Students who receive a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice complete a social science degree preparing them for justice-related careers, graduate study, and law school. The Criminal Justice degree is recommended for students who desire an understanding of the criminal justice system, law, and justice. The degree is not intended to serve as a professional training program, rather it is an academically centered major that focuses on the legal, ethical, administrative, and behavioral aspects of the justice system and its various parts. The degree has two options or programs. All students must complete a core of required courses which focus broadly on the criminal justice system and its components. The Criminal Justice Major particularly focuses on the components of criminal justice system and their administration, criminological theory, and issues of theory, diversity, myth, and ethics. The interdisciplinary Law and Justice Specialization concentrates on the context of law and justice in a heterogeneous society including coursework in law and justice policy and theory as well as practical courses in legal research and writing, and coursework in other disciplines such as philosophy.<br><br>Students will be able to:<br>exhibit a sound understanding of the myths of the criminal justice system and demonstrate meaningful knowledge of issues and dilemmas of problem-solving in a pluralistic society.<br>exhibit quantitative and qualitative social science skills that will allow them to meaningfully analyze empirically developed data and engage in program assessment.<br>demonstrate sophisticated thinking and writing in critical, programmatic, and evaluative venues and demonstrate the ability to approach knowledge from a variety of epistemological traditions.<br>demonstrate a solid grounding in a variety of ethical systems to enhance their ability to conduct themselves as ethical persons in complex and demanding situations.<br>conduct constant self-reflection as required to be an effective philosopher/practitioner amidst the American diversity in race, ethnicity, gender and class.