Course Descriptions
CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (CJ) (CJA)
CJ 151 Criminal Justice Systems (3)
Overview of criminal justice systems, processes, and personnel. Roles and relationships of various law enforcement agencies, court systems, and corrections agencies. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of practical knowledge regarding the inherent complexities and day-to-day operations of the American justice system. Open to non-majors. Offered every semester.
CJ 201 Foundations in Criminology (3)
The study of crime; nature, types, causation theories, crime statistics, criminal law, the victim, punishment and crime prevention. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of issues of race and ethnicity, gender and social class and the need to understand social causes of crime. Open to non-majors. Offered every semester.
CJ 220 Criminal Investigation (3)
Crime scene investigation. Collection and preservation of evidence. Admissibility of evidence, interrogations, and confessions. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of integrating concepts of forensic science, and prosecutorial law in criminal investigation instruction. Open to non-majors. Offered every semester. FS 230 (Forensic Sciences) can be substituted for CJ 220.
CJ 223 Introduction to Law (3)
The study of the American legal system and various subject areas of law. Areas include: criminal law, criminal procedure, contracts, property, torts, business and family law. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of learning the basic rights guaranteed to each individual by both state and federal constitutions and laws. Open to non-majors. Offered every semester.
CJ 270 Supervision and Management (3)
Study of the major theories of management, organizing, motivation and leadership, and decision-making as applied to criminal justice personnel. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of a model of criminal justice management theory and practice, stressing conceptual, methodological and contextual knowledge development and application. Open to non-majors. Offered Spring semester.
CJ 291 Juvenile Justice System (3)
Components of the juvenile justice system and the processing of the juvenile through the system; rights of the juvenile; criminological theories relevant to juvenile delinquency and criminal behaviors. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of learning the basic rights guaranteed to each individual by both state and federal constitutions and laws. Open to non-majors. Offered Spring semester.
English 102 and Communication 101 are prerequisites for all upper division courses.
CJ 315 Behavioral Sciences Statistics (3)
Introduction to the methods and rules for organizing and interpreting observations; descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequency distributions, hypothesis testing, simple analysis of variance, estimation, and Chi-Square. Cross-listed with PSY 315. Offered Fall semester.
CJ 321 Research Methods (3)
This course will introduce students to the research methodology used to assess practices and policies within the criminal justice system and in criminology overall. Students will be equipped with the range of quantitative and qualitative tools available to the criminal justice researcher. Students will also learn the ethic limitations and obligations of the social science researcher. Offered Spring semester.
CJ 327 Career Development in the Behavioral Sciences (3)
This course examines vocational values, interests, and aptitudes in the identification and development of a career in the Behavior Sciences, specifically Behavioral Sciences programs, Criminal Justice, Anthropology, and Psychology. The vital role of a student’s academic background is explored relative to creating a goodness-of-fit between the student and the world of work. Students will be introduced to career guidance programs, develop a career personality profile, generate a career road map, and investigate/utilize career development tools and techniques. A broad spectrum of resources will be explored against the backdrop of local, national, and international job market trends, and the goals, interests and abilities of the job seeker. Behavioral Sciences Division requirement. Offered each semester. Division majors will have priority enrollment; non- majors will be enrolled based on space availability. Cross-listed with AN 327, PSY 327, and SO 327. Prerequisite: CJ 151.
CJ 375 Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice (3)
An examination of issues currently faced by the criminal justice system focusing upon contemporary issues which are projected to have a major impact upon the quality of life for the community and the ability of the criminal justice system to provide services to the community. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of learning the basic rights guaranteed to each individual by both state and federal constitutions and laws. Offered every semester. Prerequisites: CJ 151 or CJ 201.
CJ 423 Criminal Law (3)
Concepts of criminal law including elements, parties, liabilities and defenses. Constitutional limitations on police power and the administrative process of law enforcement. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of practical knowledge regarding the inherent complexities of the American criminal justice system. Offered every semester. Prerequisites: CJ 151 and CJ 223.
CJ 424 Criminal Procedures (3)
The pre-trial and trial rights of the criminal defendant and society, including discussions of the law of arrest, search and seizure, confessions, identification procedures, self-incrimination, and right to counsel. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of practical knowledge regarding the inherent complexities of the American criminal justice system. Offered every semester. Prerequisites: CJ 151 and CJ 223.
CJ 426 Courtroom Advocacy in Criminal Justice (3)
Theory and practice of criminal case advocacy. Students will participate in various stages of criminal pre-trial and trial litigation in criminal case exercises. Corse topics include discovery, case preparation, motions, and trial advocacy. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of learning the basic rights guaranteed to each individual by both state and federal constitutions and laws. Open to non-majors. Offered alternate years.
