Master of Science in Criminal Justice

CJ 500: CRITICAL LEGAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (5 Credits)

This course involves the study of recent legislation and case law, both state and federal, that impact criminal justice professionals and the administration of criminal justice in the context of professional practice. The topics will depend upon current legal developments, but will include such areas as law enforcement, criminal procedure, civil and criminal liability, civil rights, employment law, substance abuse, corrections, and judicial review of administrative decisions.

CJ 501: CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY (5 Credits)

This course consists of an in-depth analysis of various explanations of criminal behavior. Readings include the original works of prominent authors from a broad range of disciplines related to crime, social deviance, and causation. Ethical and legal foundations in defining social deviance and crime are also considered. Specific focus is placed on applications of theory that address causes and correlations of criminal behavior in a variety of cultures throughout the world. This course is well suited for criminal justice practitioners, as students apply criminological theory to contemporary issues.

CJ 502: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (5 Credits)

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the research process and the ethical context within which research should be conducted. Further, it will provide the basic skills needed to conduct and evaluate research on topics relevant to the criminal justice field. In order to accomplish these objectives, the course will focus on the nature of scientific inquiry; the connections between theory and research; designing research projects and exploring causation; sampling pro­cedures and logic; research techniques; reliability, validity, and measurement of data; and descriptive analyses of data.

CJ 503: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR (5 Credits)

This course presents an in-depth analysis of the various dynamics facing criminal justice organizations in the context of professional practice, including, but not limited to, the theoretical concepts underlying organizational behavior, management and leadership of human resources, and design and structural processes. The scope includes fiscal accountability; personnel deployment; implementation of change; motivation and retention of personnel; the hiring, assignment, and promotion of personnel; organizational communication; professional development; and fundamental legal issues as they pertain to agency operations.

CJ 505: CRITICAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (5 Credits)

This course will address critical issues affecting the major tenets of the criminal justice profession, including, but not limited to, homeland security, training and education, ethics and morality in professional practice, and community-based law enforcement and corrections programs. Other current trends and any other critical issue facing the fields of policing, private security, and corrections are addressed as needed.

CJ 526: ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATIONS IN PUBLIC SAFETY (5 Credits)

Effective and appropriate communication is essential for success in the academic andprofessional worlds. Academic and Professional Communications in Public Safety is designed to prepare students for the rhetorical challenges found in their coursework, professional career, and the final capstone/research paper. Students will learn to clearly communicate complex and sophisticated materials to a wide variety of expert and nonexpert audiences using both written and oral techniques. This course will introduce students to the basic elements of academic and professional writing at the holistic and paragraph levels. Students will learn about audience and purpose as well as the graduate research, writing, and formatting process. These skills are coupled with an additional focus on the context, delivery, and medium through which students will communicate. Emphasis is also placed on accurately citing and quoting primary materials, organizational strategies, and grammar, editing, and usage skills.

CJ 602: COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION (0 Credits)

Comprehensive exam-track students must successfully complete a written examination covering the core curriculum courses. Students are given one question covering each of the core courses, for a total of five questions, and have two weeks to complete the examination. Successful completion of the examination is required before students can enroll in subsequent courses.

SPECIALIZATION COURSES / GENERAL ELECTIVES* (25 Credits)

CJ 521: CRITICAL ISSUES IN CORRECTIONS (5 Credits)

This course provides a critical analysis of contemporary issues facing the U.S. correctional system. Students address issues such as the philosophies and theories that guide practice, community-based policies and practices, prison reform, special populations, recidivism, and legal mandates affecting the administration and operations of correctional facilities.

CJ 522: COMPARATIVE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS (5 Credits)

The course addresses a variety of correctional issues from an international perspective, including, but not limited to, a comparative analysis of the philosophies and theories guiding practice, supervision, and treatment of prison populations with an emphasis on human rights, post-confinement intervention strategies, and legal standards governing practice.

CJ 523: CRITICAL ISSUES IN JUVENILE JUSTICE (5 Credits)

This course is designed to explore the social context of delinquency, law, the history of the juvenile court, policing in juvenile justice, and court and corrections interventions with regard to children who have been victimized or are criminal. The course integrates scholarship and case law to investigate the many layers of the juvenile justice system, including how the juvenile court works and why it works the way it does. Upon completion, students will have much more than a cursory understanding of the juvenile justice system.

