Selected Educational Outcomes
The major program in Criminal Justice seeks to prepare students for entry level positions in the criminal justice system at all levels of the system, as well as for related positions in the private sector. Educational outcomes will include the following:
- To develop in students an understanding and appreciation of the structure and function of the criminal justice system as it applies to adults and juveniles; federal, state, and local criminal laws and procedures; and the relationship of these to the Constitution of the United States.
- To apply knowledge about diverse criminal justice systems.
- To apply scientific research techniques and related statistical techniques in the study of crime.
- To develop an understanding of various theories in criminology, their strengths and weaknesses, and their role in gaining an understanding of crime.
Examples of Outcome Assessments
The assessment of educational outcomes is a continuing process throughout the entire undergraduate program. Means of assessment will include the following:
- The on-going evaluation of student examinations, research projects, the Senior Seminar project, and reports of other scholarly and internship work.
- Exit questionnaires to be administered to each student completing work for the major.
- Surveys of graduates of the program to assess the relevancy of the program to their current work and their suggestions for refinements.
- The use of university or external data that may become available to assess the quality of the program and the performance of its graduates.
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Criminal Justice
Core Curriculum | 60 | |
Core Curriculum Areas A-E (See VSU Core Curriculum) | 42 | |
Criminal Justice majors are advised to take the first 3 hours of the 9-hour foreign language requirement in Area C. | ||
Core Curriculum Area F | ||
Introduction to Criminal Justice | ||
Survey of Law Enforcement | ||
Corrections | ||
Survey of Juvenile Justice | ||
Foreign Language and Culture (additional hours) | ||
Senior College Curriculum | 60 | |
Upper-level courses in Criminal Justice | ||
CRJU 3300 | Criminal Law | 3 |
CRJU 3310 | Criminal Procedure | 3 |
CRJU 3401 | Criminal Justice Data Analysis | 3 |
CRJU 3402 | Criminal Justice Research Methods | 3 |
CRJU 3600 | Criminology | 3 |
CRJU 3700 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
CRJU 4800 | Seminar in Criminal Justice | 3 |
Upper-level Criminal Justice Electives | 18 | |
Any CRJU course number 4000 or above (except 4800) may be used as an elective. CRJU 4700, CRJU 4900, and CRJU 4910 may each be taken for a maximum of 6 hours. | ||
Open Electives | 21 | |
CRJU 4910 Criminal Justice Internship may be taken as an open elective for 3 to 6 hours of credit. At least 6 hours of coursework numbered 3000 or above must be taken in a single discipline outside the major. | ||
Total hours required for the degree | 120 |
Additional Departmental Requirement
The grade earned in all Area F courses, required foreign language courses taken for the major, and each CRJU course taken for the major must be a “C” or better.