Criminal Justice

A behavioral-based curriculum

Today’s society demands a greater focus on the prevention of crimes, which is why this is the focus of our criminal justice program. Unlike many programs, the curriculum here emphasizes the understanding of human behavior, which is key to many careers in this field.

Experienced, credentialed faculty

Our professors have more than 50 years of experience in the criminal justice field and have specifically designed courses to assist you in achieving your goals. (See “Faculty” dropdown, below.)

Specialized concentrations

The curriculum includes both core courses and several options for “elective packages” (listed in Course Requirements, below) based upon your interests and career prospects.

Courses designed for adult students

All of the criminal justice courses are offered in the evening, on weekends, or online, and many are also accelerated, taking half the time to complete. Also, internships are available but not required.

Leadership & research opportunities

Our program requires you to do research and present your findings, both of which will enhance your skills and appeal to future employers. We also recently added the Crime Analysis & Prevention Center.

All courses are conducted in the evening.
All courses are on a 7-week accelerated schedule. View academic calendar.
courses are also offered online.

Core Courses

7 required courses – 21 credits:

CRJ 101 The Legal System
CRJ 106 Criminology
CRJ 211 Criminal Justice Ethics
CRJ 206 Class, Race, Gender and Crime
REL 227 Islam in America
CRJ 325 Criminal Justice Research Methods
CRJ 331 Leadership in Criminal Justice

Choose Your Elective Package

4 courses – 12 credits
Select at least one of the following packages:

Criminal Behavior and Deviance (select 4)
CRJ 201 Addiction, Psychopathology, and Crime
CRJ 306 Corrections
CRJ 311 Crime and Place
PSY 309 Abnormal Psychology  OR PSY 310 Forensic Psychology
CRJ 321 Criminal Justice Field Experience (Internship)

Juvenile Studies (select 4)
CRJ 201 Addiction, Psychopathology and Crime
CRJ 301 Juvenile Justice
SWK 303 Human Behavior and Social Environment OR PSY 250 Life Span Development
SWK 304 Child Abuse, Maltreatment and Neglect
CRJ 321 Criminal Justice Field Experience (Internship)

Earn the Child Welfare Certificate by adding:
SOC 321 Family as a Social Institution

Law Enforcement Administration (select 4)
BUA 110 Principles of Management
BUA 220 Human Resource Management
BUA 239 Employment Law
PSC 214 Public Administration
CRJ 316 Crime and Public Policy

You can also earn the Human Resources Certificate if you take BUA 220 from the above list and add:

BUA 320 Attracting, Selecting, and Retaining Talent
BUA 325 Compensation Management

Your SAGE adviser will assist you in developing a schedule of studies that works best for you. Typically, students take 2 or 3 courses during the fall and spring semesters. You may also take a course during the winter semester.

The Criminal Justice Major requires:

21 credits: Core Criminal Justice Requirements
plus
13 credits: Elective Package Requirements
plus
Transfer Your General Education Credits
Learn how you can transfer up to 90 credits with our generous transfer policy.

You can also speak to your SAGE adviser to learn about earning your general education requirements here at Cedar Crest College.

Whether your goal is a career in the criminal justice system or a deeper understanding of human behavior, a minor in criminal justice will provide you with the knowledge and experience you need to succeed.Cedar Crest students who minor in criminal justice come from many academic backgrounds, including:

• Art therapy
• Forensic science
• Political science
• Psychology
• Social work

Customize Your Minor

Cedar Crest’s criminal justice minor contains just two required courses: “CRJ 101: The Legal System” and “CRJ 106: Criminology.” To complete the minor, you may customize your elective choices to best suit your career goals.

A minor in criminal justice requires 18 credits.

All of the criminal justice (CRJ) courses are on a 7-week accelerated schedule.
» View academic calendar

Courses are also offered online, so this entire minor can be completed via online study.

