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Available as a mix of on-campus and online courses! 
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice: Paralegal Option
Work your way towards a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice while gaining marketable paralegal skills. Our highly ranked program prepares students to be competitive in a variety of industries.
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Earn a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice
UMass Lowell's Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice: Paralegal Option provides students with a unique mix of legal theory and hands-on skills. Students gain experience in legal research and writing, as well as in depth insight into the legal process and the operation of the American legal system.
Topics include legal research, courts and jurisdictions, evidence and discovery, pleadings, motions, depositions, trials and appeals, federal rules of procedure, family law, criminal law, real estate law, the criminal justice system, ethics and more.
The bachelor's degree is available as a mix of online and on-campus courses. Courses are available throughout the year during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. You can take one course each semester or several courses a semester, depending upon your own personal time constraints.
Questions About this Program?
Contact our Student Support Center at (978) 934-2474 or email Continuing_Education@uml.edu if you have questions or need assistance with course selection.
Ranked as a Top Online Bachelor's Program by U.S. News & World Report
As You Finish Your Bachelor's Degree, You Can Get Started Towards Your Master's Degree
UMass Lowell's BS/MA program allows Criminal Justice Bachelor's Degree students the opportunity to complete both their Bachelor's and Master's Degrees at an accelerated pace. As part of the program, two graduate classes may be counted toward both the 120 credit hours required for the BS degree and the 22 credit hours required for the MA degree. Ask your CJ Bachelor's Degree advisor for details!
Curriculum Outline
- 40 Courses / 120 Credits Minimum
Note: A 2.2 cumulative average overall and a 2.5 average in the major are necessary for graduation.
University Core Curriculum Requirements (12 Courses / 36-38cr)
UMass Lowell's Breadth of Knowledge required courses are designed to provide students with a foundation that prepares them for continued work within their major and minor fields, as well as endowing them with intellectual habits that will enable them to become lifelong learners. For a list of approved Breadth of Knowledge courses, visit UMass Lowell's core curriculum website.- ENGL.1010 College Writing I (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- ENGL.1020 College Writing II (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- ----.---- Social Sciences Course (SS) - 3cr.
- ----.---- Social Sciences Course (SS) - 3cr.
- ----.---- Social Sciences Course (SS) - 3cr.
- ----.---- Arts & Humanities Course (AH) - 3cr.
- ----.---- Arts & Humanities Course (AH) - 3cr.
- ----.---- Arts & Humanities Course (AH) - 3cr.
- MATH.2830 Introduction to Statistics (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- ----.---- Science with Lab - 3cr. + 1cr.
- ----.---- Science with Lab - 3cr. + 1cr.
- ----.---- STEM Perspective Course
Required Criminal Justice Core (5 Courses / 15cr)
- CRIM.1010 The Criminal Justice System (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- CRIM.1410 Introduction to Policing (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- CRIM.1510 Introduction to Corrections (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- CRIM.2210 Criminology (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- CRIM.2340 Criminal Law (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
Paralegal Option Required Courses (6 Courses / 18cr)
- LGST.1030 Introduction to Paralegal Studies (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- LGST.2610 Introduction to Legal Concepts (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- LGST.2620 Introduction to Business Law (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- LGST.3790 The Relationship of Law, Logic, and Ethics (3cr)
- LGST.3900 Litigation (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- LGST.3/4--- Legal Studies Elective at the 3000/4000 level (3cr)
Research Skills Required Courses (4 Courses / 12cr)
- LGST.3870 Legal Research Methods (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- LGST.2870 Legal Writing (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- CRIM.3950 Statistics in Criminal Justice (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
- CRIM.3980 Criminal Justice Data Analysis (3cr) - Available Fall 2019!
Criminal Justice / Social Science / Legal Studies Electives or Minor Area of Study - (6 Courses / 18cr)
The Paralegal Option allows students without a minor to take up to four Legal Studies electives (two lower-level and two upper-level), in addition to either Criminal Justice or Social Science electives.
- ----.---- CJ/SS/LS Elective or Minor Course (3cr)
- ----.---- CJ/SS/LS Elective or Minor Course (3cr)
- ----.3/4--- CJ Elective at the 3000/4000 level or Minor Course at any level (3cr)
- ----.3/4--- CJ Elective at the 3000/4000 level or Minor Course at any level (3cr)
- ----.3/4--- SS/LS Elective at the 3000/4000 level or Minor Course at the 3000/4000 level (3cr)
- ----.3/4--- SS/LS Elective at the 3000/4000 level or Minor Course at the 3000/4000 level (3cr)
Free Electives - (7 Courses / 18cr)
Students must select seven free elective courses for their remaining credits to achieve the total 120 credits required by the University for a bachelor's degree.- ----.---- Free Elective (3cr)
- ----.---- Free Elective (3cr)
- ----.---- Free Elective (3cr)
- ----.---- Free Elective (3cr)
- ----.---- Free Elective (3cr)
- ----.---- Free Elective (3cr)
- ----.---- Free Elective (3cr)
Program Requirements
Students majoring in Criminal Justice must maintain at least a 2.200 grade point average (GPA) overall and at least a 2.500 GPA in their Criminal Justice courses. Students must present a minimum of 120 semester hours, fulfill the University's residency requirements, conform to the general regulations and requirements of the University, satisfy the regulations and academic standards of the colleges which exercise jurisdiction over the degrees for which they are matriculating, satisfy the curriculum requirements established by the departments or programs in their major, and complete the University's Core Curriculum requirements, which are listed within the program's curriculum outline. For additional information regarding the University's general policies and procedures, transfer credit information and residency requirements; please refer to our Academic Policies & Procedures.
