Criminal Justice BA

This course provides an overview and critical examination of constitutional law as it relates to criminal justice issues. A historical overview of the U.S. Constitution is covered along with how the Constitution works in the legal system including the role of the Supreme Court and constitutional interpretation. The First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments are emphasized. Current developments in constitutional law will be reviewed. The course also examines how the Constitution protects the rights of those charged as well as the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Full course description for Constitutional Law

Corrections is a primary component of the American criminal justice system. This course is designed to introduce students to the profession and academic discipline of corrections. Course work exposes students to the philosophy and procedures of punishment; the various components within the correctional community such as confinement, probation and parole, and community corrections. The course also addresses issues relating to prisoners, such as prisoners' rights and prison life and other issues relating to the American correctional system, such as capital punishment, rehabilitation, juvenile justice, and financial penalties.

Full course description for Corrections and Community Corrections

This course is designed to expand students' understanding of the roles of criminal court at the federal, state, and local levels. As the intermediate step between law enforcement and corrections, courts are an integral part of the criminal justice system. The course will explore the power and limitations of the judicial branch of government with regard to its role in the criminal justice system, as well as learn about the roles of various court professionals and develop a detailed understanding of the court process.

Full course description for The Criminal Court System

This course asks, critically, what are police for? It provides an introduction to American policing focused on the philosophy and controversial history of the profession, (Constitutional) limitations imposed on law enforcement in a democratic society, and the role and place of police in the total criminal justice process. The course critically dissects police culture and provides a survey of critical issues confronting peace officer professionals, including police selection, training, and socialization; police corruption and misconduct; and officer safety and wellness.

Full course description for Policing and Society

This course introduces the scientific research process and the data sources and methods used in criminology and criminal justice. It trains future professionals in policing, courts, and corrections to be critical consumers of data, statistics, and research with the goal of achieving "research literacy" - the ability to access, interpret, and evaluate empirical information and apply it to policy and practice decisions. Students explore research design, including the selection and specification of a research problem, and qualitative and quantitative methods. They also learn how to identify quality research for their work within the criminal justice system and how to judge if something is "evidence-based" or not.

Full course description for Research Methods in Criminal Justice

This course focuses on theories, concepts, narratives, and myths of crime and delinquent behavior. Contemporary issues and controversies within the criminal justice field are explored in social, political, and economic contexts. Special emphasis is placed on the roles of race, class, gender, and culture in relation to the etiology, prevention, control, and treatment of crime and delinquency. This course is committed to general theoretical debate, examination of the interrelation between criminological theory and research, and empirical analyses of policy and practice.

Full course description for Criminology and Public Policy

This course provides an in-depth examination of the opportunities and challenges of delivering criminal and juvenile justice services in a multicultural society. The course provides students with a knowledge of the diversity that exists in communities, as well as criminal and juvenile justice agencies. It provides both theoretical and practical information to respond effectively to diversity issues. Examples of community issues include conflict resolution, crime prevention, victimization, and strategies to improve community relationships. Significant focus is given to issues of race, racism, and systemic racism.

Full course description for Diversity in Criminal Justice

Examines a range of moral dilemmas criminal justice practitioners are likely to face in their careers. Using both moral theory and detailed case examples, students learn to apply moral principles and concepts to a given situation, recognize the relevance of moral principles and concepts, and apply their individual moral philosophy and ethical principles to resolve these situations in a satisfactory manner. This course meets corresponding learning objectives of the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training.

Full course description for Ethics and Professionalism in Criminal Justice

The purpose of this course is to educate and encourage the development of globally competent and active citizens and leaders who will be able to contribute to improving social issues. The course is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be engaged, responsible, and effective members of a globally interdependent society. Students will reflect on their role as an active citizen in a democracy while exploring how social, racial, political, geographical, and other factors influence current and future challenges a community needs to address. This course will have a community engaged learning component.

Full course description for Citizenship: Community Involvement

This course is designed to allow students to develop a working understanding and knowledge of Restorative Justice. Restorative Justice looks at the concept of justice through nontraditional and alternative viewpoints. Rather than focus on "what is the crime, who did the crime and what should the punishment be," Restorative Justice focuses on "who has been harmed, what was the harm and who is responsible to repair the harm." Students will examine Restorative Justice from historical, sociological, criminological and psychological perspectives. Throughout the course, a wide range of specific "restorative practices" will be studied, reviewed and analyzed. Some of the concepts the course will explore are trauma and healing, conflict transformation, issues related to juvenile justice, and alternative processes such as Victim-Offender Dialogue and the Circle Process. This course will have a community engaged learning component.