CJ 430 Legal Research and Writing (3)
Theories, strategies and techniques involved in legal research. Fundamentals of legal research and writing through classroom instruction and field exercises. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of formulating plans for research. Open to non-majors. Offered alternate years.
CJ 432 Law Enforcement (3)
An examination of significant and controversial criminal justice topics involving law enforcement agencies, primarily the police; clarifying, interpreting, and identifying the role of discretion in the system. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of learning the basic rights guaranteed to each individual by both state and federal constitutions and laws. Offered Spring semester. Prerequisites: CJ 151.
CJ 435 Ethics and Criminal Justice (3)
Examines Christian perspectives on ethical issues in the field of criminal justice. The goals are to assist students to develop an understanding of the personal and social dimensions of these ethical perspectives, methods for dealing with relevant ethical issues, and the historical development of the Christian community’s reflections and moral teachings relevant to criminal justice. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of practical knowledge regarding the inherent complexities and day-to-day operations of the American criminal justice system. Fulfills interdisciplinary course requirement. Cross-listed with RE 435. Offered every semester. Prerequisites: RE 103, CJ 151 or CJ 201, or permission of instructor.
CJ 440 Underwater Forensic Investigation (3)
This course is an introduction to the underwater world of forensic evidence. Conventional wisdom has prevailed in determining that items of evidentiary significance lose their forensic value when submerged in water. This course is based on the dispelling of this myth and several others that have led police agencies to destroy, contaminate or ignore the potential forensic value of submerged evidence. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of integrating concepts of forensic science, and prosecutorial law in criminal investigation instruction. Offered only in the summer. There are no prerequisites for this course, however, only certified divers may dive during the underwater portions of this course.
CJ 451 Corrections: Prisons and Community Alternatives (3)
Analysis of trends in the functions and administration of institutions and community-based corrections programs; and processing of the convicted offender. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of learning the basic rights guaranteed to each individual by both state and federal constitutions and laws. Offered Spring semester. Prerequisites: CJ 151 or CJ 201.
CJ 461 Women and Crime (3)
Subjects covered include mythical assumptions commonly held about women, minorities and crime. Examines the relationship of these factors to the context of policies in policing, corrections, and preventive programs. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of issues of race and ethnicity, gender and social class and the need to understand social causes of crime. Prerequisites: CJ 151 or CJ 201.
CJ 463 Sex Crimes (3)
Psychopathology of sexual deviation; developmental theories of sexual abnormality; and legal, social, psychological, and moral problems associated with sexual and character disorders. Examines the role and interaction of police, victim, offender, and rehabilitation. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of integrating concepts of forensic science and prosecutorial law in criminal investigation instruction. Prerequisites: CJ 151 or CJ 201.
CJ 465 Narcotics and Drug Crimes (3)
An examination of the history of drugs, current trends of drug abuse and enforcement techniques. Examines both source and demand reduction strategies. Role of law enforcement agencies in detection and prosecution of drug offenses. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of integrating concepts of forensic science and prosecutorial law in criminal investigation instruction. Prerequisites: CJ 151 or CJ 201.
CJ 480 Special Topics (1 to 3)
Selected topics in criminal justice and criminology. May be repeated for credit. Open to non-majors.
CJ 487 Internship (3 to 6)
Field work experience in an approved criminal justice agency. A minimum of 40 clock hours per credit hour of work experience related to criminal justice is required. In addition to the field work, the student will be required to write a paper, be evaluated by the agency, and complete an oral interview with a faculty member. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of providing service to the community and preparing for careers in criminal justice. Departmental approval is required prior to enrollment. May be repeated for a maximum of six credit hours. Offered every semester. Prerequisites: See Internship Criteria above.
CJ 490 Seminar in Criminal Justice Agencies (3)
This is a criminal justice capstone course. Students will complete an array of assignments that integrate contemporary knowledge and understanding of criminal justice agencies with course work completed in the major. As an integral part of the capstone experience, students will complete an exit assessment instrument. Offered every semester. Prerequisites: CJ major, CJ/PSY 315 or concurrent enrollment, and senior standing (completion of 90 credit hours).
CJ 491 Juvenile Deviancy and Juvenile Justice (3)
Patterns of deviancy in youths, with particular emphasis on roles and relationships of the family, school, and peer groups; theories of causation and influence of middle-class culture on deviance. This course provides competencies to meet the program outcome to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of learning the basic rights guaranteed to each individual by both state and federal constitutions and laws. Cross-listed with SO 491. Offered Fall semester. Prerequisites: CJ 291.
CJ 499 Directed Study (1 to 3)
Individualized study on a topic arranged through the program advisor. Offered every semester. Prerequisites: CJ major, junior or senior standing and consent of program advisor prior to enrollment.
CJA 602 AGENCY ADMINISTRATION (3)
Survey of concepts and methods of management as applied to provide administration and criminal justice system agencies. Offered every third term.
CJA 604 CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (3)
Survey of criminal law, including development of substantive criminal law under the U/S. Constitution. Examination of judicial opinions related to the criminal justice process. Offered every third term.
CJA 605 CRIMINOLOGY (3)
Covers multiple factors associated with crime and criminality, organized and integrated by explanatory scientific theories. Offered during the Winter and Summer terms.
CJA 606 RESEARCH METHODS (3)
Examines research methods applicable to resolving issues in public administration and criminal justice system components; focuses on applying social-scientific and scientific approaches to problem solving. Offered during Spring and Fall terms and should be completed within the first two terms of admission to the program.
CJA 610 LAW ENFORCEMENT (3)
Examines historical development, current changes, and future trends regarding police procedures and practices with some attention to relationships with other public agencies. Emphasis on critical issues and applying technology to police service and various related agencies. Offered during Winter and Spring terms.
CJA 612 CORRECTIONAL MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION (3)
Examines basic elements of correctional administration, management, and treatment of corrections. In-depth look at correctional management, its many components and day-to-day operations. Addresses budget constraints, personnel, inmate health, the effect of the Disability Act on prison design, jails as satellite prisons, rehabilitation, and corrections in the community and other issues. Offered every Winter term.
CJA 640 UNDERWATER FORENSICS INVESTIGATION (3)
Focuses on the scientific protocol that can and should be applied to “underwater crime scenes”. Methods and techniques for the location, recovery, and handling of submerged evidence will be covered. Dive certification is not required to participate in this class but it is required for those who wish to participate in the diving portions of the course.
CJA 680 SPECIAL TOPICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY (3)
Seminar on selected issues concerning public administration, offenders, victims, and/or the criminal justice system.
CJA 698 SPECIAL STUDY – INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH (3)
Advanced individual research on a selected topic. Full graduate student status plus approval of instructor and Program Director required. Credit/No credit grading. May be repeated a maximum of 6 credits.
CJA 704 FORENSIC SCIENCE (3)
Examines role of scientific and medical specialists in analysis of criminal evidence, conducting scientific criminal investigations, drug detection, and violent unnatural deaths.
CJA 705 FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Study of criminal behavior from a psychological perspective, looking at the criminal offender as embedded in and influenced by multiple systems within the psychosocial environment. Review of contemporary research, theory, and practice concerning the psychology of crime and psychopathy. Focuses on cognitive aspects of criminal offenders, delving into their perceptions, reasoning, beliefs, decision making, and attitudes. Aspects of prevention, intervention and treatment discussed along with topics such as profiling terrorism, criminology, and forensics. Cross-listed with PSY 705.
CJA 706 MANAGING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS (3)
Description and analysis of historical, contemporary and projected future techniques and procedures used in apprehending criminals. Emphasis on administrative techniques for managing large-scale investigations that involve multiple agencies.
CJA 708 TERRORISM AND JUSTICE (3)
Examines terrorist organizations, activities, threats posed to free societies, guerillas, national and international organizations. Focuses on applying knowledge to policy choices and implications for justice system agencies.
CJA 722 INMATE RIGHTS (3)
This course is an examination of the laws focusing on the process whereby a defendant is sentenced to and incarcerated in the correctional systems of the United States.
CJA 740 COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, PROBATION AND PAROLE (3)
Analysis of current techniques for probation, parole, after-care supervision and related services. Offered every Fall term.
CJA 760 CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN CORRECTIONS (3)
Study of current criminal justice or public administration issues selected by the instructor.
CJA 766 ETHICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (3)
Examines values expressed in the criminal justice system and public administration through customs, laws, and practices, and their impact on the quality of justice. Offered every third term.
CJA 770 HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS (3)
Provides basic theory and practice of crisis negotiation. Explores psychological underpinnings of crisis situations and the role of responding law enforcement personnel.
CJA 780 CRIMINAL EVIDENCE (3)
Covers criminal evidence rules pertaining to kinds and degrees of evidence, procedures for admitting or excluding evidence, witnesses and privileged communications, the hearsay rule and its exceptions, and judicial notice, burdens of proof and presumptions. Emphasis on rules of evidence governing the admission of justice process. Prerequisite: CJA 604.
CJA 790 SURVEY RESEARCH METHODS AND STATISTICS (3)
Advanced methods and statistics for use in survey research. Emphasis on sampling, development and analysis of questions, scales and indexes. Offered during Winter and Summer terms and should be taken by the second term in the program. Prerequisite: CJA 606.
CJA 791 CAPSTONE (3)
Students will complete an array of assignments that integrate contemporary knowledge and understanding of criminal justice agencies with course work completed within the student’s chosen track. As an integral part of the capstone experience, students will complete an exit assessment. Prerequisite: completion of all CJA Core Courses.