52 courses with the subject CJ, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
CJ 111Introduction to Criminal Justice3
Students are introduced to the structure, function and processes of the criminal justice system including law enforcement, the courts, and corrections as well as related elements. Strengths and weaknesses of the current system, proposals for change and ethical issues are broached. Throughout the course attention is given to requirements for and opportunities for employment and advanced education in various criminal justice-related professions. On-site visits and guest speakers are used. Fulfills Social Scientific requirement of the Foundations and Perspectives general education curriculum.
The class is the study of forensics and criminal evidence and how it is utilized in crime scene processing and subsequently in a court of law. Exploring the how and why of what is evidence, how it is interpreted, collected, and how submitted for trial. Examination of the basics of forensic crime scene analysis. The class will help students define and understand: What is forensics/criminalistics/ and evidence processing as demonstrated in the Captain Jeffery McDonald Case (1971). Fatal Vision case. Prerequisite CJ 111 or CJ 112
The methods and techniques used in social research: research design, data collection methods, basic analytic techniques and the theoretical orientations underlying them. Prerequisites: CJ 111, SOC 111, or PS 111 and MTH 107 or equivalent. Cross-listed at SOC 219.
An introduction to statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics, probability distributions, sampling theory, statistical inference, and regression and correlation analysis. Prerequisite: MTH 107. Cross-listed as SOC 220.
This course is a survey of strategic changes in U.S. national security policy post 9/11/01, including the history of the development of a separate homeland security entity situated within the Federal government and its associated organizations and policies. Every two years.
An examination of issues associated with crime victimization and how it is addressed within the U.S. criminal justice system, including the victims’ rights movement, the social and psychological impact of crime victimization, the role of victims in the prosecution and conviction of offenders, and victim restitution.
The purpose of this course is to advance student knowledge of the forensic science discipline of criminal justice. Through lectures and experiential learning, this course is designed to give students a working understanding of evidence examination and exploration of various forensic disciplines, provide an understanding of social and legal context, and engage in real-world case studies to apply their knowledge to practical scenarios. Prerequisites: CJ 111 and CJ 215.
A comparison of the U.S. system of justice with those from other countries around the world to illustrate varying approaches to the prosecution and punishment of criminal offenders. In this culminating and collaborative general education experience, students will work in a professional manner with students from other disciplines to create a cross-disciplinary solution to a problem specific to the course content. This course meets the requirement of the “Cultivating Character for a Fulfilling Life” general education curriculum for Character in Our World. Prerequisites: ENG 111, 112, and junior or senior standing.
This course explores the many functions of alternatives to incarceration or intermediate sanctions as they are applied to criminal offenders. This type of punishment falls somewhere between regular community supervision of criminal offenders (probation or parole) and imprisonment. Prerequisite: CJ 111 or permission of program. CJ 230 could be taken concurrently with this course.
An exploration of the major issues associated with acts of terrorism, both domestic and internationally, and methods used to deter these types of activities. Prerequisites: CJ 111 and 112, or permission of program.
An overview of collection, analysis, and exploitation of open source intelligence and social media architectures to provide insight and information directing policy-makers, law enforcement, and industry.
This course explores the intersection of incarcerated populations, corrections staff, and the practice of global religious traditions in U.S. prison settings. Looking at major western and eastern sacred identities and traditions, as well as indigenous and new religious movements, the course will provide students with a working knowledge and professional vocabulary. In this culminating and collaborative general education experience, students will work in a professional manner with students from other disciplines to create a cross-disciplinary solution to a problem specific to the course content. This course meets the requirement of the “Cultivating Character for a Fulfilling Life” general education curriculum for Character in Our World.
ENG 111, 112, and junior or senior standing. Cross-listed as REL 360.
CJ 400Human Trafficking 3
An examination of international and domestic sex and labor trafficking from the perspectives of victims, law enforcement, and the intelligence community.
An exploration of the critical issues associated with modern-day law enforcement agencies in U.S. society including the selection and training of officers, minorities and women in law enforcement roles, 182 Mars Hill University Academic Catalog 2026-27
Examines the major theories of delinquency, the processing of juveniles through the criminal justice system, and the case law associated with the rights of juvenile defendants. Prerequisite: CJ 111 or permission of program. Annually.
CJ 111 and CJ 113, or permission of program. CJ 113 could be taken concurrently with this
CJ 415Forensics III3
An examination of the techniques and methods utilized in forensic science in solving criminal cases. Utilizing experiential learning, this course is designed to give students a hands-on investigatory understanding of evidence examination. Prerequisites: CJ 111, CJ 215, and CJ 315.
This course examines organized crime in terms of historical antecedents, structure, related theories, and policy issues. Prerequisite: CJ 111 or permission of program. Every two years.
An overview of cybercrime, cyberthreats, open source intelligence, and the vulnerabilities individuals, businesses, and governments face every day in a digital world. Prerequisites: permission of the program. Every other year.
This course presents an overview of white collar crime in the U.S. through an analysis of the unique psychopathology of white collar criminals, the motivations behind these types of offenses, and the financial impact of these offenses on society. Prerequisite: CJ 111 or permission of program. Every two years.
An overview of the necessary skills and knowledge to enter the field of intelligence analysis. Examines national security and criminal intelligence and how both are used by multiple agencies at the local, state,
This course explores the management of criminal justice or other agencies/organizations within the public sector. It examines such issues as organizational theory, human resources, labor relations, planning and decision making, financial management, and evaluating productivity and quality in the public sector.
