Criminal Justice Studies Course Descriptions
CJS 110 - Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
An introduction to the criminal justice systems in America, including policy making, law enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, and corrections. In addition to the institutions of the various systems, the major theoretical perspectives for explaining deviance and the societal response to deviance will be explored.
CJS 130 - Introduction to Investigations
An exploration of the principles of criminal investigation, including crime scene analysis, collection and analysis of physical evidence, the use of physical evidence in prosecution of crime, and the rules governing the introduction of physical evidence in court. Social and political issues affecting criminal investigations will also be covered.
CJS 225 - Criminal Law
An analysis of the history and development of the criminal law as a system of social control. Coverage includes the scope, purposes, and general principles of the criminal law as well as the elements of specific crimes. Prerequisite: CJS 110
CJS 230 - Introduction to Computer Forensics
Provides an overview of computer forensics, investigation techniques, and relevant laws. Covers computer operating system architectures and disk structures and their relevance to computer forensics. Cross listed as CIS 230. Prerequisite: previous computer class or consent of instructor
CJS 250 - Police Organization and Administration
An introduction to the principles of organization and management of law enforcement bureaucracies, with an emphasis on the tasks faced by managers and the guiding principles used to complete these tasks. Students will consider the unique problems of managing a police bureaucracy in a democratic society. Prerequisite: CJS 110
CJS 301 - Theories of Crime and Justice
This course is designed to provide an introductory survey of theories of crime, law, and justice. Students will be introduced to the importance of theory in criminology and criminal justice, the philosophical foundations of criminological theory, historical developments in the field, as well as contemporary trends and issues. Prerequisite: CJS 110; junior or senior status; or consent of instructor.
CJS 330 - Advanced Computer Forensics
Provides students an extensive look at computer forensics and formal techniques used in computer forensics in a lab environment. Formal techniques for conducting a computer forensics investigation including record-keeping are covered. Students will conduct computer forensic exams and participate in practical computer forensic examination exercises. Cross listed as CIS 330. Prerequisite: CIS 230 or CJS 230
CJS 360 - Drugs and Crime
Introduction to and overview of legal and illegal drugs, their use and abuse, and connection to crime and criminal justice. Particular attention is given to basic drug pharmacology, theories of drug use, the link between drugs and violence, the drug industry and law and policy pertaining to the control of drugs and drug use. Prerequisite: CJS 110; or consent of instructor
CJS 380 - Topics in Crime, Law, and Justice
This course challenges students to critically explore the empirical, theoretical, and/or applied elements of special topics and key issues within the study of crime, law, and justice. This course may be repeated under different topic for a maximum of 6 semester hours. Prerequisite: CJS 110; junior or senior status; or consent of instructor
CJS 401 - Ethics, Crime, and Criminal Justice
This course is designed to familiarize students with key theories, concepts, and principles in criminal justice ethics, their relevance for moral reasoning and decision-making, and their importance and practical value in everyday and professional contexts. Through this course students will be introduced to and asked to critically examine the relationship between ethics, crime, and criminal justice, several key challenges to ethical behavior, the ways in which morality has and does impact law and criminal justice policy, major models of ethical decision-making, and key variations of unethical behavior within police, courts, and corrections. Prerequisite: CJS 110; junior or senior status; or consent of instructor
CJS 480 - Directed Readings in Crime, Law, and Justice
Student-initiated, individualized readings and/or research to facilitate exploration or understanding of a criminological or criminal justice topic not sufficiently covered by or beyond the scope of formally developed coursework within the department. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit. Prerequisite: CJS 110; junior or senior status; or consent of instructor.
Collaborative Course Offering Descriptions
HIS 201 - Violence, Crime, and Punishment in U.S. History (3 hours)
This course explores the social, political, and cultural history of violence, crime, criminal law, policing, and punishment in the United States from the Colonial period to the present.
HIS 303 - American Urban History (3 hours)
Growth and development of American cities in historical context.
HIS 309 - The History of U.S. Law Enforcement (3 hours)
Historical roots of American law enforcement; establishment of an organized police in the U.S.; historical efforts to improve American police work.
Political Science Courses
PLS 105 - Introduction to American Government (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
The American political system: constitutional principles, political processes, and governmental policy making.
PLS 202 - State and Local Government (3 hours)
Political processes through which rapidly growing problems of the state and local governments are identified, fought over, and resolved.
