Administration of Justice Major Ranked #2 in Pennsylvania
The College of General Studies Administration of Justice major has been ranked as the second best program in Pennsylvania by Zippia, a career services and job search platform. Zippia's ranking has taken into account data on the quality of the Criminal Justice Program and how students perform after college, among other criteria. Check out the study here: Best Colleges In Pennsylvania For Criminal Justice Majors. Zippia has been featured in USA Today, Forbes, Fortune, CNBC and the NY Times, and other major publications. This is the third year Zippia has ranked programs. October 2019
In American society, the justice system is a central social institution whose effect on individuals and social groups give it a pivotal role in a changing society. The fastest-growing administration of justice jobs from 2016 through 2026 include:
| Job Title | Growth Projection Rate | Median Salary (2017) |
| Private detectives and investigators | 11% -- faster than the average for all occupations | $50,700 |
| Forensic science technicians | 17% -- Job openings should remain plentiful because many people leave the occupation each year | $57,850 |
| Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists | 6% -- about average for all occupations | $51,410 |
To learn more about the pay and job growth outlook for Administration of Justice and other occupations, explore the Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Our administration of justice program is an upper-division undergraduate course of interdisciplinary study in the liberal arts and sciences that leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. The goal of this baccalaureate program is to develop an understanding of the evolution, theory, structure, functioning, and processes of change in the total system of criminal justice in our society. Administration of justice majors develop competence in one of four specialized areas:
- Adult and Juvenile Corrections
- Law Enforcement Practice
- Forensics
- Cybercrime
Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 120 credits (approximately 40 courses) for the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in administration of justice. Of this total, 30 credits make up the major, which is satisfied by taking courses to complete the core requirements, area of concentration, and major electives. The remaining credits consist of General Education Requirements. Other related courses are offered by the anthropology, political science, psychology, and sociology departments.
Transfer Credit Agreement
A transfer credit agreement has been established between the criminal justice program at Butler County Community College and the administration of justice program here at Pitt. This agreement gives a course-by-course outline of the associate’s degree program and the equivalent course or requirement fulfilled for CGS. Courses transfer if graded C or better. For a copy of the transfer agreement for a specific community college, contact us directly.
Police Academy Certification
Students may receive up to 15 transfer credits for completion of Pennsylvania Municipal Police Academy Act 120 or state police cadet training. Certification course work is equivalent to ADMJ 0500, ADMJ 1400, ADMJ 1410, and two ADMJ elective courses.
Course Format
Many CGS programs offer a blend of face-to-face and flexible online class formats, all designed to meet our students' needs and schedule constraints.
Online courses are marked with an (●). Courses offered in both face-to-face and online formats are marked with an (#). Courses with no indicator are offered face-to-face only.
Visit CGS Courses to learn more about our flexible offerings and how to search for classes in the course catalog.
Prerequisites and Courses
Core Requirements: (12 credits)
| Catalog Number | Title | Credits |
| ADMJ 0500 | Introduction to Administration of Justice (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1400 | Introduction to Criminal Law (also offered as LEGLST 1140) (●) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1450 | Critical Issues in Criminal Justice (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1900 | Pre-Service Internship (●) | 3 |
Area of Concentration: (9 credits)
Choose one of the four areas of specialization. All courses listed under a given area are required.
| Area of Concentration | Catalog Number | Title | Credits |
| Adult and Juvenile Corrections | ADMJ 1220 | Deviance and the Law (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1300 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 | |
| PSY 1205 (effective Fall 2019: 0205) | Abnormal Psychology (effective Fall 2019: Psychopathology) (#) | 3 | |
| Law Enforcement Practice | ADMJ 1200 | Introduction to Law Enforcement (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1265 or ADMJ 0600 | Advanced Topics in Criminology (#) or Introduction to Criminology | 3 | |
| ADMJ 1410 | Introduction to Criminal Procedure (also offered as LEGLST 1141) (#) | 3 | |
| Forensics | ADMJ 1100 | Crime Scene Investigation (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1115 | Criminalistics (#) | 3 | |
| LEGLST 1230 | Pyschology and the Law (#) | 3 | |
| Cybercrime | ADMJ 1234 | Introduction to Cybercrime (#) | 3 |
| Choose two of the following four courses: | |||
| ADMJ 1236 | International Organized Crime (#) | 3 | |
| ADMJ 1238 | Cybersecurity, the Law, and Money Laundering (#) | 3 | |
| ADMJ 1246 | Financing Terrorism | 3 | |
| ADMJ 1425 | Principles of Homeland Security | 3 |
Major Electives: (9 credits)
Choose three additional courses from the following:
| Catalog Number | Title | Credits |
| ADMJ 0100 | Society and the Law | 3 |
| ADMJ 0600 | Introduction to Criminology | 3 |
| ADMJ 1100 | Crime Scene Investigation (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1115 | Criminalistics (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1118 | Criminalistics Lab | 1 |
| ADMJ 1200 | Introduction to Law Enforcement (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1205 | Introduction to Police Management | 3 |
| ADMJ 1210 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3 |
| ADMJ 1220 | Deviance and the Law (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1225 | The Juvenile Justice Process (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1230 | White-collar Crime | 3 |
| ADMJ 1234 | Introduction to Cybercrime (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1235 | Organized Crime | 3 |
| ADMJ 1236 | International Organized Crime (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1238 | Cybersecurity, the Law, and Money Laundering (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1242 | Gender, Race, Class, and Crime (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1245 | Terrorism | 3 |
| ADMJ 1246 | Financing Terrorism | 3 |
| ADMJ 1265 | Advanced Topics in Criminology (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1300 | Introduction to Corrections (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1350 | Probation and Parole | 3 |
| ADMJ 1410 | Introduction to Criminal Procedure (also offered as LEGLST 1141) (#) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1425 | Principles of Homeland Security | 3 |
| ADMJ 1495 | Comparative Justice in Ireland (summer study abroad offering) | 3 |
| ADMJ 1900 | Pre-Service Internship (●) | 1 - 6 |
| ADMJ 1901 | Independent Study | 1 - 3 |
| LEGLST 1230 | Psychology and the Law (#) | 3 |
| URBNST 0400 | Crime, Punishment, Justice, Reintegration | 3 |
| *Any Pitt Prison Education Project (PPEP) course | Codes and Topics vary | 3 |
* Note: Students may take up to two PPEP courses with approval from advisor.
Requirements are subject to change. Check with an academic advisor before registering.