Course Descriptions
Prerequisites:
CRIM 1010 or CRIM 2210 Pre-req
Prerequisites:
44.101 pre-req
Prerequisites:
CRIM majors only
Prerequisites:
44.141 pre-req
Prerequisites:
44.151 pre-req, CJ majors only
Prerequisites:
CRIM.1010.
Prerequisites:
CRIM 1010, CRIM 1410 pre-req
Prerequisites:
44.221 and CJ majors pre-req
Prerequisites:
CRIM 1010 or CRIM 2210 Pre-req
Prerequisites:
CJ Junior/Seniors Only
Prerequisites:
CRIM 3900 or PSYC 2690 pre-req
Prerequisites:
CRIM.3950 Pre-req
Prerequisites:
CRIM 1010 or CRIM 2210 Pre-req
Prerequisites:
CRIM 1010 or CRIM 2210 Pre-req
Prerequisites:
Junior or Senior Standing Only
Prerequisites:
Junior or Senior Status
Tuition & Fees
At UMass Lowell, we believe that students should have as much information as possible up front so they can make informed decisions before enrolling in a degree program or signing up for a course.
Tuition for UMass Lowell Online & Continuing Education students is the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition is priced per credit. To calculate the tuition for a course, simply multiply the per-credit tuition by the total number of credits per course. Exception: If the total number of course contact hours is greater than the total number of credits, the per-credit tuition is instead multiplied by the total number of contact hours.
Fall 2019 Tuition |
Per Credit / Contact Hour |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Face-to-Face Courses and Audit | $340.00 |
| Undergraduate Online Courses and Audit (except Manning School of Business* Undergraduate Online Courses and Audit) | $380.00 |
| Manning School of Business* Undergraduate Online Courses and Audit | $385.00 |
| Graduate Online and Audit (except Manning School of Business* Online, MBA in Haverhill, Master's in Information Technology, Master's in Engineering Management, and Education Courses) | $575.00 |
| Manning School of Business* Graduate Online Courses | $655.00 |
| MBA Graduate Courses in Haverhill | $655.00 |
| Master's in Information Technology and Master's in Engineering Management** Online Courses | $590.00 |
| Graduate Education Online Courses | $470.00 |
*Applies to courses with the following prefixes: ACCT, BUSI, ENTR, FINA, MGMT, MKTG, MIST, POMS offered through the Manning School of Business
**Applies to courses with the following prefixes: CHEN, CIVE, EECE, MECH, PLAS offered through the Francis College of Engineering
Additional Fees |
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|---|---|
| Registration Fee per Term (nonrefundable) | $30.00 |
| Late Fee for Nonpayment | $50.00 |
| Fee for Undergraduate Degree Application | $60.00 |
| Fee for Graduate Degree Application | $50.00 |
Looking for Financial Assistance?
Registration
Current students can register using SiS Self-Service. New students who have not already applied and been accepted to a program must use the Non-Degree Registration Form.You can take courses without being officially enrolled in a certificate or degree program, but you must meet course prerequisites. Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Class size is limited. We recommend that you register early to reserve your place in class.
For more information, please visit our Registration Page.
New Students
Current Students
Questions?
Email our Advising Center for assistance, or call 800-480-3190 to speak with an advisor.Applying into an Undergraduate Degree Program
Complete the Online Undergraduate Degree Application Form (preferred), or print, complete and submit the Undergraduate Degree Application .pdf form. Please note: Your application will be processed once we have received your $60 application fee. Return your completed application along with your application fee to:
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies
GPS Admissions - Southwick Hall, Rm 203
1 University Avenue
Lowell, MA, 01854
Questions? See our helpful Step-by-Step Guide to the Application Process.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for acceptance into a bachelor's degree program offered through the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies, students must hold a high school diploma or have passed either the GED® or HiSET®. Graduate, Online & Professional Studies operates on a rolling admissions basis and each application is reviewed when the student's file is complete. Students must be admitted to a degree or certificate program in order to be eligible for most financial aid.
Questions Regarding Your Undergraduate Application?
Email OCE_Admissions@uml.edu or call (978) 934-2474.
For General Assistance:
Call the Advising Center at (978) 934-2474 or (800) 480-3190. Our academic advisors are here to help!