Overview and Program Requirements

The program of criminal justice degree programs broaden your vision of the challenges and opportunities in serving your community, state, and the nation through the discipline of criminal justice. Develop a vision for justice in your community while you study criminal law, policing, corrections, and criminology.

In this field, we grapple with questions of justice and peace and how you can work for the good of the community to which you are called. This approach, combined with our cooperation with local law enforcement agencies to offer hands-on training, means our degree programs provide both the perspective and experience you need to excel in your field and make a difference.

To accomplish this, the program focuses on four broad goals:

Promotes within each student greater self-awareness, a concern for others and a respect for the uniqueness and dignity of each person

Teaches skills related to research, such as conducting research, critically assessing others' research, and communicating effectively in both oral and written forms

Educates students to understand both the scientific and humanistic perspectives in behavioral science and to apply this knowledge to counseling practice.

Cultivates in students the desire to develop an ethical professional identity.

Program Learning Outcomes means that Students will demonstrate:

knowledge of the major concepts, theories, and empirical findings in the core content areas of psychology.

knowledge of methodological, analytical, and research skills appropriate to the field of Criminology and justice studies.

knowledge of the sociocultural and contextual nature of criminology.

knowledge of ethics involved in conducting research and working in the field of criminology.

skills needed for post baccalaureate employment, graduate, or professional school.

Program Delivery

This program is delivered entirely online.

Online learning

Online courses consist of assigned readings, synchronous or asynchronous lectures, interactive discussions, and individual and team assignments.

You’re expected to meet deadlines and contribute meaningfully to your class. Your contributions are a big part of everyone’s learning.

In this program, you'll take 60 credits, and can complete them at your own pace, depending on your own life and schedule. Some students finish in as few as two and a half years, while others take up to the maximum seven years to complete their degree.

Online courses in this program are typically eight to 12 weeks long. Each online course requires approximately 20 hours of work per week.

Course choices

You can also earn some of your elective course credits for this degree at many other recognized universities and colleges across. We co-operate to give you the chance to take a broader range of courses and hone your skills in your specific field of interest.

Courses description

Justice Studies

COURSES FOR UNDERGRADUATE CREDIT

CJS 300 Criminal Justice System (3 credit hours)

History, development, and day-to-day operation of the criminal justice system within our society. Emphasis is placed on interrelationships between specific stages in the crime-control process, the three major components of the criminal justice system (police, courts, and corrections), and current issues/problems that the criminal justice system faces.

CRIM 305 Criminology (3 credit hours)

Introduction to the study of criminal behavior with an emphasis on theories of crime causation. Strategies for reducing crime based on theoretical explanations and existing data are also discussed. This class also covers methods of how crime data is collected and how that data is used in the criminal justice system to change policing tactics, create crime prevention programs, and administer correctional programming.

CRIM 310 Juvenile Delinquency (3 credit hours)

This course is designed to introduce students into an area of criminology that deals with a special population of offenders: juveniles.  Students will gain an understanding of the history of juvenile justice in the United States.  Evidence-based delinquency programs will be evaluated.  Students will develop an understanding about specific substantive juvenile justice policy issues including waiver, detention reform, gangs and the intersection of mental health and juvenile justice systems.  Lastly, students will develop an understanding of major case law in the field of juvenile justice. Examination of the causes of delinquency in children, focusing on the effects of parenting, youth subcultures, and the media. Includes youth crimes, such as shoplifting and vandalism.

CJS 315 Introduction to Law Enforcement (3 credit hours)

This course covers the spectrum of policing in America. It is a comprehensive introduction to policing including its historical evolution, recruiting, community policing and use of force perspectives. The course covers the various policing agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. A review of the recruitment process for becoming an officer is provided so students can learn of the requirements for applying to a certain agency or department. This course will examine police administration from multiple perspectives; from a systems perspective emphasizing the interrelatedness among units and organizations; from a structural perspective emphasizing administrative principles, management functions, and the importance of guidelines; a human behavioral perspective emphasizing the human element in organizations; and a strategic management perspective emphasizing communications and information systems, performance evaluations, strategies and tactics to increase effectiveness of police agencies.

