The 30-credit Criminal Justice curriculum requires degree candidates to take four required core courses; you have the option to select the remaining six courses if they do not choose a concentration.
Concentrations are offered in Behavior Analysis, Behavior Management, Federal Law Enforcement, Homeland Security, and Intelligence and Crime Analysis. This arrangement allows you to create a unique plan of graduate study that is compatible with your interests and career objectives in the field of Criminal Justice. You can select the general concentration, which allows you to cater your studies to your criminal justice career goals.
General Track: Complete the four core courses and six electives. Electives may be chosen from any of our online course offerings, excluding Behavioral Analysis courses.
Behavior Analysis: Complete the four core courses and six concentration courses, in sequence. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) has approved courses ABA 622 through ABA 657 as meeting the 4th Edition Task List’s coursework requirement for taking the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Examination. Applicants will have to meet additional internship requirements independent of the online program to qualify.
Behavioral Management: Complete the four core courses, four specialized courses, and two electives. Electives may be chosen from any of our online Criminal Justice courses, excluding Behavioral Analysis courses.
Federal Law Enforcement: Complete the four core courses, two required concentration courses, two specialized courses, and two electives. Electives may be chosen from any of our online course offerings, excluding Behavior Analysis courses.
Homeland Security: Complete the four core courses, four specialized courses, plus two additional electives from any of our online course offerings, excluding Behavior Analysis courses.
Intelligence and Crime Analysis: Complete the four core courses, two required concentration courses, two specialized courses, and two electives. Electives may be chosen from any of our online course offerings, excluding Behavior Analysis courses.
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Core Courses (Required)
CRJ 550 Research Methods and Analysis
3 credits. The functions of concepts, hypotheses, and theories for an empirical discipline; the operationalization of theoretical variables; the principles of research design; and the problems of inference. The association between criminological theories and research methods used to study crime is explored through the utilization of a variety of related data sources. Also covered are basic quantitative techniques, relevant statistics, data interpretation, and an overview of SPSS.
CRJ 560 Criminological Theory
3 credits. A systemic and critical analysis of the major theories of criminality, including an examination of both traditional and contemporary theories. Consideration will be given to conceptualizations of crime, the relationship of criminological theories to crime on the streets, and specific aspects of criminal behavior.
CRJ 565 Ethics and Criminal Justice
3 credits. This course will address ethical issues in the criminal justice system at both the theoretical and applied levels. Typical theoretical issues addressed might include the following: the relationship between law and morality; theories of punishment; notions of procedural justice. Typical applied ethics issues might include the following: search and seizure rules; the insanity defense and the “guilty but mentally ill” verdict; plea bargaining; capital punishment; civil disobedience; limits on the use of deadly force.
CRJ 570 Professional Writing for Law Enforcement
3 credits. The course is designed to develop the cognitive and technical skills of effective writing for law enforcement. Primary emphasis will be given to the "craft of writing,” thus, learning the techniques and skills of effective communication in the law enforcement workplace. Class assignments will enhance students' use of computer technology in the writing process. These tools are then applied to a variety of topics, including correspondence, memos, investigative reports, and presentations.
Electives (Requirements vary by concentration)
CRJ 607 Multiculturalism and Diversity in Criminal Justice
3 credits. The purpose of this course is to present a conceptual framework to provide understanding of the special conditions of minorities in the context of the criminal justice system and encourage the development of culturally and gender specific compatible skills and practical approaches to more adequately meet the challenges presented by working with minority population concerns, problems and needs.
CRJ 615 Youth Cultures and Deviance
3 credits. This course explores economic, cultural, political, and social perspectives on American youth based on sociological theory. Special attention will be paid to youth popular culture and the unique social problems facing young adults, such as gangs, drugs, suicide, and teen pregnancy.
CRJ 616 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency: Issues and Responses
3 credits. This course provides a contemporary overview of theoretical and programmatic issues and concerns in juvenile delinquency and the juvenile justice system, including a review of recent research. The course also focuses on a critical review of the trends in problem solving and delivery of services to this population.
CRJ 617 Mental Health and the Law
3 credits. The purpose of this course is to acquaint criminal justice professionals with the mental health field and to serve as a primer for understanding mental health and mental health professionals. In addition, particular areas of interplay between mental health and criminal justice will be emphasized to provide a historical and up-to-date factual background.
CRJ 618 Therapeutic Strategies in Criminal Justice
3 credits. An examination of the application of basic counseling principles to varied criminal justice settings, from adult correctional institutions to post-release situations. Special emphasis is given to innovative methods and programs.
CRJ 619 Foundations of Addiction
3 credits. This course provides an understanding of substance abuse problems and addiction in American society as well as its human and social consequences. It is designed to provide a framework for exploring the effects of these problems on the many aspects of American culture including the individual, families, the criminal justice system, the healthcare system, and the workplace. Course content will also include a critical analysis of current and past treatment interventions.
