Course | Description |
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CJA 601 Pro-Seminar in Criminal Justice Administration | The purpose of this course is to introduce students entering the Masters program in Criminal Justice Administration to what is happening in both the professional field and in the academic discipline associated with this area of study, and to provide background which is essential for advanced study in this area. Topics will include the history, structure and functioning of the criminal justice system in the United States and selected other countries, and the ways in which mass media and political fluctuations influence the system. Attention will also be paid to the evolving managerial approach most often used by administrators in this field, and to the ethical dilemmas posed by social control efforts and research methodologies. |
CJA 640 Research Methods in Criminal Justice | This seminar will provide an intermediate level of study to the scientific method and to research designs as applied to problems of crime and criminal justice, and will provide an overview of tools available to those working and studying the field. It will survey such topics as problem conceptualization and formulation, sampling, measurement, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, survey research, interviewing, participant observation, unobtrusive measures, methods of data management and analysis, ethical concerns of research in criminal justice, and research planning. Consideration will also be paid to the research techniques emerging from the field of forensic psychology. Particular attention will be paid to the problems of interpreting research findings in a practical manner. |
CJA 645 Nature and Causes of Crime | This course will examine patterns and trends in crime and victimization within the United States, as well as diverse theoretical perspectives and individual theories that attempt to explain crime and delinquency. A multidisciplinary approach will be used that that examines the underlying causes and consequences of crime. Biological, psychological, sociological, cultural, and political/radical theories will be critically examined, and recent developments in criminological approaches will be considered. Victimology will also be explored, as a field in its own right and as a significant and contributing source of deviant behavior. The extent to which both science and ideology help to shape the fields of criminology and victimology will be evaluated. |
CJA 650 Criminal Law and the Court System | Many are of the opinion that the criminal courts fail to properly punish and deter offenders. This view has been a popular topic among politicians, the electorate and critics of the American Justice System. This course will provide students with an understanding of what goes wrong and what is accomplished well. The course begins with an examination of the nature of criminal law, tracing its development within the U.S. legal system and exploring strengths and weaknesses. Legal procedures are then considered, along with the structure and functioning of the criminal court system and the roles of particular elements such as prosecution and defense. Particular attention will be paid to the decision-making processes of those involved in the system, and to the jury system. |
CJA 660 Policing in Contemporary Society | This course will provide a close examination of the status and role of police and police institutions in contemporary American society, with the intent of critiquing the strengths and weaknesses of our present system and preparing students for the future. The historical evolution of these police organization will be considered, along with the social forces and events which have been influential in shaping interaction between police and diverse communities. The legal status of police officers will be considered, along with the problems most frequently suffered by this group. Strategies of policing and police management will also be examined. |
CJA 670 Penology | The purpose of this course is to examine the history and practice of social control, and the theories which are associated with various approaches. The changes and development of correctional philosophy will be examined, including incarceration, diversion, and community based corrections. Public attitudes toward the treatment of offenders will be considered, along with the problems associated with reentry of this group into the community. Some attention will be paid to the problems associated with special populations, and the larger social, economic and political environment which shape policy decisions. |
CJA 679 Research Project Independent Study | This course is an independent study involving partnering with the project mentor in preparation of the completion of the Capstone Research Project. This course is a prerequisite to CJA 680.The project must conform to the content and format outlined in the graduate student project handbook. This course will provide the student the guidance and support in developing the necessary components to prepare the defense of the student’s research proposal. Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to defend their research proposal, and upon IRB clearance begin their data collection. |
CJA 680 Capstone Seminar in Criminal Justice | The primary objective of this seminar is to integrate the concepts and knowledge presented throughout the curriculum of the CJA program. Students will have the opportunity to sharpen and test their analytic and critical thinking skills, and strengthen their research abilities by completing a major project. The course will also serve as a forum for debate on some of the most critical issues facing criminal justice administrators today, and as a means of preparing students to become better leaders within their professions and in their communities. |
CJA 690 Project Proposal Guidance | This course is intended for graduate students who have completed the Research Methods and Graduate Statistics. Under the guidance and supervision of a faculty member the student will develop a project proposal in the customary form of a statement of the problem to be studied, its significance to the field, a review of the related literature, and a set of protocols for the conduct of the study. At the conclusion of the course, the student should have both a completed proposal and the competency to defend it in an oral presentation to the project committee. |