Courses are offered in theories of crime and delinquency, law enforcement, the courts, corrections, and administration. A criminal justice agency internship is required for most students, but an additional criminal justice course may be substituted for students with extensive prior work experience related to criminal justice.

The Criminal Justice major is fully articulated with many North Carolina community college criminal justice associate's degree programs and accepts equivalent transfer credits under negotiated articulation agreements for transfer students entering UNCP within five years of earning an associate's degree. Transfer students must earn at least 19 hours in UNCP criminal justice courses to earn the Criminal Justice degree from UNCP.

*The Criminal Justice Program at UNC Pembroke is certified as meeting the educational and program requirements of the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission.