Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

The Criminal Justice Program offers courses in the study of criminal behavior, criminal law, and proactive and reactive strategies of social control of crime. It is unique in the following ways:

• The program emphasizes an interdisciplinary view of crime and its control, including policing, crime prevention through personal change and community development, taught within  the context of the traditional liberal arts
• The program offers opportunities to study within agencies dealing with crime and justice
• The program offers courses that broadly educate students in the full range of issues related to the social nature of crime, criminal law and social control

Requirements for the Major
Required credits: 40

Required courses (7 courses, 22 credits)

SOC 170 Introduction to Criminal Justice
SOC 242 Methods of Social Research (4 credits)
POL 250 Law and the Justice System
SOC 271 Deviance
SOC 318 Internship
SOC 470 Criminology
SOC 473W/POL 453W Crime, Law, and the Administration of Justice

Electives

Group A: Perspectives on Human Behavior  (three courses, 9 credits)

SOC 273 International Organized Crime
SOC 278 Drugs and Society
SOC 372 Women and Crime
SOC 376 Juvenile Delinquency
SOC 378 Studies in Criminal Behavior
SOC 382 Race and Ethnic Relations
SOC 475 Race and Crime
SOC 476 Street Gangs
POL 421 Political Violence
PSY 242 Adolescent and Emerging Adult Development
PSY 262 Abnormal Psychology
PHI 233 Organizational Ethics

Group B: Law and the Response to Social Conflict (three courses, 9 credits)

SOC 274 Sociological Analysis of Prisons and Corrections   
SOC 277 Policing Society                       
SOC 319 Internship                           
SOC 375 Social Control                       
SOC 379 Studies in Crime Control
POL 351 Criminal Law and Procedure
POL 450 Constitutional Law                                                                       
POL 451 Civil Liberties and Rights

Learning Outcomes for the BA in Criminal Justice

1) Students will demonstrate knowledge of theory on the crime pattern of their choice.

2) Students will demonstrate knowledge of the current research on the crime pattern of their choice.

3) Students will demonstrate evidence of critical thinking, drawing logical conclusions in the analysis of that pattern of behavior.

4) Students will demonstrate evidence of the ability to communicate  effectively their knowledge of theory and current research and their critical thinking about the crime pattern of their choice.

5) Students will demonstrate knowledge of theory on crime and on a component of the criminal justice system.

6) Students will demonstrate knowledge of the current research on crime and that system component.

7) Students will demonstrate evidence of critical thinking, drawing logical conclusions in the analysis of that policy.

8) Students will demonstrate evidence of the ability to communicate effectively their knowledge and critical thinking.