What is Criminal Justice?

The Criminal Justice system is an institution that is at the crux of societal concern.  When individuals are asked to define major social problems, the fear of and response to crime are found at the top of the list.  People not only want to have a better understanding of these problems; many also want to become a part of the solution.  It is these individuals who will be the primary beneficiaries of the Criminal Justice major at KSU.  The secondary beneficiaries are members of the community; university educated criminal justice personnel make better criminal justice practitioners.  This program of study is timely and relevant.  It infuses knowledge about interpersonal communication skills, multicultural issues, leadership and management concerns, moral and ethical considerations, and technological applications into the coursework. 
two ksu officers on bicycles riding on grass

Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Learn More About Criminal Justice

Admission Requirements

None. 

This program does not have specific admission requirements. Only admission to Kennesaw State University is required to declare this major.

 

Related Minors or Certificates Available

  • Criminal Justice Minor
  • Criminology Minor

Sample Classes

  • This course examines the history, development, structure, operation, and organization of criminal court systems in federal and state courts in the U.S. Topic areas include the roles of major professional and non-professional courtroom participants, stages in the process of adjudication of criminal cases from initial charging through post-conviction review, and an introduction to the constitutional rights of the accused.
  • This course provides an in-depth examination into racial and ethnic issues related to crime and justice in America. The course explores how racial stratification and inequalities influence crime and victimization and official responses to crime. Topic areas may include disparities in criminal justice enforcement, minority representation in the criminal justice system, and strategies for addressing discrimination across criminal justice policies and practices.
  • This course provides an overview of cyber crime and computer-related crime issues facing the American criminal justice system, particularly law enforcement. Topic areas include prevalence and types of cyber crime, cyber crime victim and offender characteristics, and methods and types of technologies used to engage in cyber crime. Emphasis is placed on the criminal justice system’s investigation and response to cyber crime. Future trends of cyber crime and computer-related crime are also discussed.
  • This course centers on the deductive criminal profiling method, the analysis process of forensic evidence, and the development of offender characteristics from behavioral evidence analysis. An overview of the socio-legal aspects involving profiling and analysis of specific profiling issues in different types of serial crime are addressed. Students examine an actual cold homicide and prepare a threshold assessment of the case.