About Law and Justice

We have compiled some of the most common questions both current and prospective students have about the Law and Justice Program and put them here so that you can have your questions answered instantly. If you have any questions not answered here, please email the department and we'll answer you as soon as possible.

Prospective Students

Q: Can I take LAJ classes before I declare my major?

A: Yes, you may take LAJ 300 "Administration of Criminal Justice" before you declare your major. While it is difficult to boil down an entire field into one class, this class serves as a "sample" class for the LAJ program. LAJ 300 is recommended for all other LAJ classes. The class offers an overview of the field of criminal justice, including law, police, courts, and corrections. 

Additionally, we now offer LAJ 102 "Introduction to Law and Justice" as a General Elective course. This course fulfills a CWU General Elective requirement and acts as a good overview of the law and justice field for students considering our program.

Q: What are the admission requirements for Law and Justice, and when can I enter the program?

A: A student can enter the program at any time, during any quarter. We recommended that you complete your general education requirements before taking upper-level LAJ courses, as many of our courses assume you have the knowledge and skills gained in your general education courses. 

Q: How long does it take to complete my degree if I major in Law and Justice?

A: It generally takes between one and two years, depending on the number of credits you take per quarter and whether you have a minor. Our major is 68 credits.

Q: What options do I have with a Law and Justice degree?

A: All LAJ majors are required to take eight core courses (32 credits). You must also take nine LAJ elective courses (36 credits) from the remaining LAJ courses offered; this provides several options to the student. You may take a variety of courses covering law, policing and corrections, or focus on one specific area.

Q: What kinds of careers can I go into after school?

A: Law and justice students have a wide range of career paths they may pursue, including court administration, juvenile justice, law enforcement, paralegal or legal assistant, social services, wildlife agent, or graduate school. For more examples, along with a list of recommended classes for various career goals, see our careers page.

Q: If I transfer from another school, how does it affect me?

A: If you are transferring from a community college without a completed associate degree then you will need to complete the basic and breadth requirements for your bachelor degree. If you have completed an Associate degree then you only need to complete your major and enough electives (or a minor) to fulfull CWU's 180 degree graduation requirement. You may also want to review CWU's Transfer Admissions Critera.

Q: I am transferring from a community college and I noticed that some of the lower division courses I took there may be accepted for some of your higher division courses. Is this true?

A: Yes, some community college courses can be transferred as equal to some of our upper division classes in Law and Justice. However it may be necessary to take some classes again in order to meet the academic requirements of upper-division credits for the major. To see which courses will transfer, check the. For information, please see the CWU Transfer Course Equivalencies and Policies page.