Undergraduate Curriculum | Criminal Justice Major (BA) | Criminal Justice Major (BS) | Criminal Justice Minor | Forensic Science | Victim Studies |Course Descriptions
Administrative Officers
Dean |
Vincent J. Webb, Ph.D. |
Associate Dean |
Janet L.Mullings, Ph.D. |
Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies |
Michael S. Vaughn, Ph.D. |
Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies |
Holly A. Miller, Ph.D. |
Faculty: Gaylene Armstrong, Todd Armstrong, Jeffery Bouffard, Leana Bouffard, Joan Bytheway, Steven Cuvelier, Rolando del Carmen, Jerry Dowling, Jim Dozier, Kate Fox, Cortney Franklin, Travis Franklin, Charles Friel, David Gangitano, R.L. Garner, Jurg Gerber, Howard Henderson, Larry Hoover, Hee-Jong Joo, Glen Kercher, Sarah Kerrigan, Dennis Longmire, Phillip Lyons, Scott Menard, Holly Miller, Janet Mullings, Will Oliver, Ling Ren, Mitchell Roth, Sam Souryal, Melissa Tackett-Gibson, Raymond Teske, Victoria Titterington, Michael Vaughn, Bill Wells, Jorn Chi-Chung Yu, Yan Zhang, Jihong Solomon Zhao
Mission
PREAMBLE: The College of Criminal Justice is committed to providing students with a quality liberal arts education. Furthermore, students will gain an appreciation of their role as criminal justice professionals and as contributing members of society. As a part of a public university, the College also is committed to public service.
The University baccalaureate core curriculum will provide the foundation for talents necessary to succeed in the criminal justice profession and in society. These talents include:
• an ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• an ability to use numbers and symbols in the representation of reality and to engage in logical thinking.
• an appreciation of the scientific method and the contribution of the sciences.
• an appreciation of culture through the visual and performing arts.
• an appreciation of human diversity and the imperative of human values in the preservation of a free society.
• an understanding of the political nature of society and its role in the Union of the United States.
• an understanding of the role of the individual as part of the family, groups, organization, and society.
• an appreciation of moral and ethical judgment.
• an appreciation of self through physical, social, and psychological development.
Criminal Justice: Criminal justice is a discipline that encompasses the preservation and protection of social order in a free society. It includes such principles as democracy, rule of law, constitutionalism, civil liberties, and the safeguarding of citizens against intimidation and oppression. The Criminal Justice curriculum which is based on the University’s liberal arts core is designed to prepare students for higher education or entering careers in criminal justice. Graduates are expected to continue their personal and professional development in a variety of practical settings. To achieve this mission, four dimensions of development serve as a basis for the curriculum.
Knowledge, Reasoning, Judgment: The Criminal Justice curriculum provides students with the opportunity and assistance to acquire knowledge of the roles of policing, courts, laws, and corrections as they contribute to social order. Students will gain knowledge of the history, concepts, and critical issues in these areas through criminal justice required courses. The curriculum further provides a theoretical foundation of the discipline, combined with a thorough understanding of the scientific method as it applies to criminal justice. This combination is expected to sharpen the students’ talents of reasoning and judgment — qualities imperative to rational functioning in the discipline.
Ability, Skills, Integration: The Criminal Justice curriculum provides students with the ability to achieve the professional goals of criminal justice. Students will learn how to prudently integrate knowledge and practice in criminal justice. Furthermore, the curriculum provides students with an opportunity to develop the individual and group skills necessary to meet various role expectations.
Conduct, Professionalism, Ethics: The Criminal Justice curriculum provides students with an appreciation for the complexity and dilemmas associated with the criminal justice profession. Criminal Justice students will be exposed to the moral and ethical dimensions of the various careers within the discipline and will be charged with the essential aptitudes necessary for their professional conduct.
Vision, Change, Adaptation: The Criminal Justice curriculum provides students with an understanding of the discipline as it currently exists and as it is envisioned to be in the future. The Criminal Justice student will be able to apply vision in the face of change and to respond to the evolving nature of criminal justice and society. Furthermore, students will be equipped with the tools of adaptation for making these changes. The Criminal Justice program at Sam Houston State University was established by the Texas Legislature in 1965 under House Resolution 469, which directed the University to establish a program of excellence in criminal justice with four objectives:
• Provide training for undergraduate and graduate students preparing for careers in criminal justice;
• Provide a program of continuing education for professionals already employed in the field;
• Provide technical assistance and consultation services to criminal justice agencies;
• Promote research on problems in crime and the administration of criminal justice.
