CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Through the Criminal Justice program, students will have an opportunity to prepare for work in careers of service to the public, state, and even national constituencies upon graduation. Graduates are qualified to serve in law enforcement at city, county, state, and federal law enforcement levels. If a student is interested in becoming a correctional officer, a lawyer, or a rehabilitation specialist, a criminal justice major will lay a solid foundation for such careers.

Criminal Justice is both an idea and a process which seeks to define and apply one’s belief of what is morally and socially acceptable. In this program, students will gain knowledge in numerous areas that make up the American Criminal Justice System, such as deviant behavior, forensics, the legal process, and the dynamics of law enforcement. Whether students want to advance knowledge or begin a new career, Criminal Justice majors will be able to accomplish their goals through a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. And for someone already involved in a career in law enforcement, academy training can meet a number of program requirements.

Major Mission and Outcomes

Criminal justice careers involve upholding the law in cases that require enforcement of strict justice systems. The Criminal Justice system includes three main agencies; law enforcement, adjudication and corrections. These agencies function to enforce strict justice systems on a fair and just society. Careers range greatly and include professions in law enforcement and corrections, probation and parole, crime scene technicians, crime pattern analyst, and evidence technicians. Despite the different work environments, the demand for criminal justice professionals is expected to rise throughout the next decade.

The required Criminal Justice courses (39 credit hours) are:

Prefix	Course	Hrs.
CRJ 2000	Introduction to Criminal Justice	3
CRJ 3000	Corrections and Penology	3
CRJ 3010	Criminal and Delinquent Behavior	3
CRJ 3020	Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice	3
CRJ 3030	Introduction to Forensics	3
CRJ 3040	Law Enforcement and Juvenile Crime	3
CRJ 4000	Criminal Investigations	3
CRJ 4010	Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice	3
CRJ 4045	Special Topics in Criminal Justice	3
CRJ 4085	Experiential Semester	12

Recommended courses:

Prefix	Course	Hrs.
COM 3063	Communication Elements and Theories	3
COM 3110	Nonverbal Communication	3
COM 3034	Public Relations	3

Electives:

Prefix	Course	Hrs.
	Select twelve from upper division credit hours	12