Online criminal justice degree curriculum

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In this course, you’ll develop the necessary skills to ensure your success in the program. You’ll learn how you can improve your study skills, so you’re able to use a number of tools that will help you to be successful. You’ll also gain an overview of the field of criminal justice.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the elements and structure of the criminal justice system

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Information literacy is a fundamental skill of writing and recording research. In this course, you’ll learn what it means to formulate correct and effective research questions. You’ll also learn how to go about conducting and refining that research for any given project.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Identify how to formulate focused and specific research questions and the need for information
• Explain the different types of research tools, how they’re used to conduct different searches, and how to evaluate the quality and usefulness of the information found
• Explain how to cite sources properly using various citation styles in consideration of academic integrity, plagiarism, and ethical use of resources

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Criminal justice involves the fundamental tension between crime control and individual rights. This course is designed to assist you as you begin your study of the exciting field of criminal justice.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Discuss the nature of crime, its measurement, and theoretical explanations of criminal
• Discuss the nature of crime, its measurement, and theoretical explanations of criminal
• Identify the role of the judicial process, the stages of a trial, and the sentencing outcomes in the administration of justice
• Describe the role that correctional institutions have fulfilled, their design, the people who live there, and the difficulties encountered when leaving the structured environment of prison
• Recognize how juvenile justice and terrorism impact criminal justice in the United States
• Describe the purpose and functions of the criminal justice system, including the police, courts, and correction

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This course covers the psychology of biology and behavior, consciousness, memory, thought and language, intelligence, personality and gender, stress, and community influences.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Describe the science of psychology, basic structure and function of the human nervous system, and basic structure and function of the sensory system
• Explain various states of consciousness, learning theories, and thought processes and development
• Summarize the nature of human motivation and development, the human development cycle, and approaches to understanding and assessing personality
• Prepare an essay on the topic of conditioning, memory, or motivation and emotion
• Recognize psychological disorders and available treatments
• Explain social psychology as it relates to attitudes, influences, behaviors, and stress
• Use critical thinking skills to determine the likely causes of behaviors of individuals and groups discussed in case studies

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This course begins with an introduction to the field of sociology, the research process, and the elements of culture. You’ll learn about social structure, forms of power, social relationships, and interaction through groups, networks, and organizations, as well as deviance, crime, and social control. You’ll explore issues of identity and inequality by examining the effects of stratification, racial and ethnic inequality, sex, gender, and sexuality. Social institutions discussed include family and religion, education and work, and the power and influence of the media. The course
concludes with the topics of health and the environment, politics and the economy, population, social movements, globalization, and social change.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the liberal arts, natural sciences, and social sciences
• Examine foundational concepts and theories of sociology and recognize how they inform research
• Analyze the ways in which culture, social structure, and power influence daily life
• Evaluate the effects of socialization, interaction, deviance, and social control on human behavior
• Develop an essay reflecting on the importance of cultural traditions amid increasing globalization
• Examine the ways in which class, race, gender, and sexuality influence identity and inequality
• Distinguish the various social institutions and issues in the current global system
• Develop an essay examining the ways in which social inequality informs social change and movements

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This course looks at the relationship among the judiciary, defense, and prosecution involved in the United States court system. Your studies start with an overview of the basic structures of courts. You’ll also look at the successive steps involved in prosecutions and cover topics such as plea bargains, trials, juries, sentencing, and appeals.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Identify the structure and working process of the legal system in the United States
• Analyze the emergence of law in the different systems of litigation in the United States
• Distinguish between the civil and criminal litigation in state and federal courts in the United States
• Analyze articles relating to the United States court system

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Microsoft® Office allows people to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases. This course will teach you how to use three popular tools from the Microsoft® Office Suite — Word™, Excel®, and PowerPoint®. In this course, you'll learn how to use Word™ to create and edit text documents, insert figures and tables, and format pages for a variety of uses. You'll then learn how to use Excel® to organize and format data, including charts, formulas, and more complex tables. Next, you'll learn how to use PowerPoint® to create and deliver slide shows. Finally, you'll complete a graded project, which will test the skills acquired in Word™, Excel®, and PowerPoint®.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:

• Create various Microsoft® Word™ documents.
• Produce a thorough Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheet.
• Identify the basic skills needed to use Microsoft® PowerPoint®.
• Synthesize what you’ve learned by integrating Word™, Excel®, and PowerPoint®.