The College of Criminal Justice has developed a regional and national reputation for excellence. The academic programs include a major in criminal justice at the bachelor’s level and graduate degrees at the masters and doctoral levels. The program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice is available only to students already holding an advanced degree.
Academic Programs
| Major | Degree(s) |
| Criminal Justice | B.A., B.S. |
| Victim Studies | B.A. |
Note: This listing of undergraduate degree programs is correct as of December 2009 and does not include those degree programs being phased out.
Highlights
- The Criminal Justice Center is a 130,000 square foot facility which houses a courtroom, auditorium, conference facilities, hotel and café.
- The Criminal Justice Center encompasses the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Institute of Texas, the Correctional Management Institute of Texas, and the Crime Victims’ Institute.
- The CJ program boasts one of the largest faculties in the United States with experts in the field of law, law enforcement, police administration, criminology, corrections, history, psychology, terrorism, forensic anthropology, and forensic science.
- Recruiters from various agencies around the world visit the center on a regular basis.
- Students receive real world experience by participating in agency tours, internships, and regional/national conferences.
Suggested Minors
- Accounting
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Communication Studies
- Computer Science
- Foreign Language
- General Business
- Information Assurance
- Psychology
- Sociology
Career Opportunities
- Police Agencies - State, County, Municipal
- Security Management
- Immigration/Customs Enforcement
- Border Patrol
- Drug Enforcement
- Private Investigation
- Probation
- Parole
- Family/Child Services
- Correctional Advisor/Counselor
- Game Warden
- Military Police
- Military Intelligence
- Victim Services Specialist
- Substance Abuse Counselor
Student Organizations and Activities
- Alpha Phi Sigma National Criminal Justice Honor Society
- Crime Victims Service Alliance
- Lambda Alpha Epsilon Criminal Justice Association
- National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice
- Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Society
- Society of Forensic Science
The College of Criminal Justice hosts a variety of events for students including special guest lecturers, College of Criminal Justice Career Fair, College of Criminal Justice Undergraduate Conference, victimology fairs, mock courtroom trials, and an annual student/faculty picnic each Spring semester.
Internships/Study Abroad
Through the Internship Program, many criminal justice agencies in the United States have had an opportunity to recruit dedicated and well-educated men and women for careers in law enforcement, corrections, victim services, forensic science and a variety of social service agencies that work with the offender. Students interested in serving as interns must have maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.50 in all coursework and be classified as seniors. Field placements range from local to international agencies with emphases on law enforcement, corrections, courts/legal services, and support/social services. The following is a list of some of the agencies used as field placements:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Federal Bureau of Investigations
- Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
- INTERPOL
- Pinkerton Investigative Services
- Texas Attorney General
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- Texas Parks and Wildlife
- United Nations
- United States Custom Service
- United States Department of State
- United States Marshal Service
- United States Secret Service
- White House Security, Washington D.C.
The College of Criminal Justice offers a variety of study abroad opportunities to contrasting locales, including Turkey, Poland, Italy, Korea, Spain, and China. Traveling with SHSU turns an ordinary trip into an unforgettable experience. Students may receive 3 hours of academic credit for study abroad. Classes include study of justice administration in the study country, including: victimology, human rights issues, police training, crime patterns and trends, correctional systems and criminal and procedural law. For more information, visit the criminal justice study abroad website at http://www.cjcenter.org/college/trips/.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to criminal justice majors and awarded in the spring of each year at the College of Criminal Justice Honors Convocation for the following academic year. With the exception of incoming freshmen scholarships, a student must have completed at least one long semester at Sam Houston State University. Please review the CJ scholarship website at: www.shsu.edu/~sfa_www/scholarship.html#cj.
Program Specific Requirements
Please see the individual degree plans below for degree specific requirements.
Curriculum*
Sam Houston State University is authorized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Criminal Justice, and a Bachelor of Arts in Victim Studies. Coursework for these degrees is offered by the College of Criminal Justice. The prefix designation for registration purposes is “CJ.”
