Criminal Justice
Online Criminal Justice Degree Program
The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Criminal Justice at Southwestern College Professional Studies provides learners with knowledge and skills they can apply immediately in a multitude of law enforcement careers. In addition, students of our Criminal Justice degree program in Kansas and online learn perspectives and knowledge that transcend particular times and places. Management, communication, leadership, psychological and sociological aspects of the executive criminal justice professional are stressed. Course curriculum includes Foundations of Criminal Justice, Criminology and Deviant Behavior, Correctional Theory and Practice, and more. Our Criminal Justice degree program is offered both in the classroom and online for your convenience. Contact an admissions counselor today for more information about our Online Criminal Justice degree program.
Program Outcomes
The Criminal Justice program provides learners with knowledge and skills they can apply immediately in the exercise of law enforcement policies and procedures. In addition, program students are afforded an understanding of the nature of crime and the personnel, institutions, and processes that prevent or respond to crime. Students learn both the theory and practice of the criminal justice system. Management, communication, leadership, psychological, and sociological aspects of the executive criminal justice professional are stressed. The curriculum covers crime and criminal behavior, policing, criminal investigation, criminal law and procedure, courts, corrections, and administration and management of criminal justice organizations.
Students completing the Criminal Justice program have a solid foundation for entry into or advancement in a variety of criminal justice fields. These fields include law enforcement, corrections, and the court system. Examples of jobs include, but are not limited to, police officer, criminal investigator, crime scene investigator, corrections officer, probation/parole officer, and court officer.
Program Outcomes:
- Compare and contrast criminal justice system agencies and relate the procedures used to apprehend, adjudicate, incarcerate, and treat criminal offenders.
- Describe the historical development of policing and techniques and practices of criminal investigation.
- Explain and discuss historical perspectives of corrections, alternatives to imprisonment, institutional corrections, and the types of correctional clients.
- Illustrate and interpret definitions and theories of deviance and victimology with emphasis on motives, methods, and backgrounds of various types of criminal predators.
- Summarize the origins and sources of criminal law and procedure rights of the accused as well as the elements of crimes and parties to crimes, types of crimes, criminal defenses, search and seizure, arrest, interrogation, identification procedures, the pre-trail process, the criminal trial, and sentencing and punishment.
- Identity and appraise the endemic and emerging administrative problems and issues confronting the criminal justice agency as well as synthesize contemporary management problems and issues in a criminal justice organization.
Required and Core Courses
Foundation Courses
CORE101 Developing Academic and Professional Strengths
ENGL101 Composition I
ENGL102 Composition II
CORE110 Information Literacy
MASC115 College Algebra (or other approved college mathematics)
CLO 415 Professional Communication
Major Courses
CJUS300 Foundations of Criminal Justice
CJUS315 Perspectives in Policing
CJUS325 Criminal Investigation Techniques
CJUS335 Correctional Theory and Practice
CJUS400 Criminology and Deviant Behavior
CJUS425 Criminal Law and Procedure
CJUS430 Criminal Justice Organizations: Administration and Management
CJUS440 Special Topics in Criminal Justice
CAPS494 Senior Capstone
Competency Courses
As a part of your degree program, you will be required to complete competency courses in the following areas:
• Exploratory Courses
• Institutional Outcomes
The remainder of the requirements to reach graduation will come from your Competency Courses. See an admissions counselor for specific transfer credit substitutions.
Course Descriptions
CJUS300 Foundations of Criminal Justice
Foundations of Criminal Justice surveys the concepts of crime and justice, the rule of law, and provides an overview of how crime impacts society. It provides a summary of police, prosecution, courts, and the correctional system. Additional issues and challenges in the criminal justice system such as juvenile crime, terrorism, and transnational organized crime will be reviewed.
CJUS315 Perspectives in Policing
This course provides an in-depth analysis of the functions of police in a contemporary society by placing modern policing in a historical, sociological and political context. There is particular emphasis on conflicting role expectations of police in a democracy. This course explores the roots of modern law enforcement, beginning in Great Britain in the 1300s, to Sir Robert Peel’s nine principles in 1829, and through societal and technological changes altering U.S policing in the twenty-first century. Extensive inquiry will uncover the positive and negative characteristics of the Political and Traditional Eras of Policing that have an impact on law enforcement and community problem solving policing efforts today.
CJUS325 Criminal Investigation Techniques
This course is designed to acquaint the learner with the problems and techniques involved in the investigation of crime. It includes current investigative procedure used in handling crime scenes, interviewing and interrogating suspects and witnesses, gathering and preserving evidence, obtaining information, and understanding the investigative process as it relates to crimes against persons and property. The legal aspects of case management, preparation, and court presentation will be examined.
CJUS335 Correctional Theory and Practice
This course explores the ideas, practices, and characteristics of modern corrections. The course will equip learners with the skills necessary to succeed in the field of corrections. The course utilizes a three-pronged approach to corrections which includes a thorough description of correctional ideology, including professionalism, policy issues, and society’s avowed goals for the correctional enterprise; a comprehensive overview of correctional practice, including the everyday operations of correctional agencies, prisons, jails, and the procedures of parole and probation; and the development of personal skills applicable to the corrections field.
CJUS400 Criminology and Deviant Behavior
This course examines maladaptive behavior in American society. Definitions and theories of deviance will be explored with emphasis on theories of victimology that describe the motives, methods and backgrounds of various types of criminal predators. Special attention will be given to the causation of predatory violence that is rooted in maladaptive psychological development, neurological dysfunction, mental disorders, and maladaptive social influences. This course will also address how the criminal justice system investigates and responds to predatory offenders.
CJUS425 Criminal Law and Procedure
This course combines both laws and procedure that support the criminal justice system. It examines substantive criminal law and procedural rights of the accused. Topics include elements of crimes and parties to crimes, types of crimes, criminal defenses, search and seizure, arrest, interrogation, and identification procedures, the pre-trial process, the criminal trial, sentencing and punishment, and other related topics.
CJUS430 Criminal Justice Organizations: Administration and Management
This course introduces learners to endemic and emerging administrative problems and issues confronting the criminal justice agency. Learners will describe, analyze, and synthesize contemporary management problems and issues in a criminal justice organization. Modern management concepts significant to criminal justice organizations will be reviewed.
CJUS440 Special Topics in Criminal Justice
This course will include an intensive examination of specialized contemporary topics in criminal justice. Topics may vary from course to course, but will include subjects such as drugs and substance abuse, gangs, race, hate groups, women in the criminal justice system, domestic violence, and serial crime and criminals.
CAPS494 Senior Capstone
This course is for PS criminal justice and security management majors. Learners will be required to develop a portfolio project that demonstrates their knowledge, skills, and abilities in their major discipline. Particular attention will be given to the presentation of evidence and artifacts from their major courses as well as recent research relevant to their specific program outcomes. The purpose of the final portfolio project is to document learner achievement and to ensure learning outcomes are met.
Admission Requirements
Entering learners must have earned at least 6 college credits from previous college coursework or ACE evaluated military training, a GPA of 2.0, and have three years of work experience. Transfer hours accepted for Professional Studies admittance should include English Composition I and II, and mathematics (college algebra preferred).
These courses may be considered in transfer or completed at Southwestern College.
Contact a program representative to evaluate your options.
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The bachelor of science degree with a major in criminal justice at Southwestern College provides learners with knowledge and skills they can apply immediately in a multitude of law enforcement careers.
