B.S.C.J in Criminal Justice
Description
The course of study leading to the B.S.C.J. degree offers students the opportunity to study law enforcement, corrections, or homeland security/emergency management and the administration of justice.
Minimum Total Credit Hours: 124
Goals/Mission Statement
Our mission is to educate students in a learning environment conducive to excellence in meeting the complex challenges present in justice- related services. Our faculty's goal is to expand the knowledge base and to integrate cutting-edge information into the learning experiences of students. In addition, the Department of Legal Studies' mission is to extend service to our constituents to enhance learning, program development, and justice-related service in Mississippi, the region, and the nation.
General Education Requirements
The general education requirements for the B.S.C.J. degree include Engl 101 (3), Liba 102 or Engl 102 (3), 200-level literature (6), humanities (3), fine arts (3), history (6), sociology or political science (3), social science (3), Math 115 and a more advanced mathematics course (6), natural science with lab (6-8). Also, a student must take general electives to bring the total hours to 124.
Students must complete a minor.
Course Requirements
The B.S.C.J. degree requires 48 credit hours of criminal justice courses. The following 18 hours of course work are required of all criminal justice majors:
CJ 100: Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 hours) CJ 300: Ethics in Legal Studies (3 hours) CJ 322: Criminal Justice Communications (3 hours) CJ 399: Social Justice and Community Service (3 hours) CJ 490: Criminal Justice Internship (3 hours) CJ 499: Colloquium in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
The remaining 30 hours of major course work are taken under the student's choice of one of the following emphasis areas:
Corrections Emphasis CJ 120: Introduction to Corrections (3 hours) CJ 270: Juvenile Justice (3 hours) CJ 320: Correctional Treatment Strategies (3 hours) CJ 410: Criminal Procedure (3 hours) CJ 422: Probation, Parole and Community Corrections (3 hours) CJ 444: Law of Corrections (3 hours) 12 hours of criminal justice electives
Homeland Security Emphasis CJ 115: Introduction to Homeland Security (3 hours) CJ 285: Foundations of Terrorism (3 hours) CJ 376: Elite Forces and Special Operations (3 hours) CJ 400: Homeland Security Operations (3 hours) CJ 435: Terrorism in the 21st Century (3 hours) 15 hours of criminal justice electives
Law Enforcement Emphasis CJ 110: Introduction to Law Enforcement (3 hours) CJ 210: Criminal Law (3 hours) CJ 230: Principles of Investigation (3 hours) CJ 310: Law Enforcement Process and Policy (3 hours) CJ 410: Criminal Procedure (3 hours) 15 hours of criminal justice electives
Other Academic Requirements
For majors in this field, a minimum grade of 2.5 must be maintained on all criminal justice course work.