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This course teaches the skills and techniques of effectively developing, drafting, and revising college-level essays toward a specific purpose and audience: active reading, prewriting strategies, sentence and paragraph structure, thesis statements, varied patterns of development (such as illustration, comparison and contrast, and classification), critical reading toward revision of structure and organization, editing for standard written conventions, and use and documentation of outside sources. Students submit two prewriting assignments and three essays (process analysis, comparison and contrast, and argumentation).

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Use writing skills to construct well-written sentences and active reading skills to understand and analyze text
• Develop paragraphs using topic sentences, adequate detail, supporting evidence, and transitions
• Contrast the revising and editing steps of the writing process
• Distinguish between different patterns of development
• Write a process analysis essay using prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing skills
• Recognize how to determine the reliability of secondary sources and to give proper credit to sources referenced in an essay
• Write a comparison and contrast essay by using persuasive writing techniques to defend a claim
• Create a sound written argument using techniques of drafting and evaluating sources

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This course begins the study of ethics from the larger issues of what constitutes morality and moral behavior. It looks at how ethics develop; discusses the issues of ethics and specific aspects of criminal justice, including justice, law enforcement, courts, punishment and corrections, and management; and considers professionalism and ethics for everyone in society.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the structure of ethical systems and the elements that determine punishment and treatment
• Distinguish the relationship between law, justice, and ethical practices from the perspective of law enforcement
• Show the various ethical codes and discretionary power exercised by legal professionals
• Categorize the ethical dilemmas faced by correctional professionals and the emerging issues in criminal justice
• Analyze various ethical dilemmas

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This course will focus on general police operations and tactics in light of the law enforcement transformation now taking place in the United States. Police departments are rapidly becoming modern service organizations. Besides their accountability to elected personnel, police organizations are answering to citizens, legislative oversight committees, and professional certification boards. In the process, the best police departments are illustrating that respectful treatment of citizens is compatible with the most effective police tactics against criminals.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Identify the various roles, selection process, organizational structure, and operations of law enforcement
• Point out the policies, procedures, and work culture adhering to law enforcement
• Categorize the types of police corruption, the torts, and the structure of ethics and deviance
• Analyze the nature of violence and crime, issues related to gangs, and terrorism-fighting agents
• Design a community policing policy

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Nutrition is the science that investigates how the body takes in, breaks down, and uses foods. The course will provide you with basic information on how these processes take place, including information about nutrients and how they contribute to the way the body functions. This will help you to have a better understanding of your decisions about food and diet. You’ll also learn about physical activities that can contribute to a healthier lifestyle. Because a central focus of nutrition studies is on health promotion, suggestions for individual nutrition choice will be discussed, as well as tactics for maintaining a healthy weight and keeping food supplies safe. 

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Describe how nutrition supports a body's wellness
• Recognize the body's use of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins 
• Identify the body's use of water, minerals, and micronutrients
• Discuss what nutritional needs are for a healthy weight and for an athletic lifestyle 
• Define food safety and the nutritional needs of humans over a lifetime
• Prepare a research paper on a nutritional topic 

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Precision in legal writing is important. As an aspiring paralegal, you are required to learn about effective methods of legal research and writing. When you successfully finish this course, you’ll be able to describe the processes involved in writing legal documents and explain their principles while following formats of legal documents. There are various types of common legal documents classified in the course. Legal memorandums are the most complicated legal documents, and facts play an important role in the creation of a legal document. Get ready with your pens and apply all the knowledge and skills of legal research and writing you’ve learned in this course.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate computer and information literacy
• Analyze the process of legal writing and the areas that require legal writing
• Prepare a letter, a deed, and a memorandum using the skills acquired from the course
• Categorize the disciplines of legal research and the related components
• Identify the aids used to conduct legal research with the help of computer programs
• Distinguish between the types of Internet needs with respect to legal research and practices
• Prepare a report and memorandums on a parental custody case
• Apply the CALR system to complete legal research assignments

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The police manager fills a vital role in the operation of a law enforcement agency. This course is designed to provide you with a fundamental understanding of the underlying principles and theories of management, both in general and as they specifically relate to police agencies.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Define introductory concepts of police management
• Analyze the behavioral aspects of police management
• Identify the functional aspects of police management
• Categorize major issues in police management
• Develop solutions for issues with modern police management

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In this course, the student will gain an understanding of artistic media, historical periods and artistic movements, the roles of the artist and the viewer, and the principles of art criticism.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Define the language, visual elements, and principles of design of art
• Identify two-dimensional media
• Identify three-dimensional media
• Explain the evolution of art from ancient Mediterranean cultures through eighteenth-century Europe
• Identify features and popular examples of art throughout the history of African, Asian, Pacific, and American cultures
• Compare the genres of the modern and postmodern eras of art from around the world