CJ 524: COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS (5 Credits)

This course is designed to identify community-based corrections programs and to explore the issues relevant to the field of community-based corrections. The materials presented will draw upon scholarly and practical research to identify the programs commonly used, what "works," policy issues, services provided, costs, and who receives probation and parole. Boot camps, electronic monitoring, house arrest, day treatment, fines, community service, drug courts, and other alternatives will be discussed. Students will have the opportunity to debate and better understand the many challenges facing probation, parole, and community-based corrections

CJ 509: COMPARATIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS (5 Credits)

This course covers comparative foreign criminal justice systems, including the investigation and prosecution of international terrorists, the International Criminal Court, U.S. criminal cases affecting international relations, mutual assistance treaties, and issues concerning the formation of criminal justice systems in developing democracies. This course is especially beneficial for understanding global legal issues facing the criminal justice system.

CJ 512: TRANSNATIONAL CRIME (5 Credits)

This course focuses on the historical development and current status of various forms of transnational crime from the perspective of the international criminal justice community. Particular emphasis is given to issues of organized crime, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking, and the current strategies for the containment of such activities.

CJ 513: CRITICAL ISSUES IN TERRORISM (5 Credits)

This course is designed to provide students with a critical analysis and understanding of issues related to terrorism. This includes historical analyses of the causes and effects of social, political, economic, and religious conflict as they pertain to terrorist groups from source countries; protective intelligence gathering and associated legal issues; threat assessment; emergency first-responder plans and policies; counterterrorism tactics and strategies; cyberterrorism and the role of technology; and concerns for the future.

CJ 522: COMPARATIVE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS (5 Credits)

The course addresses a variety of correctional issues from an international perspective, including, but not limited to, a comparative analysis of the philosophies and theories guiding practice, supervision, and treatment of prison populations with an emphasis on human rights, post-confinement intervention strategies, and legal standards governing practice.

CJ 511: EMPLOYMENT AND POLICY LAW (5 Credits)

This course involves the study of specialized topics in substantive and procedural criminal law with a special emphasis on employment law, and how these legal issues impact ethics and leadership in criminal justice organizations. This course is well suited for command-level personnel in response to a variety of potential agency and personal liability issues.

CJ 515: THEORETICAL APPLICATIONS OF JUSTICE MANAGEMENT (5 Credits)

This course provides students with a knowledge base for the practical application of social and psychological principles to the day-to-day administration of criminal justice agencies. It presents an overview of the scope and historical development of organizational psychology, including the virtual workplace and employee. Topics include psychological testing as it relates to employment selection; performance appraisal; training and development; leadership and motivation; job satisfaction and involvement; organizational structure; safety, violence, and health; and stress and occupational health psychology. Future issues in the field are also discussed.

CJ 519: ETHICS AND DIVERSITY IN POLICING (5 Credits)

Discrimination in the workplace, prejudicial treatment of individuals by public officials, official misconduct, and a lack of individual and collective professional practice are all enduring issues that must be addressed by our criminal justice system. Accordingly, this course is designed to address these and other related issues at length, as well as offer strategies for improved individual and professional practice.

PP 611: GRANT WRITING (5 Credits)

This course addresses the advanced skills necessary to create successful grant proposals to public and private funding sources. Students will critically examine RFP criteria, prepare grant budgets, create sustainability plans and project timelines, and incorporate evaluation metrics in their proposals. Content will cover grant research, proposal structure, financial planning, and the completion of a full proposal. Student will have the opportunity to prepare a full grant application to satisfy an RFP.

CJ 500: CRITICAL LEGAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (5 Credits)

This course involves the study of recent legislation and case law, both state and federal, that impact criminal justice professionals and the administration of criminal justice in the context of professional practice. The topics will depend upon current legal developments, but will include such areas as law enforcement, criminal procedure, civil and criminal liability, civil rights, employment law, substance abuse, corrections, and judicial review of administrative decisions.

