Criminal Justice

Is a Criminal Justice Major for Me?

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. In addition, criminal justice students 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.

Criminal justice is offered both in the classroom and online.

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:

  1. Compare and contrast criminal justice system agencies and relate the procedures used to apprehend, adjudicate, incarcerate, and treat criminal offenders.
  2. Describe the historical development of policing and techniques and practices of criminal investigation.
  3. Explain and discuss historical perspectives of corrections, alternatives to imprisonment, institutional corrections, and the types of correctional clients.
  4. Illustrate and interpret definitions and theories of deviance and victimology with emphasis on motives, methods, and backgrounds of various types of criminal predators.
  5. 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.
  6. 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

Required Major Courses

CJUS 300 Foundations of Criminal Justice
CJUS 315 Perspectives in Policing
CJUS 325 Criminal Investigation Techniques
CJUS 335 Correctional Theory and Practice
CJUS 400 Criminology and Deviant Behavior
CJUS 425 Criminal Law and Procedure
CJUS 430 Criminal Justice Organizations: Administration and Management
CJUS 440 Special Topics in Criminal Justice
CAPS 494 Senior Capstone

Required Core Courses

HRD 210 Building Academic Success
CLO 320 Critical Thinking
CLO 340 Ethics in Today’s Organization
CLO 410 Decision Sciences
CLO 415 Professional Communication
CLO 499 Responsibility for the Future

Recommended Electives

CJUS 340 Criminal Justice Ethics
CJUS 451 Computer Forensics & Cyber-Crime
SMGT 424 Terrorism-Motivations and Adversaries
BQM 320 Organizational Leadership
SMGT 411 Loss Prevention & Crime Prevention
HRD 325 Developing Workforce Talent
SOCS 320 Adults in Transition

All classes are 3 credit hours unless otherwise indicated.

Course Descriptions

CJUS 300 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.

CJUS 315 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 rile expectations of police in a democracy. This course explores the roots of modern law enforcement, beginning in Great Britain in the 1300’s, to Sir Robert Peels 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.

CJUS 325 Criminal Investigation Techniques

This course is designed to acquaint the student 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.

CJUS 335 Correctional Theory and Practice

This course explores the ideas, practices, and characteristics of modern corrections. The course will equip students 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.

CJUS 400 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.

CJUS 425 Criminal Law & 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.

CJUS 430 Criminal Justice Organizations: Administration and Management

This course introduces students to endemic and emerging administrative problems and issues confronting the criminal justice agency. Students 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.

CJUS 440 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.

HRD210 Building Academic Success

Introduces academic success topics and tools that are intended to establish and strengthen understanding of the learner and academic success coach relationship, critical thinking and reading, institutional policies and procedures, and the basics of online research and academic writing while experiencing the Southwestern College Professional Studies course format on the way to becoming a Southwestern College Moundbuilder.

CLO 320 Critical Thinking

This course prepares learners to critically interpret, synthesize, analyze and evaluate information. It is designed to introduce learners to complex problems and help them come to well reasoned conclusions and solutions.

CLO 340 Ethics in Today’s Organizations

This course will utilize the expertise of professionals working in the various disciplines as well as the moral reasoning of ethicists. An approach to the ethical challenges of a modern society is developed.

CLO 410 Decision Sciences

This course introduces the learner to utilizing and applying both quantitative and qualitative methods for individual, organizational, and societal decision making. A variety of tools and techniques will be examined as the foundation for the development and interpretation of attributes and variables in addition to the use of data sources for the purpose of improving processes and organizational environments.

CLO 415 Professional Communication

A study of the communication processes in situations encountered in organizations and professional environments. Analysis of simulated and real life situations will include the creation of professional documents and various functions of written, oral, and interpersonal communications.

CLO 499 Responsibility for the Future

Seniors with various majors will share learning and approaches from their different disciplines toward dealing holistically with issues that shape the future, seeking to integrate disciplines and to synthesize knowing, caring, and doing.

CAPS 494 Senior Capstone

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.

All classes are 3 credit hours unless otherwise indicated.

Admission Requirements

Entering students must have earned at least 30 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.