Dr. Darrell L. Ross, Head
Suite 1004, Nevins Hall

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice offers two Master of Science degrees, one with a major in criminal justice administration (MSCJ) having both a thesis and non-thesis option and one with a major in sociology (MS SOC).

Sociology

SOCI 6200. Sociology of Organizations. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: Admission to the program. A sociological analysis of complex organizations. Course foci include theories and concepts in such areas as bureaucracy, power, authority, and organizational culture.

SOCI 7000. Sociological Issues in Race, Class, and Gender. 3 Hours.

A study of socially structured inequalities in terms of societal resources such as power, status, and wealth. The course focuses on stratification by economic class, race/ethnicity, and gender in contemporary society.

SOCI 7011. Sociology in Applied Settings. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to the program or permission of the instructor. Exploration of the use of sociology on both the micro and macro levels. Special emphasis is placed on the use of sociological theory and methods to work with clients, organizations, and communities as well as the ethical concerns raised by working with people.

SOCI 7012. Sociological Theory. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of undergraduate sociological theory course or permission of the instructor. An analysis of contemporary sociological theory. The emphasis is on the relationship between theory and research, micro, meso, and macro linkages as well as the application of theory to understanding social problems and social policy.

SOCI 7021. Statistical Applications in Sociology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of an undergraduate statistics course or permission of the instructor. Evaluation of social statistics and data management for applied research problems. Students will use computers to build data files, explore archival datasets, and prepare written analyses of research problems. Students will gain skills in determining which statistics to use for particular research problems and designs, which statistics provide the most practical means for reading and interpreting data, and what computer software is available to facilitate data analysis in sociology.

SOCI 7022. Research Methods. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of an undergraduate statistics course and the successful completion of an undergraduate social science research course. Survey of qualitative and quantitative methodologies in the discipline of sociology. Students will develop skills by hands-on data analysis when appropriate.

SOCI 7060. Environmental Sociology. 3 Hours.

An examination of the sociological context of environmental problems. Topics include environmental thought, sustainable development, climate change, population dynamics, energy and society, the environmental movement, environmental justice, and current environmental policy discussions.

SOCI 7100. Issues in Applied Sociology. 3 Hours.

Analysis of issues relevant to an applied sociological perspective. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

SOCI 7700. Family Sociology. 3 Hours.

A study of family as an institution and the interaction between family and society by considering the historical and social influences on family life and by examining how the family unit affects the social world.

SOCI 7800. Sociological Practice. 3 Hours.

Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. Taken twice for credit. Field placement site must be approved by the course instructor. Students will integrate sociological knowledge and practical experience during their placement in a field setting. Major integrative paper is required.

SOCI 8010. Sociology of Education. 3 Hours.

A study of education as a social institution with an emphasis on an analysis of theory and research relating social factors to academic performance and attitudes.

SOCI 9010. Sociological Analysis of Education. 3 Hours.

A sociological analysis of education as a social institution and as a setting for social interaction, to include such topics as social stratification, gender, ethnicity, race, social organization, social change, cultural diversity, group dynamics, religion, and leadership. Case studies will be used to emphasize the relationship between sociological theory and educational practices.

SOCI 9070. Culture of Formal Work Organizations. 3 Hours.

Also offered as PADM 9070. The study of organizational culture and methods of changing culture in public and nonprofit organizations. The impact of culture on organizational behavior will be discussed.

Criminal Justice

CRJU 7000. Organizational Culture and Criminal Justice Administration. 3 Hours.

An examination of the organizational structure and behaviors, working culture and environment, and administrative principles and strategies in criminal justice agencies.

CRJU 7010. Advanced Comparative Criminal Justice Systems. 3 Hours.

A seminar on crime, law, and criminal justice systems of major legal systems allowing for cross-cultural comparisons.

CRJU 7020. Leadership and Ethics for the Criminal Justice Executive. 3 Hours.

Examines leadership theories and styles, as well as ethics for administrative careers in criminal justice. Modern criminal justice code of ethics and professional standards are addressed.

CRJU 7100. Seminar in Law Enforcement. 3 Hours.

A seminar in which administrative issues pertinent to policing are examined. These include ethics, rural policing, and community policing, among others.

CRJU 7300. Seminar in Criminal Law and Procedure. 3 Hours.

A seminar in which rapidly changing controversial legal issues which have a major impact on criminal justice are explored.

CRJU 7350. Seminar in Forensic Investigation. 3 Hours.

