Course Descriptions
Administration of Justice
MAJ 6600
Criminological Theory
3 credits
This course provides an overview of the nature and scope of crime and deviance through a comprehensive survey of criminological theories that presents a systematic and critical analysis of traditional and contemporary theory. Existing theories will be examined within the context of contemporary issues as students build upon classical theory in a variety of contexts and become familiar with the work of the theoreticians in the field. Major emphasis will be placed upon analyzing topics that demonstrate the relationship of theory to practice.
MAJ 6601
Typologies of Crime
3 credits
The Typologies of Crime is the collection of field studies of the crime and the criminals derived from a long tradition of field research in criminology. There is a rich history in the discipline of criminology in which research and practical experience reflect the new directions the field is taking. The typologies of crime convey the continuing vitality and importance of an ever-changing society in which we live.
MAJ 6602
Criminal Justice Ethics
3 credits
This course will explore the ethical issues that confront modern practitioners in the various criminal justice settings. Both the theoretical and applied applications will be presented. Topics will include individual moral responsibility, dual relationships, falsification and lying, perjury, abuse of force and authority, and the concept of use of discretionary authority. The development and enforcement of the organizational code of ethics will be discussed as well as the role of the Professional Standards Unit, Community Partnerships and the body of law that has been developed in that area. Case studies will be reviewed.MAJ 6603
Managing Diversity
3 credits
This course addresses the diversity issues that impact the criminal justice agency both internally and externally. Students will review the cultural contributions of the several populations that criminal justice agencies serve. The behavioral cycle that produces prejudice, stereotyping, scapegoating, discrimination, and racism will be discussed. Recruiting, testing, hiring, retention, and promotion will be presented as management issues. Discussions will focus on developing positive solutions to more adequately meet the challenges of working with and serving diverse populations.
MAJ 6604
Technology for Modern Policing
3 credits
The topics in this course focus on the modern criminal justice professional who must be familiar with in the application and operation of the variety of systems that are used in the various criminal justice agencies. The subject matter will include the National Crime Information Center, project management, interfacing networks, computerized record keeping, communication systems, mobile data terminals, use of computerized data for decision-making and other topics identified by the interests of the participants. Students will examine the role of GIS in crime analysis by covering the basic components of a GIS. Students will also examine the use of GIS in criminal justice agencies (Corrections, Probation and Parole as well as Police departments) throughout the U.S. Discussions will include issues of implementation of programs and obtaining funding sources for technology equipment.MAJ 6605
Supervision and Management
3 credits
This course focuses on the supervision and management function of the criminal justice agency through an examination of the principles, structures, and processes of supervision and management. An analysis of the current principles and theories of professional management will be presented in a problem-solving format that will emphasize practice. A focus on the impact of policy decisions on the criminal justice organization will test the decision-making process. Specific operational and staff functions of personnel, planning, organization, budgeting, labor relations, employee assistance, and other identified topics will be presented.
MAJ 6606
Crisis Management
3 credits
Natural catastrophes, outbreaks of novel and deadly diseases, cyber-attacks, industrial accidents, terrorist attacks, major consumer product tampering cases, all such incidents challenge society with seemingly greater frequency today. The modern leader will be challenged to respond creatively to many incidents where lives, property, and organizational reputations are at stake. The course seeks to identify and explain the skills and the systems that can help mitigate a crisis and result in an effective response. Topics will also include crisis management theory, planning responses to crisis, formation of crisis management response teams, and dealing with the aftermath of crisis situations.MAJ 6607
Workplace Law and Liability
3 credits
Federal and state laws that impact on the criminal justice workplace will be presented in a case study seminar format that emphasizes civil liability. The topics of negligence in hiring, retention, promotion, and dismissal will be discussed. Strategies that deal with liability concerning employee behavior will be developed. Current and future managers and executives will learn the skills that are necessary to survive in the litigious society in which the agency must function.
