Criminal Justice, BS
Program Description
Our program has been in place for over forty years and we have an outstanding reputation for producing well-educated and well-trained criminal justice practitioners. Most or many of your classes will be taught by former and active police officers, corrections officers, and lawyers. The program combines academic and hands-on training. Courses in criminal investigation, firearms training, and agency internships will help you acquire the necessary skills to excel in your future careers.
The Criminal Justice program has been providing students with an opportunity to achieve self-actualization in a number of broad areas. These include, but are not limited to:
A strong focus on critical thinking. The emphasis on abstract thinking using concepts and a focus on critical thinking begins with the CJUS 101 Introduction Criminal Justice and carries forward to advanced courses. This regiment introduces and acclimates students into a more advanced mindset to help attain academic excellence throughout their four years at LSSU.
A multi-faceted approach. The Department exposes students to varied approaches within tracks in Criminal Justice. This involves understanding the different disciplines and examining how they inter-relate on particular issues. The program also focuses on both macro and micro level of analyses in helping to gain a more comprehensive understanding of issues under study.
A strong emphasis on Practical Application and Skill Development. The program prides itself on emphasizing and implementing application as a central component in many of its courses. Students are expected to refine and build on their knowledge from prior course work in the application of concepts in real life scenarios. The scenario structure allows students to apply the knowledge in independent and group work to identify, pre-plan, problem solve, and create solutions. Our students further have the opportunity to apply concepts during Senior Internships while placed at agencies across the state and nation.
A strong emphasis on Life Long Learning Skills. The program takes pride in being part of an elite academic community that offers undergraduate students the opportunity to undertake actual research. The program believes that all courses taught in the curriculum enhance the student’s ability to be Life Long Learners and provides students the necessary tools to conduct a research project. It is identified that our students will be better prepared for graduate school, law school, or other areas of life where these skills can be applied.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Formal Communication (FC): Graduates of the Criminal Justice and Emergency Responders Programs will be able to communicate effectively at a professional level, both orally and in writing.
- Use of Evidence (UE): Graduates of the Criminal Justice and Emergency Responders Programs will complete a Senior research project that demonstrates professional level inquiry, analysis, and presentation of a relevant issue in the field of criminal justice.
- Analysis and Synthesis (AS): Graduates of the Criminal Justice and Emergency Responders programs will demonstrate professional level critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Professional Responsibility (PR): Graduates of the Criminal Justice and Emergency Responders programs will demonstrate professional responsibility in teamwork, civic engagement, intercultural knowledge and competence, ethical reasoning, and practical applications of those responsibilities while interning in a professional setting, student projects, and group work.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| CJUS 101 | Introduction Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJUS 102 | Police Process | 3 |
| CJUS 198 | Seminar I | 1 |
| CJUS 199 | Seminar II | 1 |
| CJUS 243 | Investigation | 3 |
| CJUS 299 | Seminar III | 1 |
| CJUS 319 | Substantive Criminal Law | 3 |
| CJUS 321 | Ethical Issues Public Safety | 3 |
| CJUS 345 | Stats & Design/Public Safety | 4 |
| CJUS 399 | Seminar IV | 1 |
| CJUS 401 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| CJUS 402 | Criminal Justice Internship | 3-9 |
| CJUS 409 | Procedural Criminal Law | 3 |
| CJUS 300/400 Level Electives | 4 | |
| CJUS 140 | Crim Theory/Corr Client Growth | 3 |
| or SOCY 214 | Criminology | |
| Support Courses | ||
| POLI 120 | Introduction Legal Processes | 3 |
| PSYC 101 | Intro to Psychological Science | 3 |
| PSYC 259 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| Approved Diversity Course | 3 | |
| POLI 110 | Intro American Govt/Politics | 3-4 |
| or POLI 160 | Intro Canadian Govt Politics | |
| Total Hours | 54-61 | |
Complete at least one Concentration other than MCOLES:
Generalist
(Generalist can only be paired with MCOLES Concentration)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CJUS 110 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
| CJUS 212 | Loss Control | 3 |