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Algebra is the mathematical language used to interpret and represent patterns in numbers by using variables, expressions, and equations. Algebra is an essential tool used in business, science, and computer technology. Throughout this course, you’ll be introduced to algebraic concepts, along with real-world application problems from a variety of fields. In addition to providing a springboard to the discovery of underlying mathematical properties, these applications illustrate the importance of mathematics in your world.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

• Demonstrate effective quantitative skills
• Solve algebraic equations, linear equations, inequalities, and absolute value equations
• Solve and graph linear equations and inequalities
• Solve polynomials
• Apply algebraic operations to rational expressions and rational equations
• Solve problems involving radicals and complex numbers
• Solve quadratic equations, rational inequalities, nonlinear equations, and nonlinear inequalities
• Calculate exponential and logarithmic functions
• Solve binomial expansions, sequences, and arithmetic and geometric series
• Prepare for the final exam

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This course provides a history of criminal law and a study of specific crimes and their underlying elements. Students will also explore the moral principles behind laws and the defenses, prosecutions, and sentences that constitute justice.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Categorize the various principles related to criminal liability and criminal law
• Distinguish between homicide, sex crimes, abuse crimes, and other crimes against persons
• Analyze the various elements of crimes against property, habitation, and public morality and white-collar crimes
• Explain the various factors related to defenses and punishment
• Compare and contrast two criminal cases applying the knowledge acquired with the criminal law
• Prepare for the final exam

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This course is designed to introduce you to the procedures used in criminal cases. You’ll explore the framework for studying criminal procedures; matters involving arrests, search warrants, and probable cause; exceptions to search warrant requirements; and admissions, confessions, and pretrial identification. This course will also discuss the court process, including sentencing and appeals and new law enforcement procedures developed to combat terrorism.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Identify the procedures and sources involved in the criminal justice system
• Analyze the circumstances that allow an officer to perform frisking, arrests, searches, and inspections
• Categorize the litigation processes involving police interrogation, identifications, exclusionary rules, evidences, and remedies
• Distinguish between the legal processes and law enforcement procedures performed by the court system
• Prepare a report on the criminal case in John Grisham’s The Innocent Man

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Communication of all kinds is the cornerstone of our society. Communication allows you to form connections with the world around you. It influences your decisions and motivates change. Yet one of the most common forms of communication—public speaking—is one of the most common fears people have. To communicate well in public forums is one of the most important skills you can possess. How you speak and present yourself in public can say a lot about you. This course will help you hone these vital speaking skills.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the different methods and principles required for effective public speaking
• Point out the principles, methods, and skills required to rehearse and deliver effective public speaking
• Prepare and record a narrative or speech on personal experience
• Prepare and record an informative podcast for a website
• Create and record an infomercial by using one of the mentioned methods
• Prepare and present a motivational or reasoning speech to persuade your audience
• Produce a vivid speech by employing proper speech preparation and organization

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This course will introduce you to the study of human development through the adolescent years and into emerging adulthood. Your textbook focuses on the cultural basis and historical context of adolescent development and includes discussions of the various research studies that have been performed in this field. You’ll learn about physical and cognitive changes that occur during the teen years, beginning at puberty. You’ll also review the patterns of normal behavior and problems that may develop during maturation.

Your course is divided into five major lessons based on your textbook, Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach, Sixth Edition. The purpose of this course is to help you understand the key principles addressed in your textbook. To successfully complete your lessons, you must familiarize yourself with the contents of this course.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the concepts of biological foundations and cognitive foundations
• Identify the impact of cultural beliefs, gender, and the self-concept on adolescent socialization
• Categorize the influences of family, friends, and peers on adolescent development
• Distinguish between the impacts of school and work on adolescent development
• Differentiate between the various impacts of media on adolescent development

When studying the criminal justice system, you need to study all of its different parts: police, courts, corrections, and even the legislatures, which make the laws. In every crime, there’s a victim. In the United States, a country founded on the principles of justice, it’s the criminal justice officer’s responsibility to obtain justice for that victim. To do that, it’s important to understand the intricate workings of the complex criminal justice system and study victims and the social science of victimology.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Categorize the concepts and theories under the discipline of victimology
• Analyze the financial and judicial structure catering to victim justice
• Point out the various crimes and laws concerning traditional crimes and domestic abuse
• Distinguish between the needs and risks concerning special victims
• Prepare a report on uniform crime, victim rights group, battered-woman syndrome, and hate crime laws

