Students are expected to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours of course work and related activity in the Bachelor of Science program. This program provides both a strong core of professional courses as well as a varied liberal arts background. Students in this program are eligible to attend the Maine Criminal Justice Academy's Pre-Service Training Program, which certifies individuals to become eligible for employment as part-time law enforcement officers in the State of Maine, and receive six college credits as well. Students in this program may also be eligible to attend the Maine Criminal Justice Academy's Basic Corrections Program, which certifies individual to become eligible for employment as a corrections officer in the State of Maine, and receive six college credits as well. Students in their last year of the program may choose to attend the Maine Criminal Justice Academy's Basic Law Enforcement Training Program to be eligible for employment as a full time law enforcement officer in the State of Maine and receive fifteen college credits as well. Students are also encouraged to do internships in law enforcement agencies, offices, and businesses for hands-on experiential learning. This program will prepare graduates for entry level positions and also for future advancement to leadership positions in the profession.
The programmatic outcomes for the B.S. Criminal Justice are:
1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the following concepts: Theories of Criminal Behavior; The Law; Law Enforcement; Corrections; The Court System; Critical Thinking; Research Methodology and Statistics.
2. Graduating CJ majors will demonstrate excellent or outstanding understanding of the key concepts of Criminal Justice, Administration of Justice, Law Enforcement, Law Adjudication, Corrections, Criminological Theory, Research and Analytical Methods.
3. Students will apply ethical decision making skills and integrity in an ever-changing, global environment
4. Students will produce and present effective oral and written forms of communication appropriate to the profession
5. Students will analyze diversity issues in the criminal justice field
6. Students will evaluate the legal and social impacts of criminal law in our changing society
7. Students will apply critical problem solving and professional skills in an experiential learning environment
The following classes are required to complete this program of study:
| General Education Courses | ||
| CJ 411 | Crisis Intervention | 3 |
| CJ 445 | Criminal Justice Capstone * | 3 |
| EH 105 | College Writing * | 3 |
| HE 111 | The Husson Experience *** | 1 |
| MS 132 | Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| PY 111 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Fine Arts Elective | 3 | |
| Foreign Culture and Conversation Elective | 3 | |
| Historical Elective | 3 | |
| Humanities Elective | 3 | |
| Lab Science Elective (Must also qualify as a sustainability elective) | 3 | |
| Literature Elective | 3 | |
| Math I Elective | 4 | |
| Perspectives Electives | 6 | |
| Philosophical Elective | 3 | |
| Professional Courses | ||
| CJ 101 | Intro to Justice & Pub Safety * | 3 |
| CJ 215 | Police Operations * | 3 |
| CJ 221 | Criminalistics | 3 |
| CJ 225 | Criminal Procedure * | 3 |
| CJ 235 | Criminology * | 3 |
| CJ 309 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
| CJ 310 | Mod Penology and Corrections | 3 |
| CJ 315 | Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| CJ 330 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJ 337 | Interviewing and Interrogation | 3 |
| CJ 341 | Investigations | 3 |
| CJ 400 | Evidence | 3 |
| CJ 435 | Management & Criminal Justice | 3 |
| PL 200 | Criminal Law * | 3 |
| Experiential Elective/ MCJA | 3 | |
| Open Electives/ MCJA | 9 | |
| BA/CJ/PL/PY Electives | 21 | |
| Total Hours | 122 | |
Suggested Course Sequence
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CJ 101* | 3 | CJ 225* | 3 |
| EH 105* | 3 | PY 111 | 3 |
| HE 111*** | 1 | Lab Science Elective (Must also qualify as a sustainability elective) | 3 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 | Perspectives Elective | 3 |
| Philosophical Elective | 3 | Perspectives Elective | 3 |
| Math I Elective | 4 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CJ 215* | 3 | CJ 221 | 3 |
| MS 132 | 3 | CJ 235* | 3 |
| PL 200* | 3 | CJ 400 | 3 |
| Literature Elective | 3 | Foreign Culture & Conversation Elective | 3 |
| BA/CJ/PL/PY Elective | 3 | BA/CJ/PL/PY Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CJ 309 | 3 | CJ 315 | 3 |
| CJ 310 | 3 | CJ 337 (/MCJA) | 3 |
| CJ 341 (/MCJA) | 3 | CJ 435 | 3 |
| BA/CJ/PL/PY Elective | 3 | Fine Arts Elective | 3 |
| BA/CJ/PL/PY Elective | 3 | BA/CJ/PL/PY Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CJ 330 (MCJA) | 3 | CJ 411 | 3 |
| CJ 445* | 3 | Historical Elective | 3 |
| Experiential/M.C.J.A. | 3 | BA/CJ/PL/PY Elective | 3 |
| BA/CJ/PL/PY Elective | 3 | Open Elective/M.C.J.A. | 3 |
| Open Elective/M.C.J.A. | 3 | Open Elective/M.C.J.A. | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours: 122 | |||
| * | "C" or better required in all courses marked |
| *** | Credit may not be required for degree completion. |