COLLEGE of ARTS and SCIENCES
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Associate Professor Jim Maupin, department head
Professors Mays, Winfree; Associate Professor Bejarano, Bond-Maupin, Maupin; Assistant Professors Crowley, Duran, Greene, Keys, Posadas; Assistant College Professors Akins, DiMatteo
(575) 646-3316 http://crimjust.nmsu.edu
DEGREE: Bachelor of Criminal Justice
MINORS:
- Forensic Science
- Security Technology and Intelligence Studies
- Contemporary Social Studies
The criminal justice degree plan is broadly interdisciplinary in nature embracing the study of the humanities, law, natural, behavioral and social sciences. The curriculum seeks to balance theoretical inquiry with applied knowledge.
Students are prepared for careers in law enforcement, corrections, probation and parole, work with juveniles, and the related fields of forensics, security, and intelligence. Graduates have also been successful in law school and graduate programs in criminal justice. The undergraduate major consists of at least 36 credits in the major field, 21 of which must be numbered 300 or above (excluding C J 393, Internship in Criminal Justice).
The department offers two minors. The first is a minor in Security Technology and Intelligence Studies offered in conjunction with the Department of Engineering Technology. It consists of eighteen credits of approved course work in criminal justice and engineering technology. The second is an interdisciplinary minor in Forensic Sciences. Students interested in either of these minors should consult with the department head.
DEGREE: Bachelor of Criminal Justice
Lower Division (100 - and 200-level) Departmental Requirements
| C J 101, Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| C J 205, Criminal Law I | 3 |
| C J 210, American Law Enforcement Systems | 3 |
| C J 230, Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
| C J 250, Courts and the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
NOTE: Prior to enrolling in upper division courses, lower division courses must be completed or final courses must be in progress.
Upper-Division (300 - and 400-level) Departmental Requirements:
| One course from the following: C J 300, Introduction to Criminal Justice Research; GOVT 300, Introduction to Public Administration; PSY 310, Experimental Methods; SOC 352, Social Research: Methods; SWK 467, Social Work Research I | 3 |
| C J 301, Advanced Research Methods (or any statistics class) | 3 |
| C J 449, Senior Seminar | 3 |
| Criminal Justice electives: 4 upper-division criminal justice courses (not to include C J 393, Internship in Criminal Justice, or any criminal justice required course) | 12 |
Nondepartmental Requirements
Students seeking the BCJ degree must complete the College of Arts and Sciences second language requirement (see second language requirement under "College Degree Requirement" section of this catalog) or MATH 191, and two Viewing a Wider World courses, one each from two different colleges other than the College of Arts and Sciences.
A student must earn a C or better to receive credit for any departmental and nondepartmental requirement for the BCJ degrees.
General Electives: Sufficient to bring the total credits to 128, including 48 upper-division credits.
MINOR: Forensic Science
Forensic Science is the application of principles and techniques of scientific analysis in a legal context. Forensic scientists study physical evidence to resolve issues involving criminal investigations, environment analyses and similar areas of research.
A student must pass 18 credits with a grade of C or higher from the following curriculum to earn the Forensic Science minor. No courses may be taken S/U. Students must take at least 6 credits from departments outside their major(s). At least 9 credits in any minor must be upper division. Courses marked with*asterisks* have prerequisites, and students should check the catalog to ensure that they have taken prerequisites before enrolling in these courses. Students must register in the minor before enrolling in any upper division Criminal Justice courses.