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Introduction to Biology

Few subjects can teach you as much about the world around you as biology. During this introductory course, you’ll gain insight into the origin of life, the relationships among all living organisms and the environment, and even how your own body works. You’ll learn how a significant number of organisms are structured and how they work to enable you to discuss intelligently the various forms of life and their processes.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze cells and their processes for obtaining energy and reproducing
• Explain how traits are passed on from one generation to the next
• Explain how different species of living things have evolved and are classified
• Write responses to fundamental biology essay prompts
• Identify the characteristics and behavior of plants and animals
• Diagram the anatomy and physiology of the human body
• Describe the ecology of living things

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Earth Science

This course covers a number of topics which are concentrated in four main categories: geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. Geology is the study of Earth, its minerals and rocks, and the many varied processes that formed our planet and continue to reform it today. Oceanography is the study of Earth’s oceans. Meteorology is the study of Earth’s atmosphere and astronomy is the study of Earth’s place in space and all things related. These four elements combined make up the Earth and are essential in understanding how the world works and how it’s evolving.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Categorize the matter, minerals, and materials that compose the Earth
• Distinguish between the various theories about the forces behind the Earth’s history
• Differentiate between the elements and their ways of sculpting the landscape
• Point out the geological features of oceans and the important concepts of geology
• Categorize the causes and effects of various phenomena affecting Earth’s atmosphere
• Analyze the components of the solar system and the universe
• Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of earth science by completing an open-book proctored exam

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This course is designed to introduce you to the correctional system in the United States. To this end, you’ll explore the American correctional context, correctional practices, and a number of correctional issues and perspectives.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Explain the historical development of corrections in America as it relates to the purposes of punishment
• List the different types of correction programs, reforms, and the issues in them
• Discuss how different correctional programs handle the treatment of prisoners and how that has developed over time
• Analyze the trends in sentencing and corrections and their racial implications as well as the issues surrounding the incarceration of women and children
• Apply the philosophy and knowledge of corrections to initiating the process of reentry
• Demonstrate a high level of inquiry, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrate effective written and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrate effective quantitative skills
• Demonstrate computer and information literacy
• Prepare for the final exam

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In this course, you’ll practice research and writing skills by developing papers that require you to use sources and correctly cite them using APA formatting. You’ll learn to look at writing with a critical eye—a skill you can apply to your work, as well as to the reading you do for research or in your daily activities. You’ll apply these skills to your writing through editing and revising.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the fundamentals of the writing process
• Categorize the planning and evaluating methods of a research project and the sources
• Point out the sources of research and the methods of working with them
• Differentiate between the organizing, drafting, revising, and documenting processes related to a research project
• Point out the necessity of describing, illustrating, classifying, dividing, and defining your writing
• Prepare an illustrative essay based on a specified topic
• Analyze the process of comparison and contrasting in developing literary content
• Prepare an essay using comparison and contrast
• Prepare a cause-and-effect essay on a specified topic
• Categorize the steps, elements, and strategies of writing and evaluating arguments

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Many minors commit acts at one time or another that could involve them in the juvenile justice system. Knowledge and understanding of both theory and practice in juvenile justice is important for anyone working in the justice system. Two important differences between juvenile justice and adult justice are that (1) the perpetrators are children and (2) certain
acts that adults can lawfully commit would be crimes if committed by children.

Historically, juvenile justice emphasized the philosophy of rehabilitation more than the adult criminal justice system. Those who work in the juvenile justice system have an opportunity to impact young lives through timely and intelligent intervention and, perhaps, to permanently set juveniles on a path that will be safe and will allow them to grow into responsible and successful citizens.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Identify the fundamentals of juvenile justice system and its historical background
• Explain the role of police in preventing drugs and gangs among the juvenile offenders
• Recognize court procedures, methods of interventions, and corrections associated with juvenile justice
• Distinguish between the issues, proposals for reforms, and factors of victimization for the juvenile offenders
• Prepare essays on the juvenile crime problem, safe schools, traumatic events, and legal procedures

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In early tribal societies, public policy was a survival tool—rules that encouraged beneficial group behaviors. Groups tended to be smaller, so daily life was largely face to face and, quite often, the name people had for their society simply meant “the people” or the “human beings.” Understanding and cooperating with nature was the name of the game when it came to survival. As population densities and numbers increased in the first urbanized societies, the mode of production was intensive, organized agriculture that produced food surpluses. Policies were made at the top and outcomes were often problematic for all those folks trying to make a living day by day. Today, in light of the powerful forces of advancing technology, ideals of democratic governance, and sophisticated modes of communication, social orders are imposed on natural environments.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the fundamentals and purpose of public policies
• Categorize the various market and government policies and their purposes
• Distinguish between the various tools used for analyzing, measuring, and sampling policies
• Point out the roles of various institutes and the ways in which they affect policy making
• Prepare an essay on an ineffective public policy analysis and suggest ideas for improvement

