Objectives and Outcomes

Mission

We prepare students to move successfully into criminal justice, forensic investigation, and related careers as liberally educated people who are intellectually mature, ethically responsible, culturally aware, and knowledgeable about social justice concerns.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the criminal justice program should:

  1. demonstrate an understanding of fundamental concepts related to the interrelationship of various components within the criminal justice system;
  2. apply criminological theories in explaining criminal behavior;
  3. demonstrate the ability to formulate a problem/topic, assemble relevant research and resources, and analyze data;
  4. evaluate social, cultural, and technological change and its impact on the criminal justice system;
  5. understand, analyze, and evaluate social research;
  6. demonstrate a working knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods;
  7. demonstrate in-depth knowledge of substantive areas within the discipline of criminal justice.

Graduates of the forensic investigation program should:

  1. explain how the discipline of forensic investigation contributes to the criminal justice system;
  2. utilize and describe methods of collection, preservation, analysis, and comparison in forensic investigation;
  3. identify the relevant legal and ethical issues involved in evidence collection and processing;
  4. demonstrate proper logic, grammar, and style for writing forensic reports;
  5. review forensic research for purposes of solving a forensic problem;
  6. demonstrate an understanding of the social, historical, philosophical, cultural, scientific, and technological changes relevant to the study of forensic criminology.