Criminal Justice and Criminalistics Student Learning Outcomes

BS Criminal Justice

 

Knowledge
1.To learn the basics of constitutional, substantive, and procedural criminal law.
2.To study the institutions of the criminal justice system and the distinction between formal and informal justice decision-making
3.To learn the differences between the adult and juvenile justice systems
4.To study various means for measuring crime and relationships between victims and offenders
5.To learn sociological, psychological, and behavioral theories of crime causation
6. To learn the fundamentals of forensic science methods
 Skills
1.To acquire the necessary skills to read, digest, interpret and write about criminal justice functions, agencies, and research.
2.To work with qualitative and quantitative research information
3.To critically think and express oneself orally and in writing

MS Criminal Justice
 

The student learning outcomes for the M.S. in Criminal Justice are similar to those identfied in the B.S. in Criminal Justice program, but show more emphasis on theoretical issues that explain crime and justice, mastery of qualitative and quantitative research methods, and demonstration of oral and writing skills.

MS Criminalistics
 

Knowledge
Students acquire advanced, discipline specific knowledge in the chemical and biological sciences. They learn about various forms of scientific evidence, the information that can be derived from each, and the strengths and limitations of the various laboratory techniques used to examine them. Students learn the fundamentals of criminal law, the rules of evidence, chain of custody and the legal basis for the admissibility of scientific evidence in courts of law.
Skills
Critical thinking skills in evaluating evidence and laboratory methods for examining physical evidence.  
Technical skills in manipulating and examining evidence and interpreting the significance of analytical results.