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Criminology is the discipline that studies crime and criminal behavior. In this course, you’ll study the causes of crime, reactions, and different forms of criminal behavior. Criminology is focused on the study of the phenomena of crime and criminality. The study of crime (criminology) is interesting because it’s a topic that relates to everyone. Various theories explain the causes of crime. As you read the textbook, you’ll be able to see the many interrelationships of the criminal enterprise, the criminal justice system, and the study of the reasons for criminality. At the end of this course you’ll have a far greater, deeper understanding of the intricacies of crime.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the disciplines of criminology, victimology, and the associated research methods
• Point out the important theories in criminology
• Distinguish between violent crime, property crime, and white-collar crime
• Categorize the special types of crime and the future of crime
• Analyze theories on the emergence of law

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Understanding the concepts of community corrections is an integral part of the study of criminal justice. Community corrections encompasses offenders who are supervised in community programs such as probation, house arrest, work release, or treatment court initiatives. Some may be assigned to community corrections in lieu of jail; others are placed on parole where they’re supervised in the community after serving a minimum term of incarceration ordered by the court.

As you work through this course, you’ll begin to understand the study of criminology and how to assess offenders who meet the criteria to be placed in community corrections programs. You’ll become knowledgeable about community corrections programs that can afford the offender opportunities to avoid reoffending while keeping the community safe.  When considering community corrections, courts must evaluate the offender’s needs and the needs of the community. Here are some questions to consider when looking at a community corrections alternative to imprisonment:

• Can the offender pay for his or her crime without going to prison?
• Can the offender stay in the community while serving the court-ordered punishment?
• What type of program can serve as punishment, allow the offender to rehabilitate, and therefore allow the offender to meet his or her needs and possibly avoid further criminal behavior?

Your textbook will clarify these issues and will help you become familiar with the concepts associated with community corrections. It will also introduce you to theories and schools of thought to assist you in assessing criminal behavior and determining the needs of the offender and the risk he or she poses, while reviewing available intermediate sanctions and community correctional programs that will best serve the community and the offender.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the development, theories, and programs/sanctions related to community corrections
• Distinguish between probation and parole and the way each one is implemented
• Point out the alternative supervision programs as options for correctional programs
• Analyze the treatment and supervision of the mentally ill, sex offenders, and juveniles under corrections
• Prepare a report for the mentioned factors that is addressed by your jurisdiction

(3 CREDITS)

In this course, you’ll learn how to make sense of the numbers that drive business decisions. You'll develop the skills to organize and visualize data effectively, enabling you to uncover relationships and draw meaningful conclusions. Probability will become your ally as you learn to express common knowledge using standardized language, allowing statisticians to communicate effectively. You'll explore unions, intersections, conditional probability, and the concept of random variables.

You’ll also gain experience estimating unknown population parameters and conducting hypothesis tests, preparing you to make reliable inferences. From analyzing variances to conducting ANOVA and linear regression, you'll gain a solid foundation in statistical techniques that are essential for making informed business decisions.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Show the methods of collecting data and visualizing of qualitative data in statistics
• Analyze the methods of computing probability for discrete and random variables
• Apply sampling distribution methods, estimation, and hypothesis testing in business applications
• Point out the process of computing inferences, linear regression, and least square

This course is designed to help you understand the world around you, including the impact of social influences, common social problems, and social systems in a better way. The resources will encourage you to examine social problems and institutions from different perspectives. You’ll learn about the basics of sociological theories and the ways of exploring them. Various social institutions help in shaping our perspectives and determine the ways of interacting with the world. There are numerous social problems in the physical and natural world; the course provides you with the explanation behind the issues from the various social perspectives. So, to understand the sociology, you are required to focus on the social problems and derive solutions from those issues.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the causes of inequality in a society and the methods of tackling them
• Point out the social issues related to the social institutions and the methods of prevention
• Categorize the problems associated with our social and physical worlds and the ways of improvement
• Prepare an integrated paper on your findings on your own personal and cultural influences
• Prepare a paper on your experience after attending one to two cultural events or activities
• Prepare an integrated paper on the findings on recommended improvements facilitated in a cross-cultural community

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See the list of Electives below

