This course will provide each student with an opportunity to reflect on their decision to return to college. Emphasis will be on preparations for their return to college and their development of a learning plan. Students will focus on time management, organizational skills, and practical writing for criminal justice practitioners. Extensive time will be devoted to writing fundamentals, such as mechanics, sentence structure, academic and professional prose and APA style.

Information today grows exponentially. This course teaches students to identify information needs in their profession, know and access criminal justice data bases, discern legitimate information, manage the data, and present information in an articulate, professional manner. Students will effectively integrate sources in academic writings using APA style.

Given the dynamic complexity of organizations, it is vital that professionals have an understanding of how organizations and systems interact. This course provides the skills to diagnose interactions and engage in finding solutions to problems. Systems thinking serves as one of the threads of continuity running throughout this degree program.

This course will develop the understanding and working knowledge of constitutional law that professionals in this field are expected to have. Students will review constitutional history and basic concepts to understand interpretations of the Constitution by the United States Supreme Court impacting criminal justice, and learn practical research strategies to find law.

While multiculturalism is a popular term in today's society, diversity issues play a particularly important role in criminal justice. This course provides an understanding of diversity from theoretical, organizational, and personal perspectives to impact the effectiveness of those employed in criminal justice and mitigate the risk of legal liability and public perception issues that negatively impact this profession.

Students examine the issues of accountability in government and business regarding human rights and ethics through readings, discussion and debates. Exploring both ethical theory and personal values, students develop a system for making ethical decisions in their personal and professional lives. This course also explores the emotional and physical risks associated with their work and helps develop strategies that will nurture maintaining physical and emotional health.

This course explores theories and research of criminal behavior. Students will examine how past and present understanding of criminals has determined responses of society and the criminal justice system.

This course explores why and how governments have always treated children differently than adults. Theories of delinquency and the corresponding responses by society through the criminal justice system are addressed, as are current data, trends and programs. Students will also explore the challenges facing juvenile corrections in a society that continues to change in demographics, norms, and expectations of criminal justice.

Current criminal justice related events occurring nationally and locally will provide the scenarios for students to apply the knowledge acquired during this degree program in a thoughtful and scholarly manner. Students will draw upon their understanding of systems thinking, constitutional law, religion, modern trends, ethics, and individual and community behavior.

This final course is designed to help learners reflect on all they have done during this degree program. Students will synthesize all they have learned. Preparation of a professional and educational portfolio or e-folio will cap the learning experience. Students will participate in group activities to provide closure to the program.