PLS 209 - Scope and Methods of Political Science (3 hours)
Introduction to political inquiry; research methods necessary for in-depth research. Prerequisite: PLS 105.
PLS 360 - Judicial Politics (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Political behavior of American trial courts and variables connecting them to the larger political system. Examples from criminal procedure and civil justice cases. Emphasis on police and prosecutorial discretion; recruitment of judges; juries; and social function of judgments and punishments. Prerequisite: PLS 105 or consent of instructor.
PLS 419 - Introduction to Public Administration (3 hours)
Public administration in a democratic setting: history of American PA, organization theory, public personnel, budgeting, intergovernmental relations, decision making and policy analysis, the regulatory process, and ethics in government. Prerequisite: PLS 105 or 202.
PLS 420 - Public Personnel Administration (3 hours)
A study of the basic issues and techniques of public personnel administration: focus on the distinctive setting in which public managers function, theories of motivation in the work place, and the tasks commonly faced by human resource managers in the public sector. Prerequisite: junior standing.
PLS 422 - Urban Politics (3 hours)
Study of selected problems in metropolitan areas: political forms, ethnic politics, education, housing, poverty, corrections; theories dealing with these problems. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.
PLS 440 - Public Policy Analysis (3 hours)
In-depth study of the policy making process, including agenda setting, policy formation, implementation, evaluation, and change. Prerequisite: PLS 105, 209; or consent of instructor.
PLS 459 - Constitutional Law (3 hours)
Position of the Supreme Court in American system of government as both symbol and instrument of power. Case method. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.
PLS 460 - Constitutional Law (3 hours)
Supreme Court as one of the policy making agencies of the federal government. Relationship between citizen and government in civil, property, and political rights. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.
PLS 480 - Internship in Political Science (1-6 hours)
Students work with selected political agencies, to study practical political problems from the perspective of the discipline. Course may be repeated for a maximum of six credit hours. Pass/Fail. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor.
SOC 100 - The Sociological Perspective (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Sociological insight into study of humans, society, and culture.
SOC 240 - Research Methods (3 hours)
Social research methods: research design and models of observation, including single subject and program evaluation, quantitative and qualitative methods, sampling techniques, questionnaire construction, types of surveys, measurement problems, and data analysis. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or consent of instructor.
SOC 312 - Social Inequality (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Inequality in income, wealth, prestige, and power. Theories explaining roots of and changes in inequality. Emphasis on the U.S.; variations in the extent and forms of inequality across different nations. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or consent of instructor.
SOC 313 - Race, Ethnicity, and Power (3 hours)
Analysis of dominant-minority group relations. The emergence and dynamic of racism. Exploration of the experience of various ethnic and "racial" groups. Prerequisite: SOC 100, SOC 212 or consent of instructor.
SOC 322 - Self and Social Interaction (3 hours)
Focus on relationship between individuals and the broader society, the formation of personality, and group influences on human perception and behavior. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or instructor consent.
SOC 331 - Correctional Policies and Society (3 hours)
Analysis of theoretical and practical aspects of corrections, concepts of punishment and treatment, and their variations in practice. Includes analysis and evaluation of specific alternatives: prisons, probation, treatment centers, and sentencing. Prerequisite: SOC 100.
SOC 332 - Juvenile Delinquency (3 hours)
Analysis of the nature and origin of juvenile delinquency within an historical and theoretical context with emphasis on causation of delinquency and evaluation of different responses to it. Prerequisite: SOC 100.
SOC 333 - Sociology of Violence (3 hours)
Sociological analysis of the concept and nature of violence in a macro and micro setting, its various manifestations, and evaluation of responses to it. Prerequisite: SOC 100.
SOC 334 - Crime and Society (3 hours)
Analysis of the concept and nature of crime, the relationship between social structures, social institutions, and crime with a focus on social forces and social controls involved in the creation of crime. Prerequisite: SOC 100.
SOC 342 - Social Policy (3 hours)
Focuses on the major institutions of social structure, such as education, family, government, healthcare, work, and the legal system. Investigates why social policies are developed, how social policy is implemented, and the direct and indirect effects of policy. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or consent of instructor.
SOC 390 - Topics in Sociology (3 hours)
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for maximum of 9 hrs. credit. Prerequisite: SOC 100, SOC 101, or consent of instructor.