MAJ 6608
Police Executive Leadership
3 credits
Students at a graduate level must have a thorough understanding of the knowledge and skills required of today's most creative and innovative leaders. Leadership is more than the supervision of personnel or the management of specific resources in an organization. Executives in policing are expected to be transformative and servant leaders as they motivate and influence their teams. In Police Executive Leadership we probe the necessary blend of management skills (planning, organizing, budgeting, staff, and directing), personal skills (communicating and inspiring), leadership skills, and a significant dose of police operational experience.MAJ 6609
Violent Crime
3 credits
The nature, theory, history, and psychology of violence in America are discussed through a study of crimes of violence, including homicide, rape, assault, and serial crimes. Interpersonal, group, organized, self-inflicted, and government-sanctioned violence will be discussed. Structural causes of violence such as race, gender, and social class will be explored. The causes and consequences of violence will be discussed in the context of current theory and practice.
MAJ 6610
White Collar Crime
3 credits
This course analyzes the usually nonviolent criminal conduct described as violations of trust. Typologies of white collar crime will be presented as occupational, governmental, corporate, financial, technical, professional, and religious in nature. Measurement and assessments of costs will include the economic and social damage. White collar crime will be presented through a review of the pertinent theories, including the work of Sutherland, Coleman, and Ross. Both the deviant and criminal aspects of these behaviors will be presented. A practical overview will include the prevention, detection, and prosecution of offenders as well as a survey of the law enforcement agencies tasked with specialized investigative responsibilities.
MAJ 6611
Victimology
3 credits
This course deals with the many concerns that surround the victims of crime and addresses the issues that tend to ''twice victimize'' the victim by exploring the ways in which victims are treated by the system that is supposed to help them. Current trends, programs, policies, laws, and theories for dealing with the victims and survivors of crimes are discussed. Specialized responses to victims of violence, as well as the etiology of victimization, will be presented. Historical antecedents, victim compensation, victim impact statements, and public policy will be presented.
MAJ 6612
Drugs and Society
3 credits
Analysis and definition of drugs of abuse and their effect on society are presented in this course. Both the legal aspects and the social costs will be factored into the discussion. Controversial issues, including legalization and foreign relations, will be discussed. State and federal laws will be examined in light of other available options. Major offenders, including gangs and cartels, as well as current trends, strategies, and policies will be presented.
MAJ 6613
Mental Health and the Law
3 credits
The purpose of this course is to acquaint the criminal justice practitioner with the mental health field and the interaction between the two. Psychological evaluations, testing issues, insanity defense, forensic psychiatry, expert testimony, and the role of the mental health professional in criminal justice issues are included as discussion topics. Case studies and current issues will be presented in a seminar format.
MAJ 6614
Addiction Studies
3 credits
This course will review the addictive behaviors that professionals in the criminal justice system encounter on a regular basis. Substance and behavioral addictions will be reviewed in the context of victims and offenders. A variety of treatment protocols will be discussed to equip the criminal justice professional with the background to deal effectively with these criminal issues.
MAJ 6615
Therapeutic Strategies for Criminal Justice Offenders
3 credits
This course presents an overview of the strategies and various protocols that are used in the rehabilitation and counseling of criminal offenders who are incarcerated or assigned to residential facilities through judicial referrals. Institutional and non-institutional programs will be reviewed.
MAJ 6616
Judicial Procedures
3 credits
This course presents the legal framework for the study of criminal justice. Starting with an overview of the United States Constitution, the student will learn due process, probable cause, and the basic underlying concepts. Issues of search warrants, arrests, interrogation, and the trial process will be discussed. This course is especially useful and highly recommended for those students who have not had previous law courses or those who are not currently working in the criminal justice arena.
MAJ 6619
Forensic Behavior Analysis
3 credits
This course will examine the behaviors that are exhibited by criminals based upon an analysis of critical behavioral markers. Behavior will be reviewed from a variety of perspectives, including criminological, psychological, and physiological. Crime scene analysis will be discussed as a source of profiling criminal behavior, and the use of the polygraph will be explored as an attempt to examine diagnostic tools to predict and explain deviance and criminal behavior.
MAJ 6620
Criminal Justice System: Policy and Process
3 credits
This course presents a comprehensive overview of the criminal justice system in the United States. It will address issues, procedures, policies, and problems characteristically associated with the practicalities of law enforcement, the judiciary, corrections, and juvenile justice. The course will cover the philosophy and politics of policing, sentencing guidelines, contemporary issues in probation and parole, current debates in corrections associated with reform and alternative forms of punishment, and unique issues confronting the juvenile justice system. Students will critique agency policy and process.