This course analyzes the effectiveness of crime control policy and law in the united States by contrasting crime reduction programs developed through misconceptions about how our criminal justice works with those that are supported by persuasive scientific evidence. Prerequisite: CJ 111 or permission of instructor.
Supervised readings in criminal justice. Credit awarded upon satisfactory completion of examination at the end of the semester. Student should make arrangements with the supervising faculty early in the semester before the course is to begin. No more than three credit hours of directed reading work can be used to substitute for an upper-level criminal justice elective. Prerequisite: Three courses in Criminal Justice, one of which is at the 300/400 level.
Advanced study in an area of criminal justice selected by the student with general direction from faculty advisor. Credit is granted upon completion of original paper. Student should make arrangements with the supervising faculty early in the semester before the course is to begin. No more than three credit hours of independent study work can be used to substitute for an upper-level criminal justice elective. Prerequisite: Three courses in Criminal Justice, one of which is at the 300/400 level.
Advanced, off-campus supervised internship in an agency or community setting during which the student applies knowledge and skills learned in the classroom. The internship is linked to a seminar that provides the opportunity to reflect upon the field experience and evaluate student performance. A maximum of six credit hours will be given for the internship experience unless otherwise approved by the Criminal Justice Coordinator. Prerequisites: 90 credit hours of coursework completed toward the degree and the completion of CJ 111, 112, 113, 210, 219, 220 and 230, at least three credit hours of upper level criminal justice electives, and 46 credit hours completed for general education requirements. CJ 470 Senior Sem. in Criminal Justice: The Role of Race/Ethnicity in the American Criminal Justice System 3 The capstone course for criminal justice that examines the role of race/ethnicity in crime production and the social control of offenders. Prerequisites: All criminal justice core courses and at least 90 credit hours of coursework or by permission of the program. Fulfills a General Education Practicum requirement. Mars Hill University Academic Catalog 2026-27 183
Criminal Justice options 12 six hours of 400-level courses six additional CJ hours Social Science Options 6 three hours of 100-200 level courses from SOC, PSY, or PS three hours of 300-400 level courses from SOC, PSY or PS III. Electives 32 credit hours To be taken in consultation with advisor (allowing the student to concentrate in some second or third area of study). Students may choose to meet the elective hours required by completing a second major or minor or area of personal interest. Transfer Policy: Criminal justice courses may be transferred as course equivalents provided they were successfully completed at an accredited institution of higher learning and are approved for substitution by the criminal justice chair. No University Credit for Work or Life Experience Policy: Without exception, criminal justice credit shall never be awarded for any prior work and/or life experience(s). Accelerated (4+1) Program: Exceptional criminal justice or criminal justice-related majors (e.g., sociology, psychology, social work, political science) at MHU are invited to apply to the M.A.C.J. program at MHU in the second semester of their junior year. If admitted, they will begin graduate studies while simultaneously completing requirements for an undergraduate degree and may take up to 9 credit hours of graduate-level course work in their senior year (no more than two courses a semester). Within the 4+1 program, students can gain admission to the Department of Criminal Justice’s Master of Arts in Criminal Justice (M.A.C.J.) program that will accelerate their studies and allow them to increase their qualifications for a future career, while also saving them time and money. The 4+1 program puts students on track to complete both undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years (see Five-Year Schedule for Criminal Justice 4+1 Program), as opposed to the traditional completion of four-year undergraduate and 2-year graduate programs. Once admitted to the 4+1 program, and assuming full-time study, students can expect to graduate with the M.A.C.J. at the end of their fifth year at MHU. 82 Mars Hill University Academic Catalog 2026-27
This course is a systematic analysis of the juvenile justice system and issues related to juvenile delinquency and constitutional law. Prerequisite: permission of program.
CJ 530Administrative and Legal Aspects of Corrections3
This course addresses historical and contemporary correctional policy, accountability, and possible remedial alternatives. Prerequisite: permission of program.
This course is for students wishing to conduct original research, implement qualitative research design, and enhance quantitative skills. Prerequisite: permission of program
Supervised readings in criminal justice. Credit awarded upon satisfactory completion of examination at the end of the semester. Prerequisite: admission to program.
Creative projects, including research and design which are supervised on an individual basis, and which fall outside the scope of formal courses. Prerequisites: CRIMJ 500 or permission of program.
This course will be supervised field experience in the discipline. A student may sign up for 120 field hours (3 credit hours) or for 240 field hours (6 credit hours). Prerequisites: 6 graduate credits in Criminal Justice or permission of program.
A synthesis of theory, research, and policy with conclusions reached about the implications of findings for the field of criminal justice. This project should be completed in the semester in which the student intends to graduate unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. Prerequisites: CJ 500, 501, 502, 503, and 504. Offered as needed.
Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Course Descriptions CJ 500 Advanced Criminological Theory 3 Provides an analysis of the research and critiques of the major theories of crime causation. Prerequisites: admission to program or permission of program. CJ 501 Advanced Research Methods in Criminal Justice 3 Quantitative methods and techniques of research design and implementation for theory and crime causation. CJ 502 Public Policy and Criminal Justice 3 Studies the concepts and processes of political and legal activity within the criminal justice system and their impact on society. Prerequisites: admission to program or permission of program. CJ 503 Advanced Statistics in Criminal Justice 3 Provides a firm basis of knowledge in statistical analysis using examples from the field of criminal justice and criminology. Prerequisites: to be taken concurrently with CRIMJ 503, permission of program. CJ 504 Criminal Justice Organization and Management 3 Provides modern management theory, administration, and research in criminal justice as applied to criminal justice organizations. Prerequisite: permission of program. CJ 506 Victim Services Management