Overview
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration degree is designed to meet the educational and professional needs of individuals in law enforcement who are interested in professional development or career advancement. It also prepares individuals for challenging and dynamic careers in the justice system at the local, state, and federal levels. Individuals completing the program are prepared for entry- and advanced-level positions, teaching, or training assignments, private security employment, research, or employment as consultants within the field.
The major consists of upper-division courses that include basic forensic science, research methods, juvenile justice, corrections, criminology, leadership and management, civil and criminal investigations, court systems, criminal law, and a senior research project supervised by full-time, associate, and select core adjunct faculty. Additionally, students select elective courses from psychology, sociology, addictive disorders, behavioral science, legal studies, information technology, and human resource management to provide a broader perspective in human behavior.
Transition Programs
There are two transition programs available to students in the Criminal Justice program:
BS in Criminal Justice Administration/ Master of Forensic Science(MFS) Program
BS in Criminal Justice Administration/ Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program
The transition program allow students who are enrolled in the BS in Criminal Justice Administration with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 and who are within completing their last six courses to register for two courses in the MFS or MPA program as electives for the bachelor's degree. The two graduate courses are restricted to those that do not require a prerequisite. Students must complete all transition program coursework with a grade of B or better. Students pursuing the BSCJ/MPA program can take any two courses (with the exception of PAD 631 and PAD 644). Students pursuing the BSCJ/MFS can choose any two classes which do not require prerequisites. The number of courses required to earn an MFS or MPA degree for transition program students is reduced from 12 to as few as 10 courses. Graduate-level coursework taken as part of the criminal justice administration program cannot be applied to the Master of Forensic Science program or the Master of Public Administration program, nor will it transfer as graduate level credit to any other university because it becomes part of the undergraduate degree program.
Program Outcomes
Upon completion of this program candidates will be able to:
· Describe and synthesize the contributions of the various forensic science disciplines to the current state-or-the-art of detecting and solving crimes.
· Develop an experimental design, including a testable research hypothesis to address a current problem in criminal justice.
· Provide a written description of the causes and patterns of juvenile delinquency.
· Apply biological, psychological, sociological, and economic explanations for criminal behavior from a variety of disciplines, and present findings orally and in writing.
· Analyze and evaluate the role of criminal sanctions in rehabilitating offenders.
· Complete a research project in the area of criminal justice: Collect data, conduct a literature review, analyze data, write and explain findings, and present results.
Requirements
To receive a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration, students must complete at least 180 quarter units as articulated below, 76.5 of which must be completed at the upper-division level and 45 of which must be completed in residence at National University. The following courses are specific degree requirements. In the absence of transfer credit, students may need to take additional general electives to satisfy the total units for the degree. Refer to the section on undergraduate admission procedures for specific information regarding application and evaluation.
Requirements for the Major
(10 courses; 45 quarter units)
CJA 429 Introduction to Policing
CJA 449 Research Methods
CJA 431 Criminology
CJA 437 The Juvenile Offender
CJA 446 Criminal Justice Management and Leadership
CJA 460 Principles of Investigation
CJA 451 Court Systems and the Judicial Process
CJA 452 Criminal Law and Procedure
CJA 440 Corrections
CJA 470 Supervised Criminal Justice Senior Project*
(Prerequisite: CJA 449)
* A two-month course that meets once per week for 4.5 quarter units. (Grading is by H, S, and U only.) Accelerated study is not permitted with CJA 470.
Students who do not complete the Senior Project within the two-month period are eligible, at the discretion of the instructor, to receive a grade of "IP" with a maximum of a one-time six month extension. Students who do not complete the project at the end of the extension period will need to retake CJA 470. No grade of "I" (Incomplete) can be given for this course.
Upper-Division Electives
(6 courses; 27 quarter units)
Recommended Courses
CJA 400 Gangs in America
CJA 401 Criminal Intelligence
CJA 434 Survey of Forensic Sciences
CJA 443 Current Issues in Law Enforcement
CJA 441 Organized and White Collar Crime
CJA 448 Violence in Society
CJA 456 Criminal Evidence
CJA 457 Minorities, Crime and Social Justice
CJA 464 Constitutional Law for Criminal Justice
CJA 465 Practicum in Criminal Justice
(1.5-9 quarter units)
CJA 467 International and Domestic Terrorism
HUB 420 Human Communication
(Prerequisites: ENG 100/101, PSY100)
HRM 409B Survey in Human Resources Management and Organizational Development
HRM 432 Recruiting, Selection, Promotion, and Retention
ODV 420 Introduction to Organizational Behavior
HUB 410 Psychology for Managers
(Prerequisites: ENG 100/101, PSY100)
PSY 437 Theories of Psychotherapy
(Prerequisites: ENG 100/101, PSY 100)
SOC 445 Contemporary Social Problems
(Prerequisites: ENG 100/101)