Required Courses:
CRJ 101 The Legal System
CRJ 106 Criminology

Elective Courses (select 4):
CRJ 201 Addiction, Psychopathology and Crime
CRJ 206 Class, Race and Gender
CRJ 211 Criminal Justice Ethics
CRJ 301 Juvenile Justice
CRJ 306 Corrections
CRJ 311 Crime and Place
CRJ 316 Crime and Public Policy

One of the following courses can be substituted for one of the elective criminal justice courses:
PSC 202 Law and Justice
PSC 207 Law and Women’s Rights
PSC 218 Criminal Procedure and Constitutional Rights
PSC 250 Modern Political Thought
PSC 300 Topics in Law and Public Policy

Child Welfare Certificate
5 courses – 15 credits

This certificate offers a greater understanding of the issues surrounding juvenile behavior and the juvenile justice system. Select the juvenile studies elective package and earn this certificate by adding one course.

4 juvenile studies courses:

CRJ 201 Addiction, Psychopathology, and Crime
CRJ 301 Juvenile Justice
SWK 303 Human Behavior and Social Environment* OR PSY 250 Life Span Development
SWK 304 Child Abuse Maltreatment and Neglect

Additional Child Welfare Certificate requirements:
SOC 321 Family as a Social Institution

*SWK 303 Human Behavior and Social Environment – 3 Credits (students interested in the Child Welfare Certificate should select SWK 303 in the Juvenile Studies elective package)

 

Human Resources Certificate
7 courses – 21 credits

Students pursuing the Law Enforcement Administration elective package in criminal justice will build the skills necessary to make ethical and humane decisions. The following courses focus on how to dispense justice fairly and ethically. By adding just three more courses, you will also earn a human resources certificate from the College.

5 core and law enforcement administration courses:
CRJ 206 Class, Race, Gender, and Crime (core requirement)
CRJ 316 Crime and Public Policy (law enforcement administration)
CRJ 331 Leadership in Criminal Justice (core requirement)
BUA 220 Human Resource Management (law enforcement administration)
BUA 239 Employment Law (law enforcement administration)

2 Human Resources Certificate requirements:
BUA 320 Attracting, Selecting, and Retaining Talent
BUA 325 Compensation Management

In today’s security-conscious society, there is a high demand for graduates with a degree in criminal justice, particularly women. By earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Cedar Crest College, you will be well-prepared for positions in a broad variety of fields, including:

• Pre-trial services
• Domestic relations
• Policing and security
• Offender services (domestic violence, victim advocacy, etc.)
• Youth mentoring and at-risk youth services
• Child abuse investigative services
• Child welfare services
• Foster care services
• Correctional management
• Probation and parole
• Drug and alcohol referral, evaluation and service industries
• Mental health practitioners
• Federal law enforcement (such as the ATF, DEA, FBI, IRS, Federal Bureau of Prisons, federal probation, U.S. Department of Justice, and U.S. Marshals)
• State law enforcement (such as the Bureau of Narcotic Investigation and Drug Control in Pennsylvania)
• Pennsylvania Attorney General: Bureau of Criminal Investigations
• Not-for-profit agencies
• Security (such as emergency preparedness, fraud/bank investigation, Homeland Security, intelligence analysis, public safety, and transit, industrial and personal security)

At Cedar Crest College, all of our criminal justice courses are taught by highly experienced and credentialed professionals with experience and connections in corrections, crime prevention, crime investigation, and other criminal justice fields. Together, our faculty members have more than 50 years of experience in the criminal justice field.

» Read full profiles of faculty members.

» Read full descriptions of courses.

Our alumni are well-known in the criminal justice community—locally and nationally—for their high ethical standards and behavioral-based knowledge. In fact, many of our criminal justice students have received job offers or advancement prior to graduation. Others have gone on to pursue a law degree or have been accepted into esteemed police academies, including the Washington DC Metro Police Department Academy. Graduates of our program also hold jobs in:

• Adult probation
• Juvenile probation
• Corrections
• Drug and alcohol rehabilitation
• At-risk youth development
• Child welfare services
• Domestic violence services
• Mental health services
• Juvenile detention
• Pre-trial services
• Crime prevention services
• Police administration
• Security services for nuclear power plants, casinos, etc.