CRJ 633 Federal Criminal Justice
3 credits. This course will examine the criminal justice at the federal level. The main areas are the role of each branch of government; how agencies are funded; the major investigation, prosecution, probation, and correction elements; and individual investigative agencies including Inspector General. The course will cover the mission of and interrelationships among individual agencies.
CRJ 634 Federal Criminal Law and Prosecution
3 credits. This covers federal criminal law and its enforcement. Major areas include an overview of federal crimes, elements of the United States Code, origin, and scope of federal criminal law, and the role of federal agents in the support of prosecutions. Specific topics include mail and wire fraud, the Hobbs Act, organizational crime, drug enforcement, money laundering, criminal civil rights violations and remedies, federal versus state prosecution, sentencing guidelines, and asset forfeiture.
CRJ 635 White Collar Crime
3 credits. The course provides an understanding of the accounting and financial bases of embezzlement, fraud, corruption, and misapplication of funds. Legislation and regulation in government and business are examined. Consumer protection and corporate responsibility are discussed.
CRJ 640 Terrorism: Threats and Strategy
3 credits. This course is designed to give the student an understanding of the concepts of terrorism, both domestic and international. Lecturer will address the causes and effects of terrorism as they relate to political structures from both religious and historical perspectives; noting its impact on the world today.
CRJ 637 Forensic Financial Analysis
3 credits. This course covers the detection of illegal financial transactions. Major topics include money laundering, fraud, embezzlement, and illicit accounting practices. Students will learn data gathering and analysis techniques for financial transactions, records, legitimate businesses, illegal organizations, and individuals. The course will include preparation for trial. Prerequisite: a basic course in accounting or permission of the instructor.
CRJ 641 Homeland Security
3 credits. This course focuses on the consolidation of responsibilities and functions across agencies at various jurisdictional levels that have the charge of mitigating hostilities, threats, hazards, and consequences. This course is designed to develop analytical skills that will prepare students to identify, evaluate and resolve complex policy issues and initiate practical actions. Though the range of relevant issues extends from local matters to national security, this course will concentrate on preparedness strategies for state, urban and local areas.
CRJ 642 Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis
3 credits. This course pursues the deliberative and cognitive activities and methodologies that surround the production of intelligence information, in support of decision-making at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels of law enforcement. Also examined are the structure and supervision of the intelligence analysis unit at various levels of law enforcement, and the role of the analyst.
CRJ 643 Law Enforcement Intelligence: Policy and Process
3 credits. This course provides insights into the contemporary functions of law enforcement strategic, tactical, and operational intelligence and its influence upon crime prevention policy. The discussion will include the intelligence process in the context of intelligence unit structure and supervision, operating procedures, and resources. The course will examine how law enforcement intelligence relates to organizational relationships, planning, and decision-making.
CRJ 645 Sociology of Disasters
3 credits. This course is designed to provide the graduate student advanced knowledge and understanding of the sociological issues and concerns related to both man-made and natural disasters. The purpose is to present the current research pertaining to community resilience and the effects on individuals who witness, become victimized, or are otherwise affected by disasters. Each student will be expected to increase their capacity
CRJ 646 Risk Assessment
3 credits. This course is designed to provide the graduate student advanced knowledge and understanding in the area of risk assessment and management. The focus is on the recognition of real and perceived threats, sharing information between communities and agencies, the collaboration of resources, and the management of risk. Students will examine the concepts of risk assessment, risk analysis, and the impacts of actual and suspected threats.
CRJ 656 The Criminal Justice System
3 credits. Provides a foundation and overview of the criminal justice system and process. The major components are discussed including crime, law, criminology, law enforcement, adjudication by the courts, corrections, juvenile justice, current issues, and policies. This course is designed for students with only limited prior study in American criminal justice and little or no professional Criminal Justice experience in the United States.
Behavior Analysis Specialized Courses (Required)
ABA 622 Basic Principles of Behavior Analysis
3 credits. This is an introductory course on basic principles of behavior. This course will cover principles of learning and behavior from relatively simple animal studies to more complex issues such as the acquisition of human language. Examples of topics reviewed in depth include reinforcement, punishment, differential reinforcement, shaping, chaining and stimulus control. We will follow the structure of Malott’s text to explore theoretical, experimental, and applied concepts. This course also provides an introduction to APA style of professional writing and identification of components of single-subject research articles. [CRJ 622 is an equivalent course to ABA 622.]
ABA 623 Applied Behavior Analysis
3 credits. This course builds upon the basic principles introduced in ABA 622 and places emphasis on the applied practitioner working in any organization. Students will demonstrate knowledge of applied concepts through data collection practice, summarizing relevant behavioral literature, and through a functional assessment practice before developing a behavior intervention plan.
