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LCJS Curriculum

Law, Criminal Justice, and Society BA Curriculum

Build a foundation in criminal law, justice institutions, criminological theory, and social inequality. The major prepares you for law school, graduate study, or careers in law, public policy, and justice-focused organizations.
Offered jointly by the Dietrich School and the College of General Studies.

A minimum total of 120 credits is required for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Of this total, the LCJS major consists of 36 credits of core and specialization courses. See our General Education program page for the remaining degree requirements. The 36 LCJS major credits are distributed as follows.

Foundations

6 credits · Choose two of the following three courses.

LCJS 0100 – Introduction to Law, Criminal Justice & Society
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LCJS 0200 – Race, Class, Gender & the Law
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LCJS 1580 – The Legal System
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Core Areas

15 credits · Select courses as described in each area below.

Theories of Crime

Choose one course.

LCJS 1100 – Criminology
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LCJS 1110 – Criminological Theory
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LCJS 1120 – Crime Prevention
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Criminal Law

Choose one course.

LCJS 1200 – Criminal Law
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LCJS 1210 – Criminal Procedure
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Power, Inequality, and Social Change

Choose two courses.

LCJS 1300 – Law and Politics
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LCJS 1310 – Law and DevianceOr SOC 0471 Deviance and Social Control
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LCJS 1320 – Civil Rights LawOr PS 1201 Constitution and Civil Liberties
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LCJS 1340 – Law and Social Change
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LCJS 1590 – Special Topics in Law and Criminal Justice
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LCJS 1591 – Perspectives on Violence & Non-Violence in Criminal Justice
LCJS 1592 – Defense Mitigation
AFRCNA 1522 – Sex and Racism
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AFRCNA 1535 – Dimensions of Racism
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AFRCNA 1537 – Race and the Criminal Justice System
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HIST 0671 – African American History Since 1865
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HIST 1632 – The History of the Civil Rights Movement
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SOC 0432 – Wealth and Power
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SOC 0434 – Political Sociology
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URBNST 0112 – Social Justice and the City
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URBNST 0140 – Crime, Punishment, Justice, ReintegrationNew to this area Spring 2026 (formerly CJ Institutions)
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Pitt Prison Education Project (PPEP)Course codes and topics vary · 3–6 credits

Criminal Justice Institutions

Choose one course.

LCJS 1400 – The System of Criminal Justice
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LCJS 1410 – Law Enforcement and Policing
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LCJS 1420 – Corrections
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Electives

6 credits · Choose two courses from List A, or one course from each list.

List A

LCJS 1330 – Emerging Issues in Legal and Social PolicyNew to this list Spring 2026 (formerly Power, Inequality & Social Change)
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LCJS 1430 – The Juvenile Justice ProcessNew to this list Spring 2026 (formerly CJ Institutions)
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LCJS 1440 – Criminal InvestigationNew to this list Spring 2026 (formerly CJ Institutions)
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LCJS 1500 – Criminalistics
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LCJS 1501 – Criminalistics Lab
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LCJS 1505 – Criminalistics 2
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LCJS 1510 – Psychology and Law
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LCJS 1520 – Cybercrime
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LCJS 1521 – Cyber Security, Law, and Money Laundering
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LCJS 1530 – Organized Crime
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LCJS 1581 – International Law
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LCJS 1583 – Sex, Law and Marriage
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LCJS 1586 – Consumer Law
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LCJS 1599 – Independent Study
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Any LCJS CourseNot used to fulfill another major requirement · 3–6 credits

List B

ENGLIT 0365 – Imagining Social Justice
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GEOL 1312 – Environmental Law and Policy
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HIST 0600 – United States to 1877
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HIST 0601 – United States 1865–Present
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HIST 0663 – 20th C. African American Women's History
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HIST 0670 – African American History to 1877
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HIST 1062 – Human Rights in World History
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HIST 1640 – American Childhoods: Race, Gender, and Citizenship, 1865–Present
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HIST 1669 – History of Black Pittsburgh
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NROSCI 0081 – Drugs and Behavior
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PS 1201 – Constitution and Civil Liberties
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PS 1202 – American Constitutional Law
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PS 1261 – American Public Policy
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PS 1675 – Politics of Human Rights
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PSY 0205 – Psychopathology
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PUBSRV 1305 – Health, Law and Ethics
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PUBSRV 1455 – Law, Ethics and Public Policy in the Mass Media
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SLAV 1225 – Behind Bars: Cross-Cultural Representations of Prison in the 20th Century
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URBNST 0010 – Introduction to Urban Studies
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Any Non-LCJS Course in the MajorNot used to fulfill another major requirement · 3 credits

Professional Skills

6 credits · Choose at least one course from each category.

Research / Practical Skills

LCJS 1610 – Data Analysis in Criminal Justice
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LCJS 1620 – Introduction to Legal Research
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LCJS 1900 – Preservice InternshipUp to 6 credits; credits 4–6 can count toward Elective List A
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ENGCMP 0450 – Research Writing
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SOC 0230 – Social Research Methods
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PS 0700 – Research Methods in Political Science
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PSY 0036 – Research Methods LectureMay be restricted to Psychology majors
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URBNST 0030 – Introduction to GIS
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URBNST 0130 – Applied GIS
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Professional or Public-Oriented Writing

ENGCMP 0400 – Written Professional Communication
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ENGCMP 0401 – Written Professional Communication: Topics in Diversity
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ENGCMP 0410 – Writing in the Legal Professions
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ENGCMP 0420 – Writing for the Public
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ENGCMP 0521 – Writing with Data
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ENGCMP 0560 – Writing Arguments
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ENGCMP 0641 – Writing for Change
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ENGCMP 1099 – The Language of Policy and Power: Topics in Diversity
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ENGCMP 1400 – Grant Writing for Nonprofits
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LCJS 1630 – Writing in the Criminal Justice Professions
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Capstone

3 credits · Required of all LCJS majors.

LCJS 1700 – Ethics in Criminal Justice (Capstone)Fulfills the W-course requirement
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Writing Requirement: Students must complete at least one W-course in the major. LCJS 1700 fulfills this requirement.

Program Notes

Grade Requirements

A minimum 2.0 GPA in LCJS major courses is required to graduate.

S/NC Option

Up to 6 S/NC credits may count toward the major (9 if at least 3 come from a Study Abroad course that applies to the major). Foundations and the Capstone must be taken for a letter grade.

LCJS Subject Code

LCJS replaced the ADMJ and LEGLST codes starting Spring 2022. Took those courses earlier? See the Course Equivalency Chart.

Complete Your Degree

In addition to the 36 credits in the LCJS major, students complete general education requirements and electives to reach the 120 credits required for the bachelor's degree.

Explore General Education Requirements

Plan Your Path

Use these resources to understand your Law, Criminal Justice, and Society major requirements, explore course options, and plan your path toward completing your degree.

Planning Resources

Use the Law, Criminal Justice, and Society Checklist (PDF) to plan your courses, internships, and career path.

Download Checklist (PDF) »

Flexible Learning Options

Build criminal justice and legal skills through a blend of in-person and online courses designed to fit your schedule.

View Online Courses »

Gain Experience Beyond the Classroom

Build practical skills, explore your interests, and connect your coursework to real-world experiences in the justice system.

Internships

Real-world experience in the criminal justice system is important to your success. As part of the program, you’ll have the option to complete an internship within a local agency or facility.

Learn more about internships »

Global Experiences

We encourage CGS students to consider spending a break, semester or summer abroad. The Global Seminar on Wrongful Conviction in London will give you a global perspective on courts and corrections.

Explore study abroad opportunities »

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