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2025-2026

Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice (Brightpoint Community College)
Brightpoint Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description

The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs is a creative, interdisciplinary grouping of programs in the social sciences and professional arenas that provides students with the knowledge, skills and experience necessary for success in public service. The Wilder School brings together faculty from multiple disciplines that share a common interest in public affairs.


The major objective of this degree program is to prepare students for effective professional careers in criminal justice, forensic crime scene investigation, public service and other helping professions, and/or prepare them to pursue studies in law and other related graduate programs. Career opportunities are available in federal, state, local and private justice-related endeavors. These careers include law enforcement, crime scene investigation, juvenile justice, corrections and the courts.


This program also prepares students to enter law school or to pursue graduate studies in criminal justice or in several of the human services fields, usually related to justice.

Career opportunities

Criminal justice students study the causes of crime, treatment of offenders and management of the criminal justice system, with a focus on balancing social justice and individual rights. Wilder School graduates typically pursue careers in public service and work in law enforcement, the court system, corrections or public policy. Students will learn under faculty experts in criminal justice, criminology, law, juvenile justice, organized crime, law enforcement, corrections, and transnational crime.


BS and MS degrees can lead to employment in criminal justice, social services, and related fields, including but not limited to: community-based social service, treatment, reentry and/or mental health agencies; local or federal criminal justice (law enforcement; correctional; sentencing) and/or homeland security agencies; local or federal research and policy agencies; local or federal correctional-based treatment and reentry agencies; or victim service and assistance agencies

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Crime Scene Technician
  • Evidence Custodian
  • Law Enforcement Officer
  • Policy Analyst,
  • Probation Officer
  • Reentry Case Specialist
  • Substance Use and Employment Services
  • Victim Assistance Programs and Policy Specialist
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Attorney
  • Forensic Scientist
  • Rehabilitation and Reentry Coordinator
  • Substance Use and Mental Health Counselor
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:

  • Completion of the associate degree
  • Minimum GPA of 2.5
  • All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 131
  • STAT 208
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Criminal Justice with concentration in Forensic Crime Scene Investigation      

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Schedule an advising appointment with your Brightpoint advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience Year 2
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Wilder School, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Schedule an advising appointment with your Brightpoint advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Wilder School, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice)

Brightpoint Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
ADJ 100 Survey of Criminal Justice CRJS 181 3 Major
ADJ 105 The Juvenile Justice System CRJS 2XX 3 Elective
ADJ 201 Criminology CRJS 2XX 3 Elective
ADJ 111 Law Enforcement Organization and Administration I CRJS 1XX 3 Elective
ADJ 133 Ethics and the Criminal Justice Professional CRJS 1XX 3 Elective
ADJ 160 Police Response to Critical Incidents (the combination of ADJ 160 + ADJ 229 = CRJS 254 + CRJS 2XX) CRJS 254 3 Major
PSY 200 Principles of Psychology PSYC 101 3 General education
ADJ 211 Criminal Law, Evidence and Procedures I CRJS 373 3 Major
ADJ 227 Constitutional Law for Justice Personnel CRJS 2XX 3 Elective
ADJ 140 Introduction to Corrections CRJS 253 3 Major
ADJ 247 Criminal Behavior CRJS 2XX 3 Elective
SOC 200 Introduction to Sociology SOCY 101 3 General education
ADJ 229 Law Enforcement and the Community (the combination of ADJ 160 + ADJ 229 = CRJS 254 + CRJS 2XX) CRJS 2XX 3 Elective
ADJ 236 Principles of Criminal Investigation CRJS 320 3 Major
CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking SPCH 221 3 General education
PHI 220 Ethics and Society PHIL 201 3 General education
Elective: select either PED 116 or HLT 110 VCU equivalent 2 to 3 Elective
Brightpoint credits transferred to VCU 60 to 61
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
GVPA 100 Making Policy Real: Social Problems and Policy Solutions 3 Major
STAT 208 Statistical Thinking 3 Major
CRJS 324 Courts and Sentencing 3 Major
CRJS 335 Ethics and Decision-making in Criminal Justice 3 Major
CRJS 355 Criminological Theory 3 Major
CRJS 380 Research Methods in Criminal Justice 3 Major
CRJS 480 Senior Seminar 3 Major
Major electives: Select from upper-level CRJS courses, including HSEP 301, HSEP 302, HSEP 320 and/or HSEP 330. 9 Major
Open electives (consider a minor or second major) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 29 to 30 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 59 to 60
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120
VCU offers students three options for accelerated B.S. and Master's programs: B.S. and M.A. in Homeland Security, B.S. and Master's in Public Administration, and B.S. and M.S. in Criminal Justice. These accelerated programs allow academically talented students to earn both the B.S. in Criminal Justice and Master's degree in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Please consult with a VCU advisor for information about minimum qualifications for entrance to the accelerated programs.