Full course description for Restorative Justice

With an emphasis on experiential learning, the capstone course allows students to combine an internship experience in a criminal justice setting with academic work to support career pathways, synthesize undergraduate experiences, and develop deeper understanding of criminal justice issues. During the semester, students must complete at least 160 hours of service at an internship field site. Note: With support from their academic advisors, students are responsible for securing their own internship opportunities and must do so one month prior to registering for CJS-489.

Full course description for Criminal Justice Capstone Internship

Using both a theoretical and practical framework, this experience is designed to help students integrate and synthesize their undergraduate experiences. An applied project demonstrates discipline mastery of a subject and serves as a vehicle for future work and study in the criminal justice field. Note: This course should be taken the semester the student graduates.

Full course description for Criminal Justice Capstone Research

This course will introduce students to the history, practice and theory of Evidence-based Practice in the field of corrections/criminal justice. Students will explore the principles of effective intervention through highly interactive activities and discussion. Students will discuss and identify personal goals to enhance professional effectiveness.

Full course description for Core Concepts: Evidence-Based Practices in Corrections 1

This course focuses on the applications of risk/needs assessment tools that are the foundation on which a case plan is created with the justice involved client. The students will be familiarized with the research and history from which the tools have been derived.

Full course description for Risk-Need-Responsivity: Evidence-Based Practices in Corrections 2

The goal in corrections is to reduce risk of reoffending and help clients change their thinking and behavior. This course utilizes strategies within a case planning process by addressing criminogenic needs that most effectively protect the public and effect change in the client's criminal behavior. This will teach you a process for creating initial case plans in partnership with clients, as well as a process for ongoing case plan development.

Full course description for Case Planning: Evidence-Based Practices in Corrections 3

This course introduces students to basic counseling skills to be used with clients dealing with a variety of issues including family challenges and substance use disorders. As such, it is designed to help students develop essential helping skills needed for client engagement, follow-through, completion and overall therapeutic effectiveness. It includes examination and practice Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing, techniques central to helping others across a range of issues including substance use disorders. Specific skills covered include developing rapport, building empathy and active listening, encouraging trust, self-disclosure, immediacy, questioning and evoking, addressing discrepancies, etc. This course is highly experiential in its format. Students will participate in classroom exercises, role plays, and video-taping and self-assessment of counseling skills.

Full course description for Counseling and Interviewing Skills

This course is an interdisciplinary study of psychology in the criminal justice system. Students will focus on the application of psychological theories (e.g., developmental, neuropsychological, and social learning approaches) to criminal behavior, as well as the influence of psychological principles on law enforcement, court processes and corrections. Some topics may include forensic psychology, race and policing, wrongful convictions, jury decision making and effective interventions in corrections.

Full course description for Psychology and the Criminal Justice System

This course presents an overview of white collar crime. Students explore theories of white collar crime and corporate criminal liability. The investigation, prosecution and sentencing of white-collar offenders are examined. "Crime in the suites" is compared to "crime in the streets." Issues related to diversity are explored.

Full course description for White Collar Crime

Students will learn about criminal investigations and critical techniques to enhance solving cases. Student will learn how to identify the different types of violent crimes, and how to systematically investigate each type of violent crime. Students will learn how to develop a criminal profile, and gain insights to what motivates criminal behavior.

Full course description for Violent Crime Investigation

This course is intended to develop the student's skills and knowledge in the field of crime analysis. Students will become familiar with the variety of tasks and issues encountered within the public and private sectors by a crime analyst. Students will also participate in group activities to build knowledge and skills associated with the different functions of a crime analyst.

Full course description for Crime Analysis

This course examines the growth of technology in modern society and how the use of that technology is affecting law enforcement practices in the United States. The course further examines the types of technology, its impact on policing practices, and the impact on the use of technology on civil rights including the public perception of the violation of individual privacy.

