Objectives
This program teaches the fundamentals of the criminal justice system and criminal justice skills. The program offers a foundation in criminal law, legal procedures, criminal evidence and criminology. Areas of study include law enforcement, the courts and corrections. Students are taught about the legal system and law enforcement standards to help them develop technical skills used in todays criminal justice environment. The upper-level courses enhance the study of the criminal justice system and expand into areas such as criminalistics, victimology and forensics investigations. The curriculum is designed to offer a balance of theory and application used in the field by integrating interpersonal skills and administrative subject matter. Students will examine the criminal justice process and study interpersonal communication skills. The program offers an interdisciplinary study of the mechanisms of social control, criminology and criminal justice in American society. Program content includes communication, criminal law and procedures, cybercrime and homeland security issues as well as technology skills. The program can help graduates cultivate particular human relations skills appropriate to the industry and an understanding of the causes and prevention of crime.

Career Opportunities
The program can help graduates prepare for careers in community corrections, the private investigation and security fields and law enforcement*. Upon completion of the program, graduates will have developed knowledge and skills that can be used to pursue entry-level positions involving a broad spectrum of criminal justice careers in the private sector involving workplace security, private investigations, and insurance investigations as private detectives, safety officers and security patrol officers. The program also offers the academic preparation to pursue entry-level positions involving criminal justice, such as local, state and federal law enforcement jobs in policing*, crime commissions, parole and probation, corrections and court systems.

*This program of study may not qualify a graduate for a career in law enforcement involving employment as a police officer or agent by federal, state, county, local or municipal authorities. An applicant must contact the applicable governmental authority prior to beginning the program at the school to determine if there are any specific requirements and/or qualifications that a candidate must satisfy to be eligible for employment as a police officer or agent by that authority. Those requirements and/or qualifications may include, among other things, that a candidate must: (a) successfully complete an academy or other specialized training; (b) be younger than a certain age; (c) pass a physical, mental and/or personality examination; (d) pass a background check; (e) not have a criminal record; (f) be a graduate from an institution that is regionally accredited (as opposed to nationally accredited, such as ITT Technical Institute); (g) complete a certain number of credit hours or a certain type of degree program at an accredited postsecondary educational institution; (h) have served a certain number of years in the military; (i) have a certain number of years of prior law enforcement experience; (j) be a U.S. citizen and/or a resident of the governmental authoritys jurisdiction; (k) have earned a bachelor or graduate degree in certain areas of study; and/or (l) have a valid drivers license.

Admission Requirements
Refer to the Admission section of this catalog for information relating to Admission Requirements and Procedures for this program.

School Equipment
Students will have the opportunity to use the following school equipment as required throughout the program: computer systems, network hubs, patch panels, printers and other common computer peripherals. Refer to Student Equipment in the Online Course Information section of this catalog for information relating the student equipment requirements for the distance education courses that are taught online over the Internet.

Class Size
Classes generally range in size from 20 to 40 students. Depending on the course subject matter, certain classes may contain a greater or lesser number of students.

Program Outline

To view a list of the course descriptions, please click here.

Unspecified General Education courses ++

56

CJ312

Correctional Operation and Administration+

4

CJ333

Constitutional Law+

4

CJ334

Crime Prevention+

4

CJ335

Victimology+

4

CJ354

Community Policing+

4

CJ355

Multicultural Law Enforcement+

4

CJ436

Substance Abuse and Crime in America+

4

CJ439

Juvenile Justice+

4

CJ445

Spatial Aspects of Crime+

4

CJ446

The Criminalistics of Computer Forensics+

4

CJ456

Controversial Issues in Law Enforcement+

4

CJ464

Homeland Security+

4

CJ475

Bachelor's Thesis+

4