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Description
Criminal justice is the study of the legal rules of court procedure, police history and procedure, criminology, and the use of corrections as a means of rehabilitating convicted criminals. The study of criminal justice can give the undergraduate student a richer understanding of the structure and process of how laws, police, courts, and corrections all interact to work as a collective whole.
The criminal justice major is offered during the day and evening on NSU’s main campus.
Learning Outcomes
A successful criminal justice graduate is expected to:
- Communicate effectively:
- Select appropriate writing styles to articulate ideas, instructions, and information clearly, accurately, and comprehensively;
- Utilize correct structure, organization, grammar, and vocabulary in written communication;
- Verbally convey ideas, instructions, and information clearly, understandably, and professionally.
- Analyze complex material and:
- Identify the elements of a crime and the necessary supporting evidence;
- Demonstrate the relationship between statutory and constitutional law and its practical application;
- Evaluate information in a manner that leads to well founded, reasonable conclusions.
- Comprehend the context within which legal issues arise and the implications of legal decisions so as to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the legal and judicial system, its structure, and functions;
- Demonstrate an understanding of constitutional principles and their implications in law enforcement functions;
- Demonstrate an understanding of liability, its implications for law enforcement functions, human resources, risk management, and administrative decisions.
Curriculum Requirements
Students must complete 1000-level courses before advancing to courses at the 2000 level and higher.
General Education Requirements (30 credits)
Students are required to complete 30 credit hours as part of the General Education Program.
Criminal Justice Major Requirements (54 credits)
Core Courses (45 credits)
CRJU 1100 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 credits)
CRJU 1200 Criminal Law (3 credits)
CRJU 2000 Constitutional Issues (3 credits)
CRJU 2220 Criminology (3 credits)
CRJU 2400 Court Systems and Procedures (3 credits)
CRJU 3100 Juvenile Delinquency (3 credits)
CRJU 3220 Policing (3 credits)
CRJU 3250 Interviewing, Interrogation, and Report Writing (3 credits)
CRJU 3300 Corrections in America (3 credits)
CRJU 3400 Criminal Investigations (3 credits)
CRJU 4000 Victimology (3 credits)
CRJU 4500 Research Methods in Criminal Justice (3 credits)
CRJU 4950 Internship in Criminal Justice (3 credits)
PSYC 2450 Forensic Psychology (3 credits)
PSYC 3600 Criminal Justice and Substance Abuse (3 credits)
Major Electives (9 credits)
Select 9 credits from the following courses:
ADRB 2000 Introduction to Dispute Resolution (3 credits)
CRJU 4600 Gangs in America (3 credits)
CRJU 4900 Special Topics in Criminal Justice (3-6 credits)
PSYC 1020 Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
PSYC 3260 Abnormal Psychology (3 credits)
PSYC 3760 Multicultural Issues in Psychology (3 credits)
SOCL 1020 Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)
The academic program and curriculum requirements listed on this page are from the 2009-2010 edition of the NSU Undergraduate Student Catalog. Students are bound by policies and curricula published in the catalog in effect the semester they enter the university, unless an agreement is made with appropriate NSU administration officials allowing them to abide by policies published in a later catalog.