Special topics in forensic science involving the use of forensic techniques in criminal investigations. This course will examine different areas related to the solving of crimes using forensic techniques currently available to the investigator. As needed, experimental forensic techniques will be discussed. Each student will gain an understanding of how forensic science is an integral part of the criminal justice system.

CRJU 7370. Liability Issues in Criminal Justice. 3 Hours.

A study explores the civil liability issues surrounding the role of the criminal justice administrator and line-level personnel.

CRJU 7412. Research Strategies for Criminal Justice Administrators. 3 Hours.

The study of the research methods and strategies used in criminal justice organizations.

CRJU 7413. Criminal Justice Program and Policy Analysis. 3 Hours.

An analysis of criminal justice organizational policies and programs as well as planned change and techniques used for policy evaluation, with an emphasis on policy development and design.

CRJU 7500. Seminar in Criminal Behavior and Personality. 3 Hours.

An advanced study of specific criminal behavior types emphasizing violent offenders, sexual deviants, the anti-social personality, and the criminally insane.

CRJU 7510. Advanced Correctional Therapies. 3 Hours.

Study and practice in the development and application of theoretically based correctional treatment plans.

CRJU 7600. Advanced Criminological Theory. 3 Hours.

An intensive overview of each of the major criminological perspectives regarding the etiology of crime. The course will provide students with an understanding of theoretical development and research and will emphasize interrelationship among theories. The impact of social change is also emphasized.

CRJU 7610. Seminar in Gang, Group, and Multiple Offender Criminality. 3 Hours.

An intensive study of gang, mob, mass, and other types of group criminality. The course includes an examination of the formulation, evolution, characteristics, and threat of multiple offender violence. Topics include but are not limited to youth gangs, cults, organized crime, mob violence vigilante groups, and domestic terrorist groups.

CRJU 7620. Seminar in Criminal Victimization. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the study of crime victims, including identification, research, and statistical data used to assess victims of crime. Major emphases of this course will be victims' rights legislation and the responsibilities of individual criminal justice agencies providing services and programs to crime victims.

CRJU 7630. Advanced Crime Prevention. 3 Hours.

Basic concepts of crime prevention theories and techniques. Students will study past and current techniques, programs, and research used to establish crime prevention in today's society. Course requirements include a hands-on creation of a crime prevention program for an existing criminal justice agency, business, or other entity whose use of a crime prevention program in necessary for its success and/or survival.

CRJU 7640. Conflict Management in Criminal Justice. 3 Hours.

A study of strategies to resolve internal and external conflict commonly experienced by CJ agencies.

CRJU 7650. Risk Assessment and Risk Management in Criminal Justice Organizations. 3 Hours.

A study examines strategies critical to risk assessment and risk management in criminal justice organizations with an emphasis on mitigating risk exposure through effective risk control measures.

CRJU 7660. Personnel Management in Criminal Justice Organizations. 3 Hours.

Managing personnel issues in criminal justice agencies.

CRJU 7670. Domestic and International Terrorism. 3 Hours.

An overview of terrorism, both domestic and international. This course examines the causes and motives that drive terrorists, their methods of operation, and the impact of terrorism on the United States and the other countries.

CRJU 7700. Special Topics in Criminal Justice. 3-6 Hours.

A variable topics course that may be taken for 3 to 6 semester hours.

CRJU 7710. Seminar in Juvenile Justice. 3 Hours.

A seminar on the Juvenile Justice Systems and major issues related to the administration of juvenile justice. These include administrative issues, legal issues, and issues revolving around theory and rehabilitative goals.

CRJU 7900. Directed Study in Criminal Justice. 1-6 Hours.

May be taken for a maximum of 6 credit hours. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. The study plan must be determined in advance and approved by the Coordinator of the Criminal Justice Graduate Program as well as the instructor of record. Independent Study or research under the guidance of a criminal justice graduate faculty member.

CRJU 7910. Criminal Justice Internship. 3,6 Hours.

May be taken for a maximum of 6 credit hours. The internship involves placement in a work/observer situation in a criminal justice agency requiring academic performance and supervision as described in the Criminal Justice Internship Guidelines, or a research internship in which the student works with a criminal justice graduate faculty member to obtain knowledge of special research applications including data collection and organization, analysis, and publication. The internship plan must be determined in advanced and approved by the Coordinator of the Criminal Justice Graduate Program as well as the instructor of record.

CRJU 7920. Criminal Justice Policy Research. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: MSCJA students only. Completion of all MSCJA required and elective courses for the degree. The application of the knowledge, skills, and abilities learned in the MSCJA degree program to an actual agency policy problem or issue.