| CJUS 200/300/400 Level Electives | 9 | |
| CJUS 300/400 Level Electives | 6 | |
| CJUS 313 | Crisis Interv Deviant Behavior | 3 |
| or CJUS 411 | Police Operations | |
| CJUS 325 | Homeland Security/Emer Service | 3 |
| or CJUS 355 | Juvenile Justice | |
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Conservation Officer
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 132 | General Biology: Organisms | 4 |
| NRES 203 | 3 | |
| CJUS 444 | Criminalistics | 4 |
| EMED 189 | Medical First Responder | 3 |
| EVRN 131 | Introduction to GIS and GPS | 3 |
| FIRE 101 | Introduction to Fire Science | 3 |
| FIRE 102 | Wildland/Rural Fire Control | 3 |
| NSCI 103 | Environmental Science | 3 |
| NSCI 104 | Environmental Science Lab | 1 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Plant Science: Ident/Diversity | ||
| Natural Hist of the Vertebrate | ||
| Ichthyology | ||
| Ornithology | ||
| Total Hours | 33 | |
Public Safety
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CJUS 203 | Cyberterrorism | 3 |
| CJUS 206 | Law Enf/Loss Contrl Internship | 3 |
| CJUS 302 | Hate Crimes | 3 |
| CJUS 444 | Criminalistics | 4 |
| FIRE 101 | Introduction to Fire Science | 3 |
| FIRE 204 | Fire Protectn Hydraulics/Pumps | 3 |
| FIRE 206 | Fire Protect Sys/Equip/Ind Pro | 3 |
| FIRE 211 | Tactics & Strategy | 3 |
| FIRE 219 | Firefighter Essentials | 3 |
| FIRE 220 | Fire Science Certification | 4 |
| EMED 189 | Medical First Responder | 3 |
| CJUS 313 | Crisis Interv Deviant Behavior | 3-5 |
| or CJUS 411 | Police Operations | |
| Total Hours | 38-40 | |
Law Enforcement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CJUS 110 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
| CJUS 201 | Firearms Training | 1 |
| CJUS 203 | Cyberterrorism | 3 |
| CJUS 206 | Law Enf/Loss Contrl Internship | 3 |
| CJUS 212 | Loss Control | 3 |
| CJUS 302 | Hate Crimes | 3 |
| CJUS 444 | Criminalistics | 4 |
| FIRE 101 | Introduction to Fire Science | 3 |
| CJUS 313 | Crisis Interv Deviant Behavior | 3-5 |
| or CJUS 411 | Police Operations | |
| Total Hours | 26-28 | |
Homeland Security
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CJUS 103 | Int to Terrorism/Homeland Sec | 3 |
| CJUS 203 | Cyberterrorism | 3 |
| CJUS 204 | Domestic & Internatl Terrorism | 3 |
| CJUS 302 | Hate Crimes | 3 |
| CJUS 303 | Crit Infrastructure Protection | 3 |
| CJUS 325 | Homeland Security/Emer Service | 3 |
| CJUS 444 | Criminalistics | 4 |
| FIRE 101 | Introduction to Fire Science | 3 |
| FIRE 111 | Hazardous Materials | 3 |
| POLI 130 | Intro State/Local Government | 4 |
| CJUS 313 | Crisis Interv Deviant Behavior | 3-5 |
| or CJUS 411 | Police Operations | |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Intro to Public Administration | ||
| Intro International Relations | ||
| Middle East Politics | ||
| Total Hours | 38-41 | |
Criminalistics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CJUS 444 | Criminalistics | 4 |
| BIOL 131 | General Biology: Cells | 4 |
| CHEM 115 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHEM 116 | General Chemistry II | 5 |
| CHEM 225 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 231 | Quantitative Analysis | 4 |
| CHEM 332 | Instrumental Analysis | 4 |
| CHEM 351 | Introductory Biochemistry | 4 |
| MATH 112 | Calculus Business/Life Science | 4 |
| PHYS 221 | Principles of Physics I | 4 |
| CJUS 313 | Crisis Interv Deviant Behavior | 3-5 |
| or CJUS 411 | Police Operations | |
| Total Hours | 45-47 | |
MCOLES
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CJUS 197 | Physical Fitness Public Safety | 1 |
| CJUS 197 | Physical Fitness Public Safety | 1 |
| CJUS 201 | Firearms Training | 1 |
| CJUS 301 | Advanced Firearms | 1 |
| CJUS 411 | Police Operations | 5 |
| CJUS 444 | Criminalistics | 4 |
| CJUS 450 | Skills Academy | 2 |
| EMED 189 | Medical First Responder | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Crime Scene Investigator
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CJUS 201 | Firearms Training | 1 |
| CJUS 203 | Cyberterrorism | 3 |
| CJUS 204 | Domestic & Internatl Terrorism | 3 |
| CJUS 206 | Law Enf/Loss Contrl Internship | 3 |
| CJUS 212 | Loss Control | 3 |
| CJUS 302 | Hate Crimes | 3 |
| CJUS 306 | Information Systems Security | 3 |
| CJUS 313 | Crisis Interv Deviant Behavior | 3 |
| or CJUS 411 | Police Operations | |
| CJUS 341 | Fire Cause/Arson Investigation | 3 |
| CJUS 344 | Narcotics & Human Traffic Inv | 3 |
| CJUS 444 | Criminalistics | 4 |
| FIRE 101 | Introduction to Fire Science | 3 |
| Total Hours | 35 | |
A minimum of 24 credits of 300/400 level CJUS Coursework is required for graduation.
General Education: All LSSU bachelor’s degree candidates must complete the LSSU General Education Requirements.
A minimum of 124 credits (at the 100 level or higher) must be earned for graduation with a cumulative gpa of 2.00 or higher. A gpa of 2.00 or higher is also required in your Major, as well as in your General Education Requirements.