ABA 624 Behavior Analysis and Consultation
3 credits. Behavioral consultation has become a major approach to service delivery of psycho-educational services to children and adolescents. This course focuses on behavioral consultation across residential, school, and community settings. The topics covered are best practices in behavioral consultation, the verbal behavior of the consultant and the consultee, building a consulting relationship, problem identification interviewing, direct observation methodology, problem analysis interviewing, skills and functional behavioral assessment methodology, functional analysis, standardized behavioral assessment, positive behavioral support and developing a competing behaviors model, treatment plan design and implementation, and treatment evaluation using single subject designs and graphical analysis of the data. [CRJ 624 is an equivalent course to ABA 624.]
ABA 625 Behavioral Development
3 credits. This course focuses on the role of basic principles in behavior analysis and human development. The role of these principles in both typical development and in developmental problems such as language delays, motor developmental delays, conduct and oppositional defiant disorder, childhood depression and autism are explored. The course reviews field applications including observations, functional behavioral assessment, curriculum-based measures and intervention strategies that involve both the school and the family. [CRJ 625 is an equivalent course to ABA 625.]
ABA 626 Clinical Behavior Analysis
3 credits. This course observes behavior analysis as it enters into the child clinical, adult clinical, supervisory level and organizational behavior. The primary goal of the course is to provide an overview and skills for behavior analysts working in a clinical setting addressing problems such as anxiety, depression, and addictions, as well as organizational and system level change. [CRJ 626 is an equivalent course to ABA 626.]
ABA 657 Ethics in Behavior Analysis
3 credits. This course focuses on the ethical application of behavior analytic services using the Behavior Analyst Certification Board Professional and Ethical Compliance Code as a guide, as well as relevant literature on the topic of ethical behavior in the field. “Context” is provided to the code by highlighting principles of behavior and potential applications of these principles that raise ethical issues. Case studies, drawn from personal experience, will examine issues practicing behavior analysts encounter on the job. At the course conclusion, students will present a case study drawn from their own personal or professional experience, or based on an interview with a board certified behavior analyst. [CRJ 657 is an equivalent course to ABA 657.]
Behavior Management Specialized Courses (Choose 4)
CRJ 615 Youth Cultures and Deviance
3 credits. This course explores economic, cultural, political, and social perspectives on American youth based on sociological theory. Special attention will be paid to youth popular culture and the unique social problems facing young adults, such as gangs, drugs, suicide, and teen pregnancy.
CRJ 616 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency: Issues and Responses
3 credits. This course provides a contemporary overview of theoretical and programmatic issues and concerns in juvenile delinquency and the juvenile justice system, including a review of recent research. The course also focuses on a critical review of the trends in problem solving and delivery of services to this population.
CRJ 617 Mental Health and the Law
3 credits. The purpose of this course is to acquaint criminal justice professionals with the mental health field and to serve as a primer for understanding mental health and mental health professionals. In addition, particular areas of interplay between mental health and criminal justice will be emphasized to provide a historical and up-to-date factual background.
CRJ 618 Therapeutic Strategies in Criminal Justice
3 credits. An examination of the application of basic counseling principles to varied criminal justice settings, from adult correctional institutions to post-release situations. Special emphasis is given to innovative methods and programs.
CRJ 619 Foundations of Addiction
3 credits. This course provides an understanding of substance abuse problems and addiction in American society as well as its human and social consequences. It is designed to provide a framework for exploring the effects of these problems on the many aspects of American culture including the individual, families, the criminal justice system, the healthcare system, and the workplace. Course content will also include a critical analysis of current and past treatment interventions.
Federal Law Enforcement Concentration Courses (Required)
CRJ 633 Federal Criminal Justice
3 credits. This course will examine the criminal justice at the federal level. The main areas are the role of each branch of government; how agencies are funded; the major investigation, prosecution, probation, and correction elements; and individual investigative agencies including Inspector General. The course will cover the mission of and interrelationships among individual agencies.
CRJ 634 Federal Criminal Law and Prosecution
3 credits. This covers federal criminal law and its enforcement. Major areas include an overview of federal crimes, elements of the United States Code, origin, and scope of federal criminal law, and the role of federal agents in the support of prosecutions. Specific topics include mail and wire fraud, the Hobbs Act, organizational crime, drug enforcement, money laundering, criminal civil rights violations and remedies, federal versus state prosecution, sentencing guidelines, and asset forfeiture.
Federal Law Enforcement Specialized Courses (Choose 2)
CRJ 635 White Collar Crime
3 credits. The course provides an understanding of the accounting and financial bases of embezzlement, fraud, corruption, and misapplication of funds. Legislation and regulation in government and business are examined. Consumer protection and corporate responsibility are discussed.
