Criminal Justice
Overview
A minor in Criminal Justice offers interdisciplinary courses that will provide students with a basic understanding of the foundational principles of crime, the law, and the justice system. Students will take courses covering the American political system, criminal law, police administration, corrections, child delinquency, and criminology.
Courses
Below is a list of courses that are required to earn a minor in Criminal Justice. Take a look at the list below to help give you an idea of classes within this program. Be sure to review the official requirements in the Academic Catalog.
Note: This list is intended to give you a glimpse into the program’s academic offerings, and should not be used as a guide for course selection or academic advising.
Required Courses
POL 202 American Government  Credit Hours: 3
This course is a study of the theory and practice of the American political system at the national, state, and local levels. Some emphasis is given to the recent trends in government. Questions of national security, foreign policy, and civil liberties will be examined. This course satisfies state requirements concerning the United States and Georgia Constitutions.Â
OR
PSY 201 General Psychology  Credit Hours: 3Â
This course is a survey of the history, theories, methods, and data of psychology. Emphasis is placed on physiology, perception, learning, emotion, motivation, personality, measurement, and social behavior.
*Whichever course was not taken to satisfy optional core will be the minor requirementÂ
Choose one of the following:
CJ 204 Deviant Behavior  Credit Hours: 3
This course is an examination of deviant behavior, including crime, drug abuse, sexual deviance, and mental illness. A cross-cultural examination of these aspects of deviant behavior will also be utilized in order to understand deviant behavior within various cultural and institutional contexts.
CJ 205 Introduction to Police Administration  Credit Hours: 3
This course is a study of police management practices in America, including personnel management, budgeting, program planning, and relationships among the police department, the courts, and the correction industries.Â
CJ 206 Introduction to Corrections  Credit Hours: 3Â
This course is a study of the history and evolution of corrections, the law and the correctional process, the rights of convicted criminals, types of criminals, correctional ideologies, and alternatives to incarceration.
CJ 212 Social Problems  Credit Hours: 3Â
This course is a study of both the general and special problems considered in the social and cultural setting in which they occur. The emphasis is on people and their behavior.
Prerequisite: PSY 201
CJ 305 Race and Ethnic Relations  Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an examination of relationships between and within racial and ethnic groups and an analysis of social and behavioral causes of prejudice and discrimination.
Prerequisite: PSY 201
CJ 307 Criminal Law & Procedure  Credit Hours: 3Â
This course is a survey course of the substantive and procedural criminal law in the United States, focusing particularly on the law of Georgia.
Choose 2 of the following:
CJ 306 Crisis Management Communications  Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the variables involved in crisis planning, communication, and management. Appropriate consideration will be given to organizational vulnerabilities, environmental threats, and stakeholder influences involving law enforcement agencies.
CJ 320 Community Reentry for Offenders  Credit Hours: 3Â
This class will provide students with an in-depth analysis of the issues impacting offender reentry, including employment, treatment, family reunification, housing issues as well as barriers and impediments to offender reentry.
Prerequisite: POL 202
CJ 410 Cybercrime   Credit Hours: 3Â
This course provides an overview of cybercrime and the digital law enforcement practices utilized to respond to them. The course will focus on the types and extent of current cybercrime, how the justice system responds to these crimes, the various constitutional protections afforded to computer users, the law and policies that govern cybercrime detection, investigation, prosecution, and related technologies.
CJ 412 Criminology  Credit Hours: 3
This course studies the nature, extent, and factors related to criminal behavior. The focus will be on the criminal justice system, the police, the judiciary, and corrections (probation, imprisonment, parole, and work release).
CJ 419 Child Welfare  Credit Hours: 3Â
This course is designed to introduce the student to the various fields of child welfare such as family income maintenance programs, child protective service, foster care, adoption, institutional care of children, services to children in their own home, children and the courts, guardianship and special services to children.
Prerequisite: PSY 201
CJ 420 Public Administration  Credit Hours: 3Â
This course includes factors that shape and condition administrative institutions; formal organizational theory; regulatory activities and administrative responsibility in a democratic society.
Prerequisite: POL 202
CJ 421 Juvenile Delinquency  Credit Hours: 3
This course is a study of the causes and nature of juvenile delinquency, the development of juvenile courts, probation, and other rehabilitative programs.
Prerequisite: PSY 201
CJ 425 Victimology  Credit Hours: 3
This course is the study of the victims of crime; their role in the criminal justice system, as well as their treatment by law enforcement. Special attention will also be paid to victim’s rights and strategies for their recovery.
