Undergraduate Program
The Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice offers both a campus-based and fully online pathway toward its bachelor degree and undergraduate certificates in Criminal Behavior and Criminal Law and Justice. The Criminology and Criminal Justice undergraduate programs seek to educate students about the causes, consequences, prevention, and control of criminal and law-violating activity at multiple levels of analysis. Our undergraduate curriculum focuses on (1) criminology and criminal justice theories and empirical research addressing the role of individuals, families, communities, and society in the production and prevention of crime, (2) the justice system’s function in controlling crime, and (3) a critical analysis of the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of related policies and practices. Educational experiences facilitated inside and outside of class help promote students’ long term professional success by developing their capacity for critical reasoning, problem-solving, and effective communication.
Criminology & Criminal Justice is an interdisciplinary major, a fact demonstrated by the diverse backgrounds of our full-time and part-time faculty. Students graduating from our program have a wide range of choices when they look for employment or post-graduate education. Recent graduates have found jobs in law enforcement (e.g., police officer, immigration, crime analyst), courts (e.g., victim advocate, administration), corrections (e.g., parole officer, facility management), human services (e.g., offender counseling, child welfare), and crime prevention (e.g., neighborhood crime prevention specialist, private security). Other alumni from our program have gone on to pursue advanced degrees in such areas as law, criminal justice, psychology, social work, public administration, and urban planning.
Criminal Behavior and Justice Undergraduate Certificate
The Criminal Behavior and Justice certificate explores the complex nature of crime and factors that contribute to criminal behavior in general, and within specific populations and contexts. The curriculum focuses on the major criminology theories that explain the causes of crime, including the social, cultural, psychological, and economic factors. It also focuses on the major risk and protective factors related to individual criminality and crime patterns. The coursework explores how criminal justice agencies (e.g. police, courts, corrections) can se criminal behavior theory and evidence based assessments to impact equitable and effective outcomes. Students learn to use the policy implications of criminology theories as tools to critically assess common criminal justice system efforts to control criminal behavior. Ultimately, students are prepared to employ both research and theory to make meaningful contributions in their chosen careers.
Requirements
The Criminal Behavior and Justice certificate is made up of 24 credits, consisting of three required courses and three elective courses. All courses credited toward the certificate must have been taken for a letter grade and completed with a grade of C- or higher. No more than one certificate course (4 credits) may be satisfied by transfer credit.
Complete Three Required Courses (12 credits):
Choose Three Elective Courses (12 credits):
Total Credit Hours: 24