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In this course, you'll practice the skill of active listening. Learning to listen differently will allow you to experience all kinds of music in a new way. Most listeners are familiar with how music makes them feel, and we often say we like a particular piece of music because it has a "good beat" or a beautiful melody. This course will allow you to go deeper. You'll identify what the composer might have been trying to convey and listen for the way elements of musical composition and performance make each piece unique.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Identify the building blocks of music a composer can use to create a piece, such as rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, form, and timbre
• Differentiate between the music of the baroque era and the musical styles of previous time periods
• List the major characteristics of classical music, including form, melody, and instrumentation
• Describe the musical trends and innovations that occurred during the romantic era
• Relate musical styles of the early twentieth century to comparable movements in art and literature
• Explain the evolution of American popular music in the twentieth century
• Describe the influence of world music on modern western composition
• Synthesize research comparing composers' influence in their respective genres

Textbook: Experience Music

(3 CREDITS)

You’re about to embark on a course of study that can help you become familiar with the various factors that influence the behavior of individuals and groups within an organizational context. This course examines key principles and challenges associated with the evolving arena of business and organizational management. Its particular focus is on how people behave—as individuals and in groups—in organizational settings. Your course begins with a review of the ways in which previous generations of researchers, theorists, and business leaders have regarded management, as well as current trends in management theory and practice. A genuine examination of organizational behavior must consider the factors that influence individual behavior and those that shape organizational goals. To strike an optimal balance between individual motivations and the needs and goals of organizations, effective management requires a solid understanding of both of these issues.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the fundamentals of organizational behavior, culture, and individuality
• Differentiate between the stages of perception, attribution, stress management, motivation, and engagement
• Point out the methods of fostering creativity, innovation, and decision making
• Distinguish between the concepts of effective communication, group making, and team development
• Categorize the elements of conflict, negotiation, and leadership
• Analyze the structure of organizational working and its associated elements
• Prepare a report on emotional labor perspectives at various workplaces by utilizing your findings

(3 CREDITS)

Without our criminal justice system, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the privileges and benefits of living in a free society. The hardworking men and women of the criminal justice system are responsible for breathing life into each one of our criminal laws. The police serve as the initial enforcers of the law. The courts make sure that laws are fairly and impartially enforced. The courts also scrupulously protect citizens’ constitutional rights. Correctional organizations are responsible for administering our jails and prisons. The individuals who work in corrections have difficult and dangerous jobs. This course examines the components of the criminal justice system in detail and gives you valuable insights into their organization, operation, and administration.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Explain the importance of service quality in justice administration
• Consider how specific influences and issues affect the field of justice administration
• Explain the importance of motivation, leadership, and communication in justice administration
• Differentiate among various roles in justice administration
• Explain the differences between various kinds of facilities and private security
• Demonstrate your analytical and problem-solving skills in an essay about criminal justice administration

Evidence is what we use to prove or disprove a fact, a case, or a conviction. Criminal evidence is crucial to the justice system. Without evidence, the U.S. justice system wouldn’t function.

In this course, you’ll develop a better comprehension of the criminal justice system. You’ll learn what types of witness testimony are admissible and how to determine when evidence can’t be used because of police misconduct or mistakes. You’ll learn about the various types of crime scene and scientific evidence. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have a better understanding of the different types of evidence, their collection, and their use during criminal trials, which will help you better understand the criminal justice system.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the components of evidence determination and the laws around them
• Point out the importance of judicial notice, inferences, presumptions, admissibility, and witnesses in court proceedings
• Categorize the rights, roles, privileges, and rules associated with court proceedings
• Distinguish between the types of evidences, the issues around their collection, and the prevention methods
• Prepare a comprehensive essay on filing a criminal prosecution against John Robinson

(3 CREDITS) 

See the list of Electives below

(3 CREDITS) 

See the list of Electives below

(3 CREDITS) 

The process of leadership involves much more than having a supervisory title or a managerial position. This course will teach you that leadership is a complex process involving many facets. Leadership involves methodology, psychology, evaluation, and influence. This process can occur anywhere in the chain of authority, regardless of the position. The most successful organizations integrate these leadership elements throughout the workforce to achieve maximum business goals.

This course will give you an understanding of relevant leadership issues, theories, and principles with real-life examples. This course will also provide you with the latest supervision and leadership research, in addition to illustrating the evolution and development of modern leadership principles. The course is broken down into four lessons, each with individual assignments and examinations to be completed and submitted for grading at the completion of each lesson.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the fundamentals of four major approaches to leadership
• Point out the intricacies of path-goal theory, leader-member theory, and transformational leadership theory
• Categorize various principles of advanced leadership as well as the importance of morals and ethics in leadership and followership
• Analyze the role of leadership involved with gender, culture, and globalization
• Prepare responses to the essay questions about your results from the Leadership Behavior Questionnaire

(3 CREDITS) 

This course addresses the application of scientific methods of inquiry to various research goals. You’ll be introduced to the research methods used by criminal justice professionals to prove or disprove criminal justice theories and to evaluate applications and policies.

