Online Bachelor’s
Degree in Criminal Justice
Core Requirements:
CJ 130 INTRODUCTION
TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3)
Prerequisite: None
An overview of the philosophical, historical, and
operational aspects of the justice system in the United States.
CJ 227 INTRODUCTION
TO CORRECTIONS (3)
Prerequisite: None
This course is an overview of the process and institutions
involved in the supervision, treatment, control, and incarceration of those
individuals who have been adjudicated and sentenced by the court. Corrections
in the United States encompass a variety of public and private institutions
including: probation and parole systems, jails, prisons, half-way houses and
post-release supervision.
CJ 242 CRIMINOLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: None
An introduction to the history of crime, the sociology of
criminal law, the operation of the criminal justice system, including roles of
police, prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges. Also considered are offender
types; conventional, white collar and organized crime; theories of causation,
victimology, prison, probation, and parole, and trends and issues in
criminology. CJ/SOC credit.
CJ 270 ROLE OF POLICE
IN MODERN SOCIETY (3)
Prerequisite: CJ 130
Study of the role behavior and life of the line officer
within the police subculture and within society. Topics examined are the
influence of coercive power, role behavior, subcultural influences, and
personal issues relating to loyalty, stress, health, critical incidents,
family, and faith.
CJ 362 CRIMINAL LAW (3)
Prerequisite: CJ 130
Analysis and evaluation of the growth of legal relationships
between the individual and government with special attention to problems of law
enforcement-law adjudication and the impact of their decisions on the citizen
and the criminal justice system
CJ 450 ETHICS IN
CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3)
Prerequisite: CJ 130, CJ 362, and Jr. or Sr. Status
This course will analyze ethical behavior and provide
criminal justice practitioners with decision-making skills to enhance the
practitioner duty performance and the public interest. The focus will be on
making moral, rational, and responsible decisions which will lead to ethical
professional behavior. Must be taken at
AU.
Electives (Need 18
credit hours)
CJ 200 CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION (3)
Prerequisite: CJ 130
Provides the student with an opportunity to study the
technical, theoretical and legal aspects of criminal investigation.
CJ 235 COURTS AND
JUSTICE (3)
Prerequisite: CJ 130
Affords the student a concentrated study of the functions,
operations and decision-making process of the American court system.
CJ 240 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION II (3)
Prerequisite: CJ 130, CJ 200
A continuation of CJ 200. The course will focus on investigative
theory and technique for major felonies including murder offenses, sexual
assault, and theft related to crimes, recognizing that each crime category
involves different processes to properly investigate that incident. The legal
concept of forensic science and the differing roles of the coroner, forensic
scientists, technicians, crime scene investigator, and the crime lab in
investigations will also be discussed.
CJ 244 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY (3)
Prerequisite: None
A course planned to aid the student in the examination of juvenile delinquency as a social problem from the perspectives of control prevention and rehabilitation. Delinquency will be viewed as to definition, genesis and extent. The social institutions of families and schools will be discussed in detail. The juvenile courts, probation, parole, correction institutions and child placement programs are to be examined with respect to their effectiveness, philosophy and goals. CJ/SOC credit.CJ 275/SOC 275 GANGS AND CULTS (3)
Prerequisite: None
Examines the historical and contemporary issue of gangs and
cults in United States and focuses on gang and cult recruitment, subculture,
beliefs, activities, signs, and symbols.
CJ/SOC credit.
CJ 307 VICTIMOLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: None
Victimology is the study of the role of the victim in
criminology and the criminal justice system. Areas to be investigated include
the relationship between victims and their criminal offenders, societies'
responses to the victims, the victim's role in the criminal justice process and
programs directed at assisting victims of crime. CJ/SOC credit.
CJ 331 TOPICS IN
CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3)
Prerequisite: None
A seminar open to criminal justice majors/minors which will
provide an opportunity to explore, in-depth, topics pertinent to or impacting
on the field of criminal justice. This may include critical observations or
historical, contemporary or future issues. Repeatable to a maximum of 9 hours.
CJ 332 TERRORISM & HOMELAND SECURITY (3)
Prerequisite: None
This course will look at what terrorism is and what a
terrorist group is. This course will also examine theories explaining terrorist
behavior and how economics, race, religion and other factors influence
terrorism and motivate terrorist groups. The course will also look at the
responses to terrorism, and particularly how it is being fought through the
concept of Homeland Security.
CJ 360 READINGS IN
CRIME AND JUSTICE (3)
Prerequisite: None
This course surveys major literary works that deal with
crime and punishment and examines these works in terms of motivation, social
milieu, culture and legal systems that affect our understanding of justice and
the laws that attempt to achieve that justice.
CJ 365 CORRECTIONAL
ADMINISTRATION (3)
Prerequisite: CJ 130, 227
This course provides the student with the context of
corrections history and with the goals and philosophies of the correctional
system. The student will examine
correctional administration and management using contemporary theory, research,
and best practices. The student will
also examine issues such as offender classifications, rehabilitative and
restorative initiatives, treatment programs, life-course and educational
services, various institutional environments and levels, and the functions and
management of correctional staff.
CJ 366 CRIMINAL
PROCEDURE (3)
Prerequisite: CJ 130, CJ 362
Examination of the area of law balances governmental power
and individual rights. Issues that address balancing controlling crime with due
process rights include search and seizure, detention and arrest, interrogation,
trial rights and sentences.
CJ 403 FIELD
EXPERIENCE/INSTRUCTION-CJ (1-12)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Provides an opportunity for CJ majors to observe and
experience the criminal justice system in action. The student selects from a
variety of agencies or organizations willing to offer this opportunity and,
with the help and guidance of the field coordinator, participates in an
experience designed to bring academic preparation together with the reality of
being professional criminal justice practitioners. Experience may be taken for
up to a total of 12 hours.
CJ 415 ADVANCED CRIMINOLOGY AND PROFILING (3)
Prerequisite: CJ/SOC 242
Advanced Criminology
and Profiling is a case study approach to applying theory to the practice of
criminology. The case histories of some infamous and not-so-infamous criminals
will be examined for the purpose of applying criminological theory. Students
will determine the probable cause(s) of those individuals' criminality. CJ/SOC credit.
CJ 465 RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE (3)
Prerequisite: CJ 130, 227
In this course, the student will explore restorative justice
as a new model within the criminal justice system. The student will develop a critical
mindfulness to the healing wants and needs of victims and communities impacted
by criminal conduct as well as the role of the offender in meeting these wants
and needs. The course will examine
various applications of the restorative justice model in criminal justice
systems around the world.