CRI 320 Criminal Law and Procedure (3 credit hours)   

This course examines the nature, purpose, and function, and substance of criminal law and criminal procedure in the United States. Specific focus is placed on the constitutional limits of the criminal sanction, the principles and scope of criminal responsibility, and elements of an offense.  Attention will also be paid to the rights of the accused and the application of protections afforded to individuals under the United States Constitution.

CRI 405 White-Collar Crime (3 credit hours)

An investigation and analysis of white-collar crime in American society. Based on the major classic and contemporary writings in this area of law violation, this course is designed to explore white-collar crime in relation to the political economy, corporate and government organization, the legal system, and structural and cultural features of the workplace.

CRI 410 Victimology (3 credit hours)

The discipline of victimology has developed quite recently out of the social sciences of sociology and criminology.  In historic terms, concern for the victim has been a major consideration in society.  This course explores topics such as developmental victimology, correlates of becoming a victim of various crimes, and the emergence of victims’ rights at the state and federal levels.

CRI 415 Criminology and Mental Health (3 credit hours)

This course offers an examination of the intersection of the mentally ill and the criminal justice system.  The course will explore how law enforcement interacts with the mentally ill and the challenges that are presented to local communities in holding the mentally ill in jail and how to divert the mentally ill from jail into case management. The issues pertaining to the mentally ill offender incarcerated within state prison systems will also be examined.  The confluence of mental disorders and substance abuse issues will also be examined.  Finally, the balance between the protection of the public and the welfare of the mentally ill offender will be considered.

CRI 325 Research Methods (3 credit hours)

This course focuses on principles of research methodology in the social sciences.  Elements of research design including unit(s) of analysis, measurement, sampling, survey construction, survey methodology, and data collection will be covered.  Pre-experimental, quasi-experimental, and experimental designs are evaluated with respect to structure, implementation, and threats to validity.  Finally, students will be expected to critically evaluate published social science research in peer-reviewed journals.

CRI 420 International Terrorism (3 credit hours)

This course will utilize an interdisciplinary approach to explore terrorism, with an emphasis on criminological theories.  Both domestic and international extremism and terrorism will be examined historically, sociologically, and psychologically.  Concepts that will be incorporated into the discussion include the influence of law and culture, the country’s historical response to radical social movements, and the influence of media coverage.  In addition, we will consider current efforts to investigate and prevent terrorism.  The effects of the current “war on terror” will be analyzed within the framework of the United States’ wars on poverty and drugs.

CRIM 425 Domestic Violence (3 credit hours)

This course focuses on domestic violence in the United States and globally. Various types of domestic violence will be examined, including intimate partner violence, child abuse, and elder abuse. The course will also examine criminal justice responses to domestic violence, including police, court processing of domestic violence cases and punishment of domestic violence offenders.

CJS 330 White Collar Crime (3 credit hours)

This course is designed to introduce you to an examination of white-collar crime. This includes a review of the forms, causes and consequences, relevant social scientific theories, and the mechanics of this type of crime. How the schemes work, who perpetrates them, and the relationship to the environment in which they're perpetrated are also reviewed. This includes a closer look at consumer fraud, unsafe products, environmental crime, and institutional corruption, including religious-affinity fraud, securities fraud, corporate fraud, fiduciary fraud, crimes by the government, corruption, healthcare fraud, and computer-related crime.

CJS 430 Leadership in Law Enforcement (3 credit hours)

This course takes a close look at the structures, leadership, and behaviors found in a typical police agency. Course materials devoted to human resource management and on-the-job stress include a discussion of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). This course also examines the impact that severe budget cutbacks and a culture of violence have had on law enforcement agencies across the nation. Legal issues are highlighted throughout the course.

