Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ): General
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) degree program is designed to help students demonstrate an understanding of a wide range of industry-current knowledge relevant to the field of criminal justice. Coursework is structured to assist them in the development of their goals as they acquire the knowledge and skills common to a diverse range of criminal justice professionals.
To learn more about AIU, our degree programs or how to apply for admission, please contact us for more information.
The goal of the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree program is to help provide students with a well-rounded overview of the entire criminal justice system, including the areas of law enforcement, courts, criminology, corrections, juvenile justice and the field of forensic science.
In this industry-focused curriculum, students can learn about criminal investigation, the impact of drug usage on crime, probation and parole. Plus, a choice of electives offers the opportunity to delve into areas of particular interest, such as crime victim studies and issues of cultural diversity.
The AIU BSCJ program provides a comprehensive look at the Criminal Justice System. In this curriculum, students can learn how to:
- Demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for a vital career in criminal justice and related professions.
- Demonstrate foundational knowledge of criminology, including the causes of crime, typologies, offenders and victims.
- Demonstrate appropriate knowledge of criminal justice and juvenile justice processes.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of law enforcement principles including police organization, discretion, subculture and legal constraints.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of law adjudication including criminal law, prosecution, defense, court procedures and legal decision-making processes.
- Demonstrate knowledge of corrections and parole, including incarceration, community-based corrections and treatment of offenders as well as alternatives to traditional parole.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of techniques, abilities and limitations in the forensic science laboratory, the field of medicolegal death investigations, forensic psychology and computer crimes and computer forensics.
- and many more industry-related skills.
In addition to the general education requirements, the BSCJ program includes the following courses, taught by instructors who have relevant career experience in the fields of law enforcement, corrections and the courts. The experiences and firsthand perspectives they share in class can help prepare you for real-life challenges after you graduate.
CORE COURSES
- Foundations of Criminal Justice Systems
- Theories of Crime Causation
- Introduction to Criminal Law
- Introduction to Law Enforcement
- Introduction to American Court System
- Foundations of Corrections
- Principles of Communication and Report Writing in Criminal Justice
- Proseminar in Criminal Justice
CONCENTRATION COURSE OPTIONS
- Administration of Criminal Justice
- Law Enforcement (Elective)
- Corrections (Elective)
- Forensics or other (Elective)
This degree program is only available as a degree completion program online. Please see the AIU 2010 catalog for more information and a full list of courses.
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Degree programs and availability vary by campus.