MAJ 6621
Law and Social Control
3 credits
The social control functions of the law will be examined, with a focus upon specific issues of criminal law. The course will evaluate the complex and diverse interests that compete between the subsystems of the criminal justice system and the national social and political agendas. Questions concern how the current issues of social control impact on the passage, enforcement, and review of laws by the courts. Theories of the origin and function of law are challenged through an examination of the assumptions in the relationship between law and order.
MAJ 6632
Quantitative Applications in Criminal Justice
3 credits
This course employs both the methodological and analytical skills necessary for the analysis of issues related to criminal justice research. Students will learn the techniques of management of quantitative data and explore more advanced methods of analysis. The construction and use of questionnaires, testing of hypotheses, and answering of research questions through the use of quantitative data will be presented.
MAJ 6633
Research Methods in Criminal Justice
3 credits
Students will learn the scientific methods used in the study of issues related to crime and criminal justice. Topics will include the relationship among theory, hypotheses, and empirical research. Various methodological designs, including survey research, quasi-experimental research, and qualitative research will be explored. The language and terminology used in the interpretation of data will be presented. Issues that govern the research of crime and criminal justice will be discussed, including ethics and confidentiality.
MAJ 6634
Leadership through Films
3 credits
The quest for understanding leadership on personal, organizational and global levels is both elusive and complex. This course is designed to stimulate thoughtful consideration into the nature of leadership as depicted in film. Film provides unique insight into the character, motives, and culture allowing the student to access meaning and significance through theoretical, analytic and dialogic inquiry.
MAJ 6701
Special Topic: Ireland Study Abroad
3 credits
This course is a multidiscipline travel program to Ireland with a focus on criminal justice systems that is designed to provide the opportunity for students to experience the culture of Ireland and observe the outward manifestations of the unique signs, symbols, and traditions of the country. The focus of the course will be on expanding the student’s understanding of the host country through selected pre-travel research, readings, and lectures that will enable the student to critically review the observations on the trip in comparison to the research material. Site lectures will be conducted by the professor, local contacts, and host country university professors to provide in-depth information on identified issues.
MAJ 6900
Thesis Supervision
3 credits
This is an integrative course in which the student is expected to write a research paper that utilizes the research methods and subject matter studied in previous courses in the program. The course must be scheduled as a capstone project and should be taken as one of the last courses in the student’s program. Students should declare their intent to take this option early in the program so supervision can be arranged. This course is highly recommended for those students who plan to pursue further graduate studies. Permission of the Criminal Justice Coordinator is required.
Prerequisite(s): MAJ 6632
MAJ 6901
Graduate Practicum
3 credits
This course is intended for the non-service graduate student who wants to experience 100 hours of supervised practice in a criminal justice agency setting. The student is provided opportunities to observe, describe, and understand the operations and functions of the host agency through a variety of on-site contacts.
MAJ 7000
Contemporary Issues in Homeland Security
3 credits
This course will provide an introduction to the concept of Homeland Security, its place in today's society, and how our nation's approach to manmade and disaster response has changed since September 11th, 2001. Students will be given an overview of the statutory authority establishing DHS to include the agency's role and responsibilities. This overview will address Federal, State and local entities' responsibilities for Homeland Security, and the means by which they coordinate efforts with each other. The impact of terrorism, homegrown violent extremism and radicalization as well as terrorist tactics, techniques, and practices will be discussed. During this course, students will be asked to identify current threats facing the homeland and to participate in discussions relevant to the current course material.MAJ 7001
Terrorism
3 credits
Students will gain an understanding of modern terrorism from a sociological perspective. Students will study theories on the notion and trends of why individuals and groups commit acts of terrorism. Additionally, the course will address terrorism as a social construct and the impact that terrorism has on society and everyday life. Students will be able to recognize the influences of religion and economics as well as culture in regards to the terrorist mindset.MAJ 7002
Legal Aspects of Homeland Security
3 credits
This course presents the overarching legal framework for counter-terrorism, particularly as it relates to global issues. The course will address constitutional, statutory, and regulatory issues relating to counter-terrorism law enforcement activities, including both authorizations and limitations.