Criminal Justice Core
***3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk***
| CJ 261 <CRIJ 2361> | Introduction to the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| CJ 262 <CRIJ 2362> | Criminology | 3 |
| CJ 264 <CRIJ 2364> | Fundamentals of Criminal Law | 3 |
| CJ 265 <CRIJ 2365> | Correctional Systems and Practices | 3 |
| CJ 267 <CRIJ 2367> | Police Systems and Practices | 3 |
| CJ 378 <CRIJ 3378> | Introduction to Methods of Research | 3 |
| CJ 485 <CRIJ 4385> | Crime, Justice, and Social Diversity | 3 |
| CJ 486 <CRIJ 4386> | Problem Analysis in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| 24 |
Major (No Minor)
| Core Courses | 24 |
| Criminal Justice Electives | 21 |
Major (With Approved Minor in Another Field)
| Core Courses | 24 |
| Criminal Justice Electives* | 12 or 18 |
| Minor | 18 |
***3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk***
Bachelor of Arts |
||
Major in Criminal Justice |
||
SHSU Course Number |
Hours |
Recommended Sequence |
Core Curriculum |
||
Component Area I (Communication) |
6 |
|
Component Area II (Mathematics) |
3 |
|
Component Area III (Natural Sciences) |
8 |
|
Component Area IV (Humanities/Visual/Performing Arts) |
9 |
|
Component Area V (Social/Behavioral Sciences) |
15 |
|
Component Area VI (Institutionally Designated Option) |
1 |
|
Degree Specific Requirements |
||
3 |
Must be taken in Residence |
|
3 |
Junior |
|
Foreign Language |
14 |
|
Criminal Justice Major Core |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
Criminal Justice Major Electives |
||
CJ <CRIJ> Advanced Electives |
21 |
|
General Electives |
13 |
|
Minor (if required) |
||
Total Hours: 120 Hours |
||
Notes: 1Equivalents such as PSY 387, SOC 343 can be taken to satisfy STA 379. |
||
Forty-two semester hours of advanced coursework (300 or 400 level) are the absolute minimum. Minimum number of semester hours in residence: 30 semester hours of which 24 must be advanced. |
||
Use general electives to satisfy the 42 advanced hour requirement. |
||
***3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk***
Bachelor of Science |
||
Major in Criminal Justice |
||
SHSU Course Number |
Hours |
Recommended Sequence |
Core Curriculum |
||
Component Area I (Communication)1 |
6 |
|
Component Area II (Mathematics) |
3 |
|
Component Area III (Natural Sciences) |
8 |
|
Component Area IV (Humanities/Visual/Performing Arts) |
9 |
|
Component Area V (Social/Behavioral Sciences) |
15 |
|
Component Area VI (Institutionally Designated Option) |
1 |
|
Degree Specific Requirements |
||
3 |
Must be taken in Residence |
|
3 |
Junior |
|
2ECO 230 <ECON 2300>, PHL 262 <PHIL 2303>, PHL 362 <PHIL 3362>, PHL 265 <PHIL xxxx>, POL 285 <POLS 2302>, POL 393 <POLS 3393>, PSY 131 <PSYC 1301>, PSY 331 <PSYC 3331>, PSY 383 <PSYC 3383>, SOC 131 <SOCI 1301>, SOC 364 <SOCI 3324> |
15 |
|
Criminal Justice Major Core |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
Criminal Justice Major Electives |
||
CJ Advanced Electives |
21 |
|
General Electives |
12 |
|
Minor (if required) |
||
Total Hours: 120 Hours |
||
Notes: 1Equivalents such as PSY 387, SOC 343 can be taken to satisfy STA 379. |
||
2The following courses: ECO 230, POL 285, and PSY 131 will satisfy Component Area V and degree specific requirements. |
||
Forty-two semester hours of advanced coursework (300 or 400 level) are the absolute minimum. Minimum number of semester hours in residence: 30 semester hours of which 24 must be advanced. |
||
Use general electives to satisfy the 42 advanced hour requirement. |
||
***3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk***
Bachelor of Arts |
||
Major in Victim Studies |
||
SHSU Course Number |
Hours |
Recommended Sequence |
Core Curriculum |
||
Component Area I (Communication) |
6 |
|
Component Area II (Mathematics) |
3 |
|
Component Area III (Natural Sciences) |
8 |
|