CRJ 637 Forensic Financial Analysis
3 credits. This course covers the detection of illegal financial transactions. Major topics include money laundering, fraud, embezzlement, and illicit accounting practices. Students will learn data gathering and analysis techniques for financial transactions, records, legitimate businesses, illegal organizations, and individuals. The course will include preparation for trial. Prerequisite: a basic course in accounting or permission of the instructor.
CRJ 641 Homeland Security
3 credits. This course focuses on the consolidation of responsibilities and functions across agencies at various jurisdictional levels that have the charge of mitigating hostilities, threats, hazards, and consequences. This course is designed to develop analytical skills that will prepare students to identify, evaluate and resolve complex policy issues and initiate practical actions. Though the range of relevant issues extends from local matters to national security, this course will concentrate on preparedness strategies for state, urban and local areas.
CRJ 640 Terrorism: Threats and Strategy
3 credits. This course is designed to give the student an understanding of the concepts of terrorism, both domestic and international. Lecturer will address the causes and effects of terrorism as they relate to political structures from both religious and historical perspectives; noting its impact on the world today.
Homeland Security Specialized Courses (Required)
CRJ 640 Terrorism: Threats and Strategy
3 credits. This course is designed to give the student an understanding of the concepts of terrorism, both domestic and international. Lecturer will address the causes and effects of terrorism as they relate to political structures from both religious and historical perspectives; noting its impact on the world today.
CRJ 641 Homeland Security
3 credits. This course focuses on the consolidation of responsibilities and functions across agencies at various jurisdictional levels that have the charge of mitigating hostilities, threats, hazards, and consequences. This course is designed to develop analytical skills that will prepare students to identify, evaluate and resolve complex policy issues and initiate practical actions. Though the range of relevant issues extends from local matters to national security, this course will concentrate on preparedness strategies for state, urban and local areas.
CRJ 645 Sociology of Disasters
3 credits. This course is designed to provide the graduate student advanced knowledge and understanding of the sociological issues and concerns related to both man-made and natural disasters. The purpose is to present the current research pertaining to community resilience and the effects on individuals who witness, become victimized, or are otherwise affected by disasters. Each student will be expected to increase their capacity
CRJ 646 Risk Assessment
3 credits. This course is designed to provide the graduate student advanced knowledge and understanding in the area of risk assessment and management. The focus is on the recognition of real and perceived threats, sharing information between communities and agencies, the collaboration of resources, and the management of risk. Students will examine the concepts of risk assessment, risk analysis, and the impacts of actual and suspected threats.
Intelligence & Crime Analysis Concentration Courses (Required)
CRJ 642 Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis
3 credits. This course pursues the deliberative and cognitive activities and methodologies that surround the production of intelligence information, in support of decision-making at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels of law enforcement. Also examined are the structure and supervision of the intelligence analysis unit at various levels of law enforcement, and the role of the analyst.
CRJ 643 Law Enforcement Intelligence: Policy and Process
3 credits. This course provides insights into the contemporary functions of law enforcement strategic, tactical, and operational intelligence and its influence upon crime prevention policy. The discussion will include the intelligence process in the context of intelligence unit structure and supervision, operating procedures, and resources. The course will examine how law enforcement intelligence relates to organizational relationships, planning, and decision-making.
Intelligence & Crime Analysis Specialized Courses (Choose 2)
CRJ 635 White Collar Crime
3 credits. The course provides an understanding of the accounting and financial bases of embezzlement, fraud, corruption, and misapplication of funds. Legislation and regulation in government and business are examined. Consumer protection and corporate responsibility are discussed.
CRJ 637 Forensic Financial Analysis
3 credits. This course covers the detection of illegal financial transactions. Major topics include money laundering, fraud, embezzlement, and illicit accounting practices. Students will learn data gathering and analysis techniques for financial transactions, records, legitimate businesses, illegal organizations, and individuals. The course will include preparation for trial. Prerequisite: a basic course in accounting or permission of the instructor.
CRJ 640 Terrorism: Threats and Strategy
3 credits. This course is designed to give the student an understanding of the concepts of terrorism, both domestic and international. Lecturer will address the causes and effects of terrorism as they relate to political structures from both religious and historical perspectives; noting its impact on the world today.
CRJ 641 Homeland Security
3 credits. This course focuses on the consolidation of responsibilities and functions across agencies at various jurisdictional levels that have the charge of mitigating hostilities, threats, hazards, and consequences. This course is designed to develop analytical skills that will prepare students to identify, evaluate and resolve complex policy issues and initiate practical actions. Though the range of relevant issues extends from local matters to national security, this course will concentrate on preparedness strategies for state, urban and local areas.
NOTE: Courses are in alpha-numeric order, not necessarily the order in which they are taken, and are subject to change. Please speak with an Program Manager for a course map.
To learn more about the online Master of Science in Criminal Justice curriculum from Saint Joseph’s University, call (866) 758-7670 to speak with a Program Manager right away or request more information below.