This course will introduce you to some of the methods available for designing and formulating the valid, reliable research that’s needed to answer questions and issues in the field. The word statistics in the course title doesn’t refer to mathematics; this is, in fact, a communications course. Statistics are often the language of communication in the research field. Statistics and related tools enable you to convey findings efficiently, accurately, and with conviction.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Explain the purpose of reasoning and ethical principles in the research process
• Explain access and structure research studies for valid and measurable results
• Describe how to conduct qualitative research methods and analyze collected data
• Distinguish among different kinds of research method designs and results
• Analyze the effectiveness of a selected criminal justice theory through research and evaluation

(3 CREDITS) 

See the list of Electives below

(3 CREDITS) 

See the list of Electives below

(4 CREDITS) 

Your Senior Capstone Project will test your newly acquired knowledge and examine your insider’s view of the criminal justice system.

For Part 1 of this project, you’ll review the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the history of search-and-seizure laws. Then, after reading the fact pattern of a case, you’ll discuss how the laws relate to a specific instance and decide how the law would apply in your state. You’ll also critique the law as you applied it to the case under consideration.

In Part 2, you’ll debate about individuals’ rights for both the accused and the victims. After some research and exploration, you’ll decide what would make a more humane, just, and moral criminal justice system. You’ll draft a new criminal justice system for a particular jurisdiction according to your own standards, the only condition being that it must meet current 
federal constitutional law standards.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate effective written and interpersonal communication skills
• Demonstrate job-specific technical and professional skills
• Analyze the stages, implementations, and conflicts faced by the U.S. government to enforce law

(3 CREDITS)

In this course, you’ll be introduced to various aspects of crimes done under the umbrella of white-collar crime. You will also be studying the criminal justice system and study all its different parts: police, courts, corrections, legislatures, crimes, and criminals. Different types of crimes and different types of criminals are processed differently by the criminal justice system. Our focus will be mainly on the crimes committed by white-collar professionals in various fields.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Point out white-collar crime, its indefinable nature, and methods of committing these crimes
• Analyze the crimes committed by professionals in a variety of systems
• Categorize the white-collar crime that affects the economic system
• Point out the ways of preventing and policing white-collar crime
• Prepare a research project by using the knowledge of white-collar crime in the provided scenario

Terrorism became a household term for all American citizens, but particularly for law enforcement professionals, after the September 11, 2001 attacks. This course examines the theory and practice of domestic and international terrorism. This course delves into the world of terrorism and terrorists—mostly unknown to the average American citizen before September 11, and obscure even to trained law enforcement officers.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Point out the criminology of terrorism and how it has evolved over time
• Prepare an essay on establishing and improving the public and police relationship within a community
• Show the impact of national and ethnic terrorism on different countries
• Analyze how the ideological and religious terrorism has impacted Middle Eastern countries
• Develop the answers by reading the given articles
• Point out the various counterterrorism measures that the United States has incorporated

(3 CREDITS)

This course is designed to introduce you to the procedures used in criminal cases that involve the use of computers. Cyberspace, the Internet world of communication, is an environment favorable to committing some traditional crimes and to creating new ones. Problems related to computer crime include underestimating and underreporting the magnitude of the problem, prosecutorial reluctance, lack of resources, and unclear legal standards. Old criminal issues, such as location of the physical act, become more complex when using the Internet. Computer crimes raise issues regarding the target of the crime, the means, or secondary applications of computer technology. State and national law enforcement have undertaken initiatives to address computer crime. Internationally, efforts have also focused on the nature of criminal activities. As an emerging discipline, forensic computer science requires investigators to remain vigilant when examining and locating evidence, especially regarding information storage methods.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the various factors that influence cybercrimes
• Analyze the implications of hacking, malware, piracy, identity fraud, and other computer-based traditional statutes crimes
• Describe the threat of online sex crimes, cyberbullying, and cyberterrorism
• Analyze the implications of various government legislation and the trends to minimize cybercrimes in the future
• Create a research paper based on Internet research and concepts learned in this course

(3 CREDITS)