The following curriculum represents minimum requirements for a minor. Students interested in a career in Forensic Science are encouraged to take additional courses from those listed below.
| I. CORE COURSES: Five credits from among the following courses: C J 306, Criminal Procedure; C J 321, Criminal Investigation; C J 424, Forensic Law; and/or TOX 453, Regulatory Toxicology | 5 |
| II. TRACKS: Students must complete 9 credits from ONE of the following tracks; (A) Laboratory Analysis, (B) Human Forensic Analysis, or (C) Forensic Psychology. | 9 |
TRACK A. Laboratory Analysis (9 credits from the following):
| *BIOL 221/221L,General Microbiology/Lab, or *BIOL 311/331L, General Microbiology/Lab; *BIOL 330, Comparative Anatomy and Embryology; *BIOL 354/354L, Physiology of Humans; *BCHE 395, Biochemistry; *BCHE 396, Biochemistry and Biotechnology; *CHEM 371, Analytical Chemistry; *CHEM 421, Instrumental Analysis; *TOX 361, Basic Toxicology; *TOX 423, Environmental Toxicology; PHYS 211/L, General Physics I/ General Physics Lab | 4 |
| Honors, Special Topics, or Independent Studies course if approved by Academic Head, Department of Criminal Justice |
TRACK B. Human Forensic Analysis (9 credits from the following):
| Required Class: ANTH 430, Human Osteology and Forensic Anthropology | 3 |
| Take 6 credits from: ANTH 315, Introduction to Archeology; ANTH 355, Physical Anthropology; ANTH 388, Archeology Field School; ANTH 430, Human Osteology and Forensic Anthropology; ANTH 451, Practical Forensic Anthropology (1 credit); *BIOL 330, Comparative Anatomy and Embryology; ANTH 477, Fauna Analysis | 6 |
| Honors, Special Topics, or Independent Studies courses if approved by Academic Head, Department of Criminal Justice. |
| Required Class: *PSY 330, Psychology and the Law | 3 |
3 credits from EACH of the following 2 areas:
- (C1) Principles of Behavior: *PSY 317, Social Psychology; *PSY 321, Personality; *PSY 324, Sexual Behavior; *PSY 358, Individual and Group Differences;*PSY 376, Evolutionary Psychology
- (C2) Psychological Treatment:: *PSY 302, Abnormal Psychology; *PSY 303, Community Psychology; *PSY 362, Behavior Modification; *PSY 374, Psychopharmacology and Toxicology; *PSY 445, Clinical Psychology
III. ADDITIONAL COURSE
Complete one course from areas I or II above not already completed, or Honors, Special Topics, or Independent Studies course if approved by Academic Head, Department of Criminal Justice.
MINOR: Security Technology and Intelligence Studies
A student must pass 18 credits with a grade of C or higher as outlined below. No courses may be taken S/U. A student must register in the minor before enrolling in any upper division Criminal Justice courses.
1. All students must complete the following: (3 credits)
| ET/ICT 456, Analysis of Physical Security Systems | 3 |
2. Any two C J courses from the following: (6 credits)
| CJ 321, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence | 3 |
| CJ 412, Introduction to Security Technology and Loss Prevention | 3 |
| CJ 425, Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
3. One of the following ET courses: (3 credits)
| ET/ICT 457, Introduction to Information Security | 3 |
| ET/ICT 458, Database Design and Application | 3 |
4. Any two courses from the following, or any courses listed in #2 and #3 not completed: (6 credits)
| CJ 322, Organized Crime | 3 |
| CJ 380 Introduction to Terrorism | 3 |
| CJ 411, Nature of Crime | 3 |
| CJ 414, Race, Crime and Justice | 3 |
| CJ 432, Issues in Criminal Justice to be Approved by CJ Department Head | 3 |
| CJ 451, Border Violence and Justice | 3 |
| CJ 480, Criminal Justice Planning & Crime Analysis | 3 |
| CJ 481, Hate Crimes and Domestic Terrorism | 3 |
| CJ 482, Transnational Terrorism | 3 |
| ET/ICT 339, Computer Forensics | 3 |
| ET/ICT 377, Computer Networking (for use by students not majoring in ETE) | 3 |
| ET/ICT 490, Selected Topics to be Approved by ET Department Head | 1-3 |
Three upper division CJ courses may meet 3 of the 6-credit Viewing a Wider World requirements for students majoring outside of the College of Arts & Sciences. Three upper division ET courses may meet 3 of the 6-credit Viewing a Wider World requirements for students majoring outside of the College of Engineering.
MINOR: Contemporary Social Studies
See requirements for this minor under Department of History.