CJS 335 Probation and Parole (3 credit hours)

Did you know that probation is the most common method used in America to deal with offenders? Or that 97% of all incarcerated persons will be released at some point? This course will sharpen your skills in the areas of probation and parole. You'll examine the history of probation and parole and discover how the mistreatment of children on farms and in factories led to the current system of probation and parole. You'll engage in discussions that focus on the balance between achieving public safety and protecting offenders' rights. Each lesson provides you the opportunity to assess current and novel approaches to the fields of probation and parole. You may decide these are the careers for you!

CRIM 335 Technology in Criminal Justice (3 credit hours)

Develops understanding of theories, management processes, organizational capabilities, and social implications of criminal justice technologies. Many categories of technology are considered, ranging from communications and records management to special assault and protection tactics. Students consider the role of industry, government, and user groups in the historical development and legal/ethical use of specific technologies. (Prerequisites:

CRIM 435 Race, Etnicity and Crime  (3 hour credits)

This course is a critical examination of the linkage between race and crime in America and other societies.  The course will focus on four major areas: race and the law, race and criminological theory, race and violent crime, and myths and facts about race and crime.  Through critical examination of readings and official statistics, students will come to understand the complexity of the relationship between race and crime within the American/other societies Criminal Justice Systems and broader social context.

CJS 335 Special Topics in Criminology (3 hour credits)

The Department of Justice Studies seeks to shape students who become informed citizens able to analyze critically and problem solve justice related issues with a genuine concern for social responsibility, fairness, and equity.  To that end, the department offers coursework that is current and relevant to today’s society.  For example, an important current issue in present day society is the changing landscape of urban life and the resulting proliferation of street gangs.  To bring this issue into the classroom, the department will, on occasion, offer topics courses that address pertinent social.

CJS 340 Asset Protection & Loss Prevention (3 credit hours)

The course focuses on administration and management issues related to corporate security functions, including strategic and operational management, risk management, contract security services, management of emergencies and loss prevention. Students will assess vulnerabilities and recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Report on the terrorist attacks against the United States. Facility protection standards are used to determine appropriate courses of action, from a security management perspective, using threat models and risk assessment concepts. Research is required and application of critical thinking is applied to address external threats and countermeasures. Practical exercises are conducted to apply research findings.

CJS 340 Introduction to Correction (3 credit hours)

This course will examine the institutional and non-institutional aspects of contemporary corrections. Community corrections, probation, parole and other forms of intermediate sanctions and incarceration alternatives will be analyzed. The operations of jails and prisons will be evaluated, focusing on safety, security, classification and programming.

CJS 345 Interpersonal Communication (3 credit hours)

This course analyzes the basis of effective communication in corrections and law enforcement by focusing on report writing, interviewing and interpersonal communication skills. Students will learn note–taking techniques and learn how to gather information from an interview/interrogation. Verbal and non-verbal communication methods are explored in addition to the planning, organizing, preparation and editing processes for reports.

CJS 350 Introduction to Cybersecurity (3 credit hours)

An introduction to the fundamentals of cybersecurity and information assurance. Students will develop a knowledge base for defining and recognizing both online threats and potential targets and develop intellectual tools for evaluating relative risks within cyberspace. Students will apply theories and best practices for addressing potential costs of countermeasures for cyber-attacks. Lecture and lab.

CJS 355 Ethics in Criminal Justice (3 credit hours)

This course is an examination of issues of professional and ethical behavior within the criminal justice system. Key issues examined include professional behavior of the individual and the agency. Current topics such as sexual harassment, accreditation and maintenance standards and community relations are also discussed.

CJS 360 Police Administration (3 hour credits)

This course will examine police administration from multiple perspectives; from a systems perspective emphasizing the interrelatedness among units and organizations; from a structural perspective emphasizing administrative principles, management functions and the importance of guidelines; a human behavioral perspective emphasizing the human element in organizations; and a strategic management perspective emphasizing communications and information systems, performance evaluations, strategies and tactics to increase effectiveness of police agencies.

CJS 360 Restorative Justice (3 credit hours)

This course will introduce students to the restorative justice movement in the criminal justice system. The historical background as well as the philosophies and practices resulting from this movement will be explored. Students will learn the significance of victim-offender mediation, community service and other reparation-based practices that seek to not only help heal those victimized by crime but also help reintegrate offenders into and with the community.

CJS 440 Critical Incident Management (3 credit hours)

This course will explore the volatile nature of managing critical incidents that occur within the field of corrections and law enforcement. Specific focus will be on the dynamics and methods involved in hostage negotiations, intervention strategies during a critical incident and the utilization of effective interpersonal communication skills. Team intervention approaches will be discussed along with information regarding post-incident debriefing.

CJS 360 Criminal Investigation (3 credit hours)

This course will introduce the fundamentals of criminal investigations through practical and theoretical approaches. Interviewing strategies, evidence collection and crime scene processing will provide a basis on which to manage an investigation and prepare for its presentation.

CJS 365 Current Issues in Criminal Justice (3 hour credits

The first part of this course will explore major issues facing corrections today by analyzing the social context in which punishment occurs. Statistical data and varying points of view will broaden the scope of the topics allowing students to examine the impact of these correctional problems on the criminal justice system and society. Topics will include prison violence, gangs, institutional crowding, societal change and its impact on correction, inmate subcultures, female offenders, juvenile offenders, rehabilitations, and treatment needs of offenders, correctional privatization and the death penalty. The second part of this course will examine the day-to-day policing and the stress found in both the daily grind and the division and stigmatization of certain branches of a law enforcement agency. Topics will include the dangers of misplaced loyalties, policing priorities, and restorative policing.

CJS 365 Correctional Case Management (3 credit hours)

The first part of this course will analyze the function of probation, parole and community corrections as well as the role of those persons/officers conducting supervision of criminally convicted adults and juveniles. Offender classification, supervision and programming are examined with emphasis on case law, ethical issues and current trends. The second part of this course will examine correctional counseling, treatment and intervention practices from an intuitional and non–intuitional perspective. Specifically, the student will be introduced to methods of conducting initial assessments in order to determine offender risks and needs. Case planning practices including goal setting and referral will be discussed with emphasis placed on special populations of correctional offenders.

CJS 445 Crime Scene Investigation(3 credit hours)

This course will introduce students to the role of the crime scene investigator in today’s criminal justice system. Major topics include the identification, collection and preservation of physical evidence at the crime scene.

CRIM 445 Crime Analysis (3 credit hours)

Provides an introductory understanding of the history and methodology of examining crime information. Covers applied technical skills for managing, analyzing, and presenting data relevant to criminal justice agencies.

CRIM 365  Crime and Community (3 credit hours)

Exploration of the connection between community characteristics and crime with an emphasis on crime in the inner city. Students are presented with theories that address why some neighborhoods have concentrated crime and learn about what scholars, organizers, police, and politicians can do to reduce crime.

CRIM 445 Criminalistics (3 credit hours)

Introduction to the theory and practices of the collection, preservation, and analysis of physical evidence at a crime scene. Introduces students to the functions of the forensic laboratory and its relationship to successful investigations and prosecutions. Topics covered include crime scene processing, investigative techniques, and current forensic technologies.

CRIM 365  Social Deviance and Control (3 credit hours)

Causes and consequences of socially-disapproved behavior; role of social control agencies in recruitment of deviant identities, management of and reaction to deviance; dynamics of labeling processes, and examination of social meaning of non-normative behavior.

CRIM 445 Criminal Court System (3 credit hours)

This course will explore the various roles of court personnel, attorneys, defendants, witnesses, and jurors. This course focuses on the impact of social inequality on the structure and operation of criminal courts in the United States.

CRIM 365 Drugs and Society (3 credit hours)

This course explores the history of the regulation of psychoactive substances in the United States. In addition, this course provides an overview of social science research on drug use, drug enforcement, and media portrayals of drug use.

CRIM 370 Police and Society (3 credit hours)

This course is a study of the criminal justice system and the problems it confronts to assess whether or not it effectively reduces crime and achieves justice. We will learn about the law and processes of the justice system in order to evaluate its proficiency as an instrument of social control. It covers the workings of law enforcement, the courts, and the correctional system, as well as juvenile justice. It reviews what constitutes crime, how crime is measured, and the theories used to explain crime. We will also examine the ideals and objectives of law enforcement, and we will explore sociological issues of race, class, gender, and power, in order to develop more effective strategies in the planning and development of crime policy. Additionally, this course looks to the future and outlines some of the pressing issues that continue to challenge crime control in a democratic society.

CRIM 450 Youth Gangs  (3 credit hours)

Origins and development of youth gangs in United States. Topics include recent emergence of gangs, especially in Iowa, relationship between drugs and violence and gang activity, and creation of social policy to prevent and control gang activity.

CRIM 455 Women, Crime and Society (3 credit hours)

Cultural, sociological and psychological analysis of women as victims, offenders, practitioners, and professionals in the criminal justice system. Examination of changing perceptions and behaviors of women in United States and other countries in relation to role expectations of women in criminal justice system.

AFS 344  Leadership in African  Communities  (3 credit hours) 

Historical, cultural and political examination of the dynamics of leadership in African American communities. Focus on structure of Leadership in the context of gender, ideology, and style. Interdisciplinary examination of impact of leaders on broader American society.

AFS 344  Leadership in African  Communities  (3 credit hours) 

Historical, cultural and political examination of the dynamics of leadership in African American communities. Focus on structure of Leadership in the context of gender, ideology, and style. Interdisciplinary examination of impact of leaders on broader American society.

AFS 490  Africana Studies and Community Involvement  (3 credit hours) 

First part of a two semester service-learning experience. Provides interdisciplinary and experientially based opportunity for students to engage in community and classroom-based experiences that examine issues of relevance to African American people(or communities in the African Diaspora). Students apply and examine concepts addressed in class to their own practical experience in service to others. Development of interpersonal and professional skills. Focus on the values, beliefs, attitudes, and ideas that are central to definitions of democracy, social justice, civic resiliency, self-help, and public life.

ETHICS  300 Communication Ethics (3 credit hours) 

 Ethical issues in public and private communication; role of communication in expressing and realizing individual and social values.

ETHICS 315 (3 credit hours) 

An Exploration of Some Moral Qualities

Asks what we fundamentally require of ourselves and others if we are to live together in morally acceptable ways by discussing moral qualities as they appear in various arenas. Topics include: autonomy, respect, integrity, and trust.

ETHICS 320 Justice Matters: An Exploration of Justice as a Social ( 3 hour credits)

Asks what makes social policies and institutions morally acceptable, primarily through a discussion about justice and injustice. Topics include: relativism, the sources of competing conceptions of justice and equality, cost-benefit analysis, distributive justice, and beneficence.

ETHIC 330 Ethical and Professional Standards3 credit hours)  

Ethical issues relevant to teaching, research, and application of ethical behavior in personal and public life.

ETHICS 325 (3 credit hours) 

 Ethics, Justice, and Rights in World Literature (3) Concepts of ethics, justice, and rights, appearing in world literature and/or film. This course is a practical overview of key issues, questions, and concepts in applied ethics. Special emphases are placed on the historical development of ethical thinking, a variety of ethical approaches and on multicultural aspects of ethics. Students will also examine a variety of personal, social, and professional ethical issues and problems and learn methods of resolving them through the use of critical thinking skills, sound ethical reasoning and legal and professional codes. Students are provided an active learning experience, increased student interaction and opportunities for independent research into ethical issues of personal interest.