Component Area IV (Humanities/Visual/Performing Arts) |
9 |
|
Component Area V (Social/Behavioral Sciences) |
15 |
|
Component Area VI (Institutionally Designated Option) |
1 |
|
Degree Specific Requirements |
||
Foreign Language |
14 |
|
Victims Studies Major Foundation |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
Victims Studies Major |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
CJ 478 <CRIJ 4378>, SOC 386 <SOCI 4344>, HED 460 <HLTH 4360> |
3 |
|
3 |
||
3 |
||
3 |
||
Victims Studies Major Electives |
||
CJ 294 <CRIJ 2394>; CJ 470 <CRIJ 4370>; CJ 477 <CRIJ 4377>; CJ 496 <CRIJ 4396>; CJ 497 <CRIJ 4397>; CJ 489 <CRIJ 4389>; CJ 473 <CRIJ 4373> (9 Hours); POL 334 <POLS 3334>; POL 495 <POLS 4395> (9 Hours); PSY 331 <PSYC 3331; SOC 333 <SOCI 3307>; SOC 335 <SOCI 3325>; SOC 364 <SOCI 3324> or Any Department Approved Sub |
12 |
|
Total Hours: 120 Hours |
||
Notes: The Victim Studies Major is an interdisciplinary degree. Please be aware that there may be prerequisites or stem courses that you need to complete before taking some of the classes listed. |
||
Forty-two semester hours of advanced coursework (300 or 400 level) are the absolute minimum. Minimum number of semester hours in residence: 30 semester hours of which 24 must be advanced. |
||
Use general electives to satisfy the 42 advanced hour requirement. |
||
Minor in Criminal Justice
***3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk***
| CJ 261 <CRIJ 2361> Introduction to the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| CJ 262 <CRIJ 2362> Criminology | 3 |
| CJ 264 <CRIJ 2364> Criminal Law | 3 |
| CJ 485 <CRIJ 4385> Crime, Justice and Social Diversity | 3 |
| CJ <CRIJ> Advanced Elective | 6 |
| 18 |
Emphasis in Forensic Science
Bachelor of Science
Students seeking a background that will prepare them for careers in Forensic Science can select advanced courses that can lead to a major in Chemistry and a minor in Criminal Justice and/or Biology.
***3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk***
| CHM 348 <CHEM 3438> | Introductory Biochemistry |
| CHM 339 <CHEM 3339> | Metabolism |
| CHM 440 <CHEM 4440> | Instrumental Analytical Chemistry |
| CHM 441 <CHEM 4441> | Methods for Environmental and Industrial analyses |
| CHM 458 | Physical Chemistry I |
| CHM 495 <CHEM 4395> | Undergraduate Research in Chemistry |
| CJ 261 <CRIJ 2361> | Introduction to the Criminal Justice System |
| CJ 267 <CRIJ 2367> | Police Systems and Practices |
| CJ 268 <CRIJ 2368> | Criminal Investigation |
| CJ 294 <CRIJ 2394> | The Courts and Criminal Procedure |
| CJ 366 <CRIJ 3366> | Forensic Science |
| CJ 363 <CRIJ 3363> | Violent Offenders |
| CJ 462 <CRIJ 4362> | Substance Use and Abuse |
| CJ 473 <CRIJ 4373> | Undergraduate Internship In Criminal Justice (nine hours) |
| Other recommended courses include: | |
| BIO 345 <BIOL 3450> | Introductory Genetics |
| BIO 347 <BIOL 3470> | General Microbiology |
| BIO 349 <BIOL 3490> | Histology |
| BIO 474 <BIOL 4374> | Biostatistics |
| BIO 480 <BIOL 4480> | Introduction to Molecular Biology |
Information on Programs and Grants
For additional information regarding admission requirements, degree programs, description of courses, and scholarships available to students, please refer to appropriate sections of the Undergraduate Catalog or the Graduate Catalog of Sam Houston State University. Brochures and information regarding the College of Criminal Justice baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs may be obtained by visiting our website www.cjcenter.org or by writing:
Dean and Director
College of Criminal Justice
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, Texas 77341-2296
Requests for information concerning loans, grants, and other financial aid to undergraduate students should be addressed to the Student Financial Aid Office, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas 77341-2328.