This is a five-year dual degree major in which the student, upon completion of program requirements, is awarded the degrees of B.S. Criminal Justice and B.S. Psychology. This course of study is prompted by homeland security training requirements and the expanding needs of such agencies as the FBI, CIA, and criminal investigation agencies. The latter cite an increasing demand for profilers with investigative and human behavior backgrounds. The B.S. Psychology qualifies a student for State of Maine Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician-Community level certification (MHRT-C).
This unique curriculum provides a strong core of professional courses as well as varied liberal arts offerings leading to Bachelor's degrees in both Criminal Justice and Psychology. The course of study is structured to expose students to core theoretical, clinical and practical topics in complementary disciplines with elective based courses and fieldwork opportunities allowing the individual learner to tailor the program to include unique interests.
The dual degree program also provides the option of attending the Maine Criminal Justice Academy's Pre-Service Training program, allowing the student to earn six college credits and become eligible to work as a part-time law enforcement officer in the State of Maine. 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. Those students in their final year of study may choose instead to attend the Academy's Basic Law Enforcement Training Program to become eligible to work as a full-time law enforcement officer in the State of Maine, while earning fifteen college credits.
During the fourth and fifth years, students are required to complete a practicum experience in Psychology and may choose to complete an internship in a Criminal Justice related setting. Upon completion of the core Psychology coursework, the student is also able to apply for certification as a Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician, Community Level (MHRT-C) in the State of Maine. These opportunities allow the student to meaningfully integrate classroom based learning into a real world application of knowledge. The dual degree student is therefore ideally positioned for entry level positions in both professions as well as post-baccalaureate study at a graduate level.
In order to earn both degrees, students will be expected to fulfill the program objectives for the B.S. Criminal Justice and B.S. Psychology.
The programmatic outcomes for the B.S. Criminal Justice/B.S. Psychology are:
- Students will understand core theories and practices in criminal justice - Administration of Justice; Law Enforcement; Law Adjudication; Corrections; Criminological Theory
- Students will demonstrate critical thinking and professional communication skills.
- Students will apply legal and ethical principles to decision making.
- Students will apply quantitative and qualitative methods and tools to formulate decision alternatives.
- Students will apply critical thinking to diversity issues that arise in Criminal Justice
- Students will demonstrate the ability to work with diverse colleagues in team situations.
- Students will apply theories of human behavior to solve problems
| General Education Courses | ||
| CJ 411 | Crisis Intervention (/MCJA) | 3 |
| CJ 445 | Criminal Justice Capstone | 3 |
| EH 105 | College Writing * | 3 |
| HE 111 | The Husson Experience *** | 1 |
| HY 211 | American National Government | 3 |
| MS 132 | Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| PY 111 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PY 141 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| SY 201 | Principles of Sociology | 3 |
| or SY 222 | Cultural Anthropology | |
| Fine Arts Elective | 3 | |
| Foreign Culture and Conversation Elective | 3 | |
| Humanities Elective * | 3 | |
| Lab Science Elective (Must also qualify as a sustainability elective) | 3 | |
| Literature Elective | 3 | |
| Math I Elective | 4 | |
| Philosophical Elective | 3 | |
| Professional Courses | ||
| BA 311 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| 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 341 | Investigations (/MCJA) | 3 |
| CJ 435 | Management & Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CM 221 | Professional Communications | 3 |
| MH 200 | Community Integration and Inclusion (or Open Elective ) | 3 |
| MH 201 | Policy Knowledge (or Open Elective ) | 3 |
| MH 202 | Mind-Body Connection (or Open Elective ) | 3 |
| MH 203 | Vocational Support (or Open Elective ) | 3 |
| PL 200 | Criminal Law * | 3 |
| PY 113 | Ethics and Professional Conduct (or Psychology Elective ) | 3 |
| PY 231 | Social Psychology * | 3 |
| PY 232 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PY 242 | Research Methods | 3 |
| PY 322 | Cultural Competency (or Psychology Elective) 1 | 3 |
| PY 335 | Behavioral, Psychological, and Rehabilitation Intervention Models (or PY Elective) 1 2 | 3 |
| PY 442 | Seminar in Psychology | 3 |
| PY 447 | Trauma and Resiliency (or Psychology Elective) 1 | 3 |
| PY 491 | Field Placement | 3 |
| Advanced Criminal Justice Electives (5) or Maine Criminal Justice Academy | 15 | |
| Criminal Justice Elective | 3 | |
| Psychology Elective | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 152 | |
Suggested Course Sequence
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CJ 101* | 3 | CJ 225* | 3 |
| EH 105* | 3 | PY 141 | 3 |
| HE 111*** | 1 | SY 201 or 222 | 3 |
| PY 111* | 3 | Humanities Elective * | 3 |
| Math I Elective | 4 | Lab Science Elective (Must also qualify as a sustainability elective) | 3 |
| Philosophical Elective | 3 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CJ 215* | 3 | PL 200* | 3 |
| CJ 309 | 3 | PY 113 (or Psychology Elective ) | 3 |
| MS 132 | 3 | PY 231* | 3 |
| PY 232 | 3 | PY 242 | 3 |
| Literature Elective | 3 | Foreign Culture and Conversation Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CJ 310 | 3 | CJ 221 | 3 |
| CJ 341 (/MCJA) | 3 | CJ 235* | 3 |
| CM 221 | 3 | HY 211 | 3 |
| MH 200 (or Open Elective ) | 3 | MH 201 (or Open Elective ) | 3 |
| Psychology Elective | 3 | PY 322 (or PY Elective) | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CJ 411 | 3 | BA 311 | 3 |
| MH 202 (or Open Elective ) | 3 | CJ 315 | 3 |
| PY 335 (or PY Elective) | 3 | CJ 435 | 3 |
| Fine Arts Elective | 3 | MH 203 (or Open Elective ) | 3 |
| Psychology Elective | 3 | PY 447 (or PY Elective ) | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fifth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CJ 445* | 3 | PY 442 | 3 |
| Psychology Elective | 3 | PY 491 | 3 |
| Advanced Criminal Justice Elective/M.C.J.A. | 3 | Advanced Criminal Justice Elective/M.C.J.A. | 3 |
| Advanced Criminal Justice Elective/M.C.J.A. | 3 | Advanced Criminal Justice Elective/M.C.J.A. | 3 |
| Advanced Criminal Justice Elective/M.C.J.A. | 3 | CJ Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours: 152 | |||
| * | "C" or better in all courses marked |
| *** | Credit may not be required for degree completion. |