CJ 501: CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY (5 Credits)

This course consists of an in-depth analysis of various explanations of criminal behavior. Readings include the original works of prominent authors from a broad range of disciplines related to crime, social deviance, and causation. Ethical and legal foundations in defining social deviance and crime are also considered. Specific focus is placed on applications of theory that address causes and correlations of criminal behavior in a variety of cultures throughout the world. This course is well suited for criminal justice practitioners, as students apply criminological theory to contemporary issues.

CJ 503: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR (5 Credits)

This course presents an in-depth analysis of the various dynamics facing criminal justice organizations in the context of professional practice, including, but not limited to, the theoretical concepts underlying organizational behavior, management and leadership of human resources, and design and structural processes. The scope includes fiscal accountability; personnel deployment; implementation of change; motivation and retention of personnel; the hiring, assignment, and promotion of personnel; organizational communication; professional development; and fundamental legal issues as they pertain to agency operations.

CJ 525: APPLIED RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (5 Credits)

Students will be introduced to applied research, which encourages adoption of the role of a reflective practitioner who seeks to simultaneously understand and change a professional setting. Students will examine the history of applied research  and the connection between applied research and experimental research. Students will determine the focus of their research project, conduct a review of the literature, determine methods and tools for data collection, and draft a research plan. This course of study allows participants to develop an understanding of the processes and how they can impact their own professional setting. The research plan developed in CJ 525 will set the foundation for conducting the applied research project in the capstone course, CJ 598: Applied Research Project.

CJ 526: ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATIONS IN PUBLIC SAFETY (5 Credits)

Effective and appropriate communication is essential for success in the academic andprofessional worlds. Academic and Professional Communications in Public Safety is designed to prepare students for the rhetorical challenges found in their coursework, professional career, and the final capstone/research paper. Students will learn to clearly communicate complex and sophisticated materials to a wide variety of expert and nonexpert audiences using both written and oral techniques. This course will introduce students to the basic elements of academic and professional writing at the holistic and paragraph levels. Students will learn about audience and purpose as well as the graduate research, writing, and formatting process. These skills are coupled with an additional focus on the context, delivery, and medium through which students will communicate. Emphasis is also placed on accurately citing and quoting primary materials, organizational strategies, and grammar, editing, and usage skills.

CJ 598: APPLIED RESEARCH PROJECT (5 Credits)

Students experience the art and science of applied research while they develop the tools of reflective inquiry and collaborative practice. Students will engage in analysis of current issues and challenges to explore and practice applied research methods as a logical extension of professional practice. Integral to this process is the examination of both informal and systematic ways to ask and answer questions. Students will conduct their own applied research project.

SPECIALIZATION COURSES / GENERAL ELECTIVES* (25 Credits)

CJ 521: CRITICAL ISSUES IN CORRECTIONS (5 Credits)

This course provides a critical analysis of contemporary issues facing the U.S. correctional system. Students address issues such as the philosophies and theories that guide practice, community-based policies and practices, prison reform, special populations, recidivism, and legal mandates affecting the administration and operations of correctional facilities.

CJ 522: COMPARATIVE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS (5 Credits)

The course addresses a variety of correctional issues from an international perspective, including, but not limited to, a comparative analysis of the philosophies and theories guiding practice, supervision, and treatment of prison populations with an emphasis on human rights, post-confinement intervention strategies, and legal standards governing practice.

CJ 523: CRITICAL ISSUES IN JUVENILE JUSTICE (5 Credits)

This course is designed to explore the social context of delinquency, law, the history of the juvenile court, policing in juvenile justice, and court and corrections interventions with regard to children who have been victimized or are criminal. The course integrates scholarship and case law to investigate the many layers of the juvenile justice system, including how the juvenile court works and why it works the way it does. Upon completion, students will have much more than a cursory understanding of the juvenile justice system.

CJ 524: COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS (5 Credits)

This course is designed to identify community-based corrections programs and to explore the issues relevant to the field of community-based corrections. The materials presented will draw upon scholarly and practical research to identify the programs commonly used, what "works," policy issues, services provided, costs, and who receives probation and parole. Boot camps, electronic monitoring, house arrest, day treatment, fines, community service, drug courts, and other alternatives will be discussed. Students will have the opportunity to debate and better understand the many challenges facing probation, parole, and community-based corrections

CJ 509: COMPARATIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS (5 Credits)

This course covers comparative foreign criminal justice systems, including the investigation and prosecution of international terrorists, the International Criminal Court, U.S. criminal cases affecting international relations, mutual assistance treaties, and issues concerning the formation of criminal justice systems in developing democracies. This course is especially beneficial for understanding global legal issues facing the criminal justice system.