Crises are a normal part of our lives, just like joy. All crisis intervention workers will see many different crises throughout their practice. People die, get terminal illnesses, lose loved ones, take drugs or live with a drug addict, and form families. Any of these situations may create a crisis situation for many individuals. Crisis workers have to understand the different crises that might affect people and, most importantly, they have to be able to be there and help such people. A crisis that goes unresolved can end up in a suicide. Although that’s the extreme situation, it’s nonetheless a very possible one. Crisis workers have a very important job to do. Whether it’s a devastating flood, a terrorist attack, cancer, or a loss of primary income, crisis workers have to be able to help clients overcome negative feelings, painful emotions, and reenter the everyday world as fully functioning individuals.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Categorize the different reasons of crisis and the ways of coping with crisis
• Analyze the ABC model, suicidal intervention, and developmental crisis as important aspects of crisis intervention
• Prepare a research paper addressing a crisis intervention plan
• Develop the ways to deal with people having culturally sensitive and posttraumatic stress disorder
• Develop the way one deals with people suffering from different crisis situations
• Prepare a research paper continuing the same scenario with additional details

(3 CREDITS)

This course provides an understanding of the scientific theory, practices, and techniques used to process a crime scene. It examines how crime scene professionals protect themselves and the evidence at a crime scene. It identifies and describes the different roles that law enforcement professionals execute at the scene of a crime. The course also describes the types of evidence and how evidence is collected and secured before a crime lab processes it.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Summarize the importance of physical evidence
• Explain how to assess, photograph, sketch, map, and document a crime scene
• Recognize the different methods and technologies used to collect evidence
• Describe how to analyze and reconstruct a crime scene
• Write an essay on the methods of investigating a crime scene associated with arson

(3 CREDITS)

This course will explain and define organized crime and demonstrate how it’s treated in contemporary society. Organized crime has expanded to become a global issue. Understanding how organized criminals operate is important to understanding the field of criminal justice. Anyone who has been to the movies has seen a screen image of a criminal. The Godfather and other films presented stories about the American Mafia. But how true are these images we see in film? How different is a scholar’s perspective on organized crime? You’ll find out in this course.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Categorize the illegal activities and operating structures of organized crime groups
• Analyze the history, causes, and hierarchical structure of organized crime groups
• Point out the tools used to bring in changes in the organized crime world
• Distinguish between the legal sources that help in controlling organized crimes
• Apply the knowledge of laws and investigation techniques in the research to combat organized crimes

(3 CREDITS)

This course provides a comprehensive, critical, and balanced examination of the issues of crime and justice with respect to race and ethnicity. By the time you’ve completed this course, you’ll have an increased awareness on a subject that historically has sparked—and continues to spark—much debate in the legal and civil rights communities.

The issue of race is discussed from multiple perspectives within the criminal justice system. This course reviews some theories and examines practical realities in policing, the courts, and sentencing

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Distinguish between the impacts of racial and ethnic groups on the criminal justice system
• Analyze the theories associated with race, crime, and offenders in the juvenile justice system
• Point out the ways in which racial issues and disparities in policing industry affect courts
• Analyze the racial disparities found in corrections and in the death penalty
• Prepare a paper on the United States v. Bass case ruling

(3 CREDITS)

Family law is a topic that affects everyone. Most people marry at some point in their lives. Many married couples separate or divorce. Many people, married or unmarried, have children. These relationships are the most important relationships in people’s lives.

This course is intended to teach you the fundamentals of the legal and practical issues that a paralegal in a family law practice should know. There’s a lot to learn. Most family law issues are controlled primarily by the states, and the laws differ from state to state. This course can’t cover the details of every state’s approach to every issue. Instead, lessons will describe the broader legal principles that different states put into practice. The course will also address how federal law impacts families. This overview will allow you to learn more, whether in a future course or as a practicing paralegal, with confidence.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Explain the elements of family law practice and of marriage
• Define the fundamental principles of law with annulment and the divorce process
• Identify the role of a paralegal with cases involving parenthood, child custody, child support, and adoption
• Identify the proper forum and procedural requirements for spousal support, property division, separation agreements, and family violence
• Construct legal documents in order to apply learning of paralegal practice in the field of family law

(3 CREDITS)

This course will explore the legal aspects of business today. In addition, this course offers a good overall picture of the
American legal system and how it affects business on a daily basis.

Your course material is divided into five lessons based on your textbook, Business Law with UCC Applications, 14th Edition.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Analyze the sources and structure of the U.S. legal system, and the business laws and organizations
• Point out the purpose, requirements, and criteria needed for contracts
• Distinguish between real and personal property and the relationship between principal and agent
• Analyze the principles of sales, goods, and services and laws by the UCC that governs them
• Distinguish between the role of insurance, transactions, and bankruptcy in business law
• Create a case brief by following the instructions and procedure
• Prepare a written memorandum by applying your knowledge and following the instructions