Full course description for Technology and Modern Policing

This course will provide the student with a general overview and a better understanding of the wide range of disciplines found within the forensic sciences. Fundamental topics such as forensic anthropology, forensic entomology, forensic pathology, and forensic accounting will be discussed. In addition 'traditionally' recognized topics in forensic science such as DNA, Trace Evidence, Impression Evidence, Drugs, and Questioned Documents will be covered. The course instructor will utilize multi-media in a lecture format, utilizing case-studies, video supplements and expert guest speakers.

Full course description for Exploring Forensic Science

This course examines the causes, effects, treatment, and prevention of all types of violence against women and children. Topics to be covered include, but are not limited to, domestic violence; rape and sexual assault; lethality, family dynamics and response to familial violence; incest; sexual harassment; physical child abuse and sexual exploitation; infanticide; female genital mutilation; paraphilias; trafficking; vulnerable victims; trauma and cumulative trauma; limitations; sentencing and collateral consequences; indeterminate civil commitment; predatory offender registration; and sexual slavery, manipulation, and extortion.

Full course description for Sexual Violence and Child Exploitation

This course examines the nature and extent of gangs in America. It addresses the history of gangs, why young people join them and strategies to mitigate risk associated with participation as well as associated crime. It considers variations among street gangs, and contrasts these with other groups, including security threat groups in prison and organized crime. Attention is focused on individual risks associated with gang membership, group pro dynamics, and macro-level impact of gangs and gang behaviors on individuals and communities. The role of the community and the criminal justice system in gang prevention, intervention, and suppression is also considered.

Full course description for Gangs

This course offers a global perspective on homicide with cross-cultural and international comparisons. Students analyze trends in homicide offending and victimization and predictors of lethal violence. Special emphasis is given to the profiles and motivations of serial killers and mass murderers. Homicide clearance rates, investigative techniques that enhance the probability of offender identification, gun control, and the deterrent effect of capital punishment, among others, are topics examined in this course.

Full course description for Homicide Studies

This course explores the emergence and manifestation of terror and terrorism from a range of historical, political, sociological and cultural perspectives. It further explores the interpretation of, and response to, contemporary manifestations of terror and terrorism, global and domestic. Emphasizing the diverse and contested nature of terror as both concept and practice, a number of case studies are highlighted to explore the complex connections between order, power, authority, security, and terror. The organizational forms and objectives of terrorist organizations, and the range of strategies available in response to the demands and challenges posed by global terror and a growing variety of domestic terrorist groups and individuals are also considered.

Full course description for Terrorism and Counterterrorism

Students will explore the nature and extent of the violence problem in the United States using a tripartite approach, which incorporates patterns, explanations, and interventions. The course will cover the history and epidemiology of violence; roots of violence, including biological, psychological, and sociological causes; specific types of violence; media portrayals of violence; the physical, emotional, social, economic, and political consequences of violence; and ways to control and prevent violence in our communities, including criminal justice and public health approaches.

Full course description for Violence in America

This course examines causes and underlying factors that account for violence in American Society. Students examine the extent, causes and challenges of violence in today's society. For those students who work in the human services field, this course prepares them to identify and critique methods and strategies for addressing violence. It may be taken alone or as the first of three core courses required for the community violence prevention minor. Prerequisite: Courses in psychology or sociology.

Full course description for Violence: Origins and Explanations

This course addresses how violence is responded to at various levels. It examines the role and development of personal skills and involvement in addressing violence, community intervention resources, systems responses such as punishment and rehabilitation in violence prevention, social change movement responses to violence, and international violence and the growth of human rights movements.

Full course description for Violence: Individual, Community and Global Responses

This course provides students with international perspectives on criminal justice. Through a comprehensive review of cross-national research data, students examine the features, successes and failures of various distinct criminal justice systems around the globe and use that information to evaluate the American criminal justice system. By exploring justice institutions in other parts of the world, students learn that criminal justice systems are shaped by the values, norms, customs or standards of behavior characteristic of the society in which they are found.

Full course description for Comparative Criminal Justice

The purpose of this course is to educate and encourage the development of globally competent and active citizens and leaders who will be able to contribute to improving social issues. The course is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be engaged, responsible, and effective members of a globally interdependent society. Students will reflect on their role as an active citizen in a democracy while exploring how social, racial, political, geographical, and other factors influence current and future challenges a community needs to address. This course will have a community engaged learning component.

