowledge
Gain Specialized Criminal Justice Knowledge
An understanding of crime and the criminal justice system provides an advantage in many careers, especially those dealing with politics, law and legal systems, and social work.
This minor offers a thorough exploration of the criminal justice system, including policing, corrections, and prosecution. In addition, you can choose to take courses in criminal systems administration, border security, ethics, or juvenile justice.
This minor is a great complement to your studies if you are majoring in psychology, law and society, political science, social sciences, or related natural sciences (e.g., forensic science).
Online Criminal Justice Courses
Online Criminal Justice Courses
The 18 credits in this minor allow you to delve into the foundational concepts of criminal justice, as well as explore supporting topics and specializations within the field.
You must complete 6 of these 18 credits at the 400 level. A grade of C or better is required in all courses that you take to fulfill requirements for the minor.
Required Courses (12 credits)
- 3credits
Overview of the criminal justice system, including legal foundations, processing and correction of offenders, extent and types of crime, victims.
- 3credits
Police organization and operations in America.
- Prerequisite
CRIMJ 100 or concurrent CRIMJ 100
- 3credits
Purpose and function of criminal courts in society, organization, jurisdiction and staffing; prosecution, adjudication, and sentencing of offenders.
- Prerequisite
CRIMJ 100
- 3credits
Punishment and treatment of sentenced offenders, correctional institution organization, staffing, inmates, and subcultures.
Supporting Courses and Related Areas (select 6 credits)
- 3credits
Theory and research concerning behaviors and lifestyles viewed as significant departures from a group's normative expectations.
- Prerequisite
CRIMJ 12
- or:3credits
Theory and research concerning behaviors and lifestyles viewed as significant departures from a group's normative expectations.
- Prerequisite
CRIMJ 112
- 3credits
Principles of administration as they relate to a police organization and policy development.
- Prerequisite
CRIMJ 100 or CRIM 100 and CRIMJ 210
- 3credits
The impact of inequality and discrimination on individual and group identity among various racial and ethnic groups.
- or:3credits
The impact of inequality and discrimination on individual and group identity among various racial and ethnic groups.
- 3credits
Control and treatment of offenders in the community, probation and parole organizations, diversion programs, innovative sentences, supervision techniques.
- Prerequisite
CRIMJ 100, and CRIMJ 113 and CRIMJ 230, or permission of program
- 3credits
This course provides knowledge about government organizations charged with American border security, guiding laws, and policies.
- Prerequisite
6th semester standing
- 3credits
Historical and contemporary view of juvenile justice system. Focus on analyzing components of the system, their interactions, processing, and handling of youths.
- Prerequisite
CRIMJ 100
- 3credits
Capstone course exploring past, current, and future developments in criminal justice.
- Prerequisite
Sixth-semester standing and CRIM 100 or CRIMJ 100
- 3credits
Ethical behavior in the criminal justice system.
- Prerequisite
CRIMJ 100 or permission of program
Course Availability
If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.
Costs and Financial Aid
Costs and Financial Aid
Learn about this program's tuition, fees, scholarship opportunities, grants, payment options, and military benefits.
Costs and Financial Aid
Undergraduate Tuition
Undergraduate tuition is calculated based on the number of credits for which you register and the number of total credits you have accrued at or transferred to Penn State.
Tuition is due shortly after each semester begins and rates are assessed every semester of enrollment.
2024–25 Academic Year Rates
| How many credits do you plan to take per semester? | If you have 59 or fewer credits | If you have 60 or more credits |
|---|---|---|
| 11 or fewer | $632 per credit | $678 per credit |
| 12–19 | $7,678 per semester | $8,288 per semester |
2025–26 Academic Year Rates
| How many credits do you plan to take per semester? | If you have 59 or fewer credits | If you have 60 or more credits |
|---|---|---|
| 11 or fewer | $638 per credit | $685 per credit |
| 12–19 | $7,755 per semester | $8,371 per semester |
Undergraduate students taking more than 19 credits will be charged the flat tuition rate plus the regular per credit hour rate for each credit above 19.
Financial Aid and Military Benefits
Some students may qualify for financial aid. Take the time to research financial aid, scholarships, and payment options as you prepare to apply. Federal financial aid may only be used to pay for credits used to satisfy program requirements.
Military service members, veterans, and their spouses or dependents should explore these potential military education benefits and financial aid opportunities, as well.
Additional Cost of Attendance Details
To view the detailed list of cost of attendance elements:
- visit the Tuition Information site
- click the plus sign to expand the table
- select a semester from the World Campus row
Upcoming Events
Convenient Online Format
This program's convenient online format gives you the flexibility you need to study around your busy schedule. You can skip the lengthy commute without sacrificing the quality of your education and prepare yourself for more rewarding career opportunities without leaving your home.
A Trusted Leader in Online Education
Penn State has a history of more than 100 years of distance education, and World Campus has been a leader in online learning for more than two decades. Our online learning environment offers the same quality education that our students experience on campus.
How to Add a Minor to Your Degree
How to Add a Minor to Your Degree
You must be a current student and meet specific requirements to apply for a minor.
Application Instructions
Steps to Apply
To be eligible for admittance into this minor, you must:
- be a current Penn State undergraduate student in your fifth semester and be in a bachelor's degree major
- maintain a grade of C or better in all courses for the minor
- confirm that the minor code and major code do not match
Talk with your academic adviser about incorporating the minor into your major and to develop a semester-by-semester plan for meeting requirements. You should add the minor as early as possible, but you can apply up to the late drop deadline of your graduating semester.
You will receive a confirmation email once you declare the minor in LionPATH.
Admissions Help
Please work with your adviser if you have questions about adding a minor. You can find your adviser's contact information in your student portal or by calling advising at 814-863-3283.
Contact Us
Contact Us
Have questions or want more information? We're happy to talk.
To learn more about the Minor in Criminal Justice, please contact:
World Campus Advisers
Phone: 814-863-3283
[email protected]
Learn from the Best
Learn from the Best
This program is offered in partnership with the Penn State Harrisburg School of Public Affairs. Our courses are taught by distinguished faculty who have special training and experience teaching in an online environment. You can expect the same caliber of academic quality that you associate with Penn State.
Faculty
Eileen M. Ahlin
- DegreePh.D., Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, College Park
- DegreeM.A., Sociology, George Mason University
- DegreeB.A., Administration of Justice and Sociology, Penn State
Dr. Eileen M. Ahlin is an associate professor of criminal justice in the School of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg. She joined the faculty in 2013 after 15 years with a private corporation, where she conducted criminal justice research at the federal, state, and local levels. Her teaching and research interests include violence, neighborhood effects, corrections, research methods, and criminological theory.
Shaun L. Gabbidon
- DegreePh.D. Criminology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
- DegreeM.S. Criminal Justice, University of Baltimore
- DegreeB.S. Governmental Administration with focus in Criminal Justice, Christopher Newport University
Dr. Shaun Gabbidon is the author of more than 100 scholarly publications. The recipient of numerous awards, Dr. Gabbidon was awarded the 2015 Julius Debro Award for outstanding service and the 2016 Outstanding Teaching Award, both from the Division on People of Color and Crime of the American Society of Criminology. He teaches course in the areas of race, ethnicity, and crime; research methods; and private security administration.
Jennifer Gibbs
- DegreePh.D., Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, College Park
- DegreeCertificate, University Teaching and Learning, University of Maryland, College Park
- DegreeM.S., Criminal Justice Administration, Niagara University
- DegreeB.A., Psychology, Keuka College
Dr. Jennifer Gibbs' research interests focus on policing topics, including violence against police, public attitudes toward police, diversity in recruitment and retention, and terrorism. Her work on social distance and attitudes toward police, co-authored with Dr. Jonathan Lee, received recognition in the 2016 Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence. At Penn State World Campus, Dr. Gibbs typically teaches courses on policing (CRIMJ 210: Policing in America; CRIMJ 408: Police Administration) and ethics (CRIMJ 465: Ethics in Criminal Justice).
Don Hummer
- DegreePh.D., Social Science-Criminal Justice, Michigan State University
- DegreeM.S., Criminal Justice, Shippensburg University
- DegreeB.S., Sociology/Anthropology, Elizabethtown College
Dr. Don Hummer is co-author/editor of The Culture of Prison Violence, Handbook of Police Administration, and the forthcoming The Technology Revolution in Criminal Justice. His work, focused primarily on offender treatment and control, has appeared in peer-reviewed outlets such as Aggression and Violent Behavior, Probation Journal, Law & Policy, and The Prison Journal.
Jonathan Lee
- DegreePh.D., Criminology, Sam Houston State University
- DegreeM.A., Criminal Justice, Penn State
- DegreeB.A., Economics, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Dr. Jonathan Lee is an associate professor of criminal justice at Penn State Harrisburg's School of Public Affairs. He specializes in quantitative research on sociology and psychology of deviance, police-public relations, and police decision-making. He is associate editor of International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, a consultant to Dauphin County DA's Office and police agencies, and principal investigator of criminal justice projects funded by U.S. Department of Justice.
Siyu Liu
- DegreePh.D., Criminal Justice, University at Albany (SUNY)
- DegreeM.A., Criminal Justice, University at Albany (SUNY)
- DegreeB.A., Biomedical English, Peking University Health Science Center
- DegreeB.S., Psychology, Peking University
Dr. Siyu Liu specializes in quantitative research on the topic of criminal desistance, police legitimacy and the Forth Amendment process, and the death penalty in China. Dr. Liu is an active member of the Association of Chinese Criminology and Criminal Justice based in the U.S. and has been presenting her research projects in more than eight prestigious universities in China.
Jennifer L. Schally
- DegreePh.D., Sociology, University of Tennessee
- DegreeM.A., Community Psychology and Social Change, Penn State
- DegreeB.S., Sociology, Penn State
Dr. Jennifer L. Schally joined the faculty at Penn State Harrisburg in 2014 after earning her Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Tennessee. Her research interests are mainly in green criminology and crimes by the powerful, including harms to nonhuman animals. She regularly teaches courses in criminology and race and crime. Dr. Schally’s work has appeared in the Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, the American Journal of Community Psychology, and the Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Her book, Legitimizing Corporate Harm: The Discourse of Agribusiness, was published by Palgrave in 2018.
Emily R. Strohacker
DegreePh.D., Sociology, University of Central FloridaDr. Emily Strohacker joined the School of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg in August 2017 as an assistant professor of criminal justice. Her areas of research interest include criminology, deviance, and victimology, specifically in the areas of cyber victimization and sexual victimization. She regularly teaches courses in victimology, research methods, and criminology. Her published works have appeared in Crime & Delinquency, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, and Police Quarterly.