CJ 512: TRANSNATIONAL CRIME (5 Credits)

This course focuses on the historical development and current status of various forms of transnational crime from the perspective of the international criminal justice community. Particular emphasis is given to issues of organized crime, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking, and the current strategies for the containment of such activities.

CJ 513: CRITICAL ISSUES IN TERRORISM (5 Credits)

This course is designed to provide students with a critical analysis and understanding of issues related to terrorism. This includes historical analyses of the causes and effects of social, political, economic, and religious conflict as they pertain to terrorist groups from source countries; protective intelligence gathering and associated legal issues; threat assessment; emergency first-responder plans and policies; counterterrorism tactics and strategies; cyberterrorism and the role of technology; and concerns for the future.

CJ 522: COMPARATIVE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS (5 Credits)

The course addresses a variety of correctional issues from an international perspective, including, but not limited to, a comparative analysis of the philosophies and theories guiding practice, supervision, and treatment of prison populations with an emphasis on human rights, post-confinement intervention strategies, and legal standards governing practice.

CJ 511: EMPLOYMENT AND POLICY LAW (5 Credits)

This course involves the study of specialized topics in substantive and procedural criminal law with a special emphasis on employment law, and how these legal issues impact ethics and leadership in criminal justice organizations. This course is well suited for command-level personnel in response to a variety of potential agency and personal liability issues.

CJ 515: THEORETICAL APPLICATIONS OF JUSTICE MANAGEMENT (5 Credits)

This course provides students with a knowledge base for the practical application of social and psychological principles to the day-to-day administration of criminal justice agencies. It presents an overview of the scope and historical development of organizational psychology, including the virtual workplace and employee. Topics include psychological testing as it relates to employment selection; performance appraisal; training and development; leadership and motivation; job satisfaction and involvement; organizational structure; safety, violence, and health; and stress and occupational health psychology. Future issues in the field are also discussed.

CJ 519: ETHICS AND DIVERSITY IN POLICING (5 Credits)

Discrimination in the workplace, prejudicial treatment of individuals by public officials, official misconduct, and a lack of individual and collective professional practice are all enduring issues that must be addressed by our criminal justice system. Accordingly, this course is designed to address these and other related issues at length, as well as offer strategies for improved individual and professional practice.

PP 611: GRANT WRITING (5 Credits)

This course addresses the advanced skills necessary to create successful grant proposals to public and private funding sources. Students will critically examine RFP criteria, prepare grant budgets, create sustainability plans and project timelines, and incorporate evaluation metrics in their proposals. Content will cover grant research, proposal structure, financial planning, and the completion of a full proposal. Student will have the opportunity to prepare a full grant application to satisfy an RFP.

CJ 520: ISSUES IN PRIVATE SECURITY (5 Credits)

This course will provide students with the fun­damental knowledge necessary to competently address various critical issues concerning security including, but not limited to: physical security concerns, threat assessment, privatization trends, relationships with the law enforcement commu­nity, crisis planning, and the impact of the Department of Homeland Security on secu­rity thinking and delivery.

CJ 533: PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW (5 Credits)

This course examines the field of forensic psychology and provides students with knowledge of how psychology can assist the field of law and criminal justice. Students are encouraged to examine the legal system through the use of psy­chological concepts and methods and apply them to practical situations. Topics will include an overview of the intersection of law and psychology, forensic clinical assessment, com­petency and criminal responsibility issues, jury selection, correctional psychology, and diagnosis as well as a comprehensive review of the ethics code. An emphasis will be on utilizing case law and research as well as psychological testing to accurately and ethically report findings.

CJ 590: INDEPENDENT STUDY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (1 Credits)

This course is designed to engage students in developing a position of relevance to their professional field of study and the criminal justice graduate curriculum. Students decide on a suitable topic under the direction and supervision of a designated faculty member. No more than 10 quarter credit hours of independent study may apply toward the degree.