Full course description for Citizenship: Community Involvement

This course provides an overview of the American criminal justice system with an emphasis on the roles and duties of police, courts, and corrections. Students examine current and future issues of the system such as due process, administration of justice, ethics, community policing, technology, and rehabilitation efforts. The course illustrates the criminal justice process from the initial violation of the criminal law, to the punishment and release of convicted persons, including juveniles.

Full course description for Community Building for Criminal Justice

Students in this course explore the roles and responsibilities that the electronic, print, and social media have in reporting crime and criminal justice news. Students identify and analyze the nature of media relationships with various criminal justice agencies.

Full course description for Media in Criminal Justice: Fake News and High Drama

This course reviews best practices to address issues facing the police in the 21st Century with an emphasis on diversity and community oriented policing. This course also serves to fulfill some of the state of Minnesota's learning objectives to be a police officer in Minnesota.

Full course description for Best Practices in Police Community Interactions

This course critically examines the (sub)culture of policing (i.e., the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors exhibited by those in law enforcement) and the representation of policing in culture (i.e., the reproduction of media propaganda that is favorable to law enforcement). This course explores complex interactions between police culture and issues relating to racism and police use of force, ethical policing, and officer safety and wellness. This course also introduces the concept of police abolition, a process that requires communities to create alternatives to policing in the event that police culture cannot be reformed.

Full course description for Police Culture

This course surveys social science research and theories of the impact of graphically violent or sexual materials on children and adults using two influential aspects of culture as examples. It stresses research design and systematic interpretation of results, along with intensive behavioral analysis of film and music, and presents clinical techniques for minimizing the negative effects of violent or sexually graphic materials on children.

Full course description for Violence and the Media: Psychological Effects of Film and Popular Music

This course will be comprised of material on three main topics: women as offenders, women as victims of gendered violence, and women working in the criminal justice system. Women's involvement in criminal activity has been ignored by traditional criminological theories/theorists. This course will examine the frequency and nature of women's involvement along with the more modern theories which we can use to understand these phenomena. Students will also learn about the issues surrounding gendered violence including stalking, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Finally, students will learn about the special issues surrounding women's work in the traditionally male-dominated fields of corrections and law enforcement.

Full course description for Women, Crime, and Justice

The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is an opportunity for a small group of students from Metropolitan State University and a group of residents who are in area correctional facilities to exchange ideas and perceptions about crime and justice, the criminal justice system, corrections and imprisonment. It is a chance for all participants to gain a deeper understanding of the criminal justice system through the marriage of theoretical knowledge and practical experience achieved by weekly meetings extended throughout the semester.

Full course description for Inside-Out: Prison Exchange Program

This course is designed to prepare criminal justice and law enforcement students to work with victims and to understand the complexity of victim issues. This course will look at victimization from a sociological, psychological, as well as, legal perspective. Students will be exposed to current research, ethical considerations in victim response, psychological phenomena common to crime victims, legal obligations for victim service providers, and resources available to victims.

Full course description for Victimology

This course is designed to allow students to develop a working understanding and knowledge of Restorative Justice. Restorative Justice looks at the concept of justice through nontraditional and alternative viewpoints. Rather than focus on "what is the crime, who did the crime and what should the punishment be," Restorative Justice focuses on "who has been harmed, what was the harm and who is responsible to repair the harm." Students will examine Restorative Justice from historical, sociological, criminological and psychological perspectives. Throughout the course, a wide range of specific "restorative practices" will be studied, reviewed and analyzed. Some of the concepts the course will explore are trauma and healing, conflict transformation, issues related to juvenile justice, and alternative processes such as Victim-Offender Dialogue and the Circle Process. This course will have a community engaged learning component.

Full course description for Restorative Justice

This course examines both probation and parole and how each field plays an integral part in the criminal justice system. Students are given an historical background of probation, become familiar with present day policies and procedures and are introduced to treatment philosophies and future trends. Throughout the course, students also supervise a mock caseload of probationers and parolees.

Full course description for Probation and Parole

This course presents a juvenile justice system overview, with emphasis on Minnesota Rules of Juvenile Court Procedure. The historical and philosophical development of the juvenile justice system is discussed, along with a comparative analysis of U.S. juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. Students learn about resources available to criminal justice practitioners and addresses the specific needs of juveniles in crisis.

Full course description for Juvenile Justice

This course focuses on justice system responses to victim and offender special populations, including women, children, elderly people, LGBTQ+ people, immigrant populations, and people with physical, developmental, behavioral, and sensory disabilities. This course teaches critical incident stress management for first responders and crisis intervention, de-escalation, and other skills for responding to mental illness and substance use signs.

Full course description for Crisis Response, Mental Illness, and Working with Special Populations

This course explores the past, current and future trends in security management. The basic concepts, tools and practices that comprise security management are examined. Students learn how to identify and minimize risk in a private setting. They also learn the basics of physical security and access control as well as how to identify potential liability in the security field. In addition, this course examines various career opportunities in security management.

Full course description for Introduction to Security Management

This course examines the operation of criminal justice organizations and provides students with a conceptual foundation to explore the workings of the criminal justice system. Emphasis is placed on understanding internal and external influences on the operations of criminal justice agencies including the people, practices and events that shape criminal justice administration.

Full course description for Organization and Administration in Criminal Justice

This course provides an overview of the U.S. Intelligence Community and examines how the community supports foreign policy and homeland security. Students examine the intelligence cycle and the structure, constraints, and oversight of the agencies that comprise the intelligence community. Specific attention is given to collection operations, analysis, and dissemination of finished intelligence products to consumers, with emphasis on how global intelligence is used to protect and police local communities. Also explored is how intelligence products build a common operational picture for national security management at top levels of government and how intelligence analysis supports Homeland Security by assisting federal, state, and local political leaders and law enforcement officials. Students also discuss human intelligence operations, counterintelligence, UAV (drone) operations, interrogation, and detention, and the moral, ethical, and legal framework inside which those disciplines…

Full course description for The U.S. Intelligence Community

This course examines the fundamental principles and practices of emergency management including how it functions within the homeland security enterprise. Mass shootings, acts of terror, infrastructure collapse, and natural disasters all are examples of emergencies examined in this course. This course also explores the human and economic costs of emergencies and the intended and unintended consequences of intervention.

Full course description for Emergency Management for Criminal Justice

The course explores contemporary leadership, motivation, teambuilding, change, and working with difficult people, along with the roles and responsibilities of the first line supervisor within a law enforcement agency.

Full course description for Police Strategies and Management

This course examines current issues confronting law enforcement officers and their agencies relative to the provision of police services to local communities. An example of the issues which are examined include: the role of police in a democratic society; management and policy development in law enforcement agencies; the paradigm shift from professional crime control policing to community oriented policing; police selection, training and socialization; the importance of diversity in policing and its relevance to provision of services to diverse communities; and the psychological and physical challenges associated with policing.

Full course description for Contemporary Issues in Policing

Student-designed independent studies give Metropolitan State students the opportunity to plan their own study. This type of independent learning strategy can be useful because it allows students: to study a subject in more depth, at a more advanced level; to pursue a unique project that requires specialized study; to draw together several knowledge areas or interests into a specialized study; to test independent learning capabilities and skills; or to use special learning resources in the community, taking advantage of community education opportunities which, in themselves, would not yield a full college competence. Students should contact their academic advisor for more information.

Full course description for Criminal Justice Student Designed Independent Studies

Credit for Prior Learning is the method by which students may receive college credit for prior learning obtained through nontraditional means, such as military training/experience, the workplace, or independent study. The course for which credit is being sought must correspond in its content to a course that is currently offered at Metropolitan State University. Competence is demonstrated by passing the final examination of the corresponding course. Students should contact their academic advisor for more information.

Full course description for Criminal Justice Prior Learning

This field practicum involves the student in the day-to-day function of a criminal justice agency. It is designed to provide students with an opportunity to translate the theoretically-oriented classroom experience into practical application.

Full course description for Criminal Justice Practicum

This course provides students an opportunity to study specific issues and concerns in criminal justice and law enforcement. A variety of contemporary and relevant course topics are offered for in-depth analysis based on student interest and demand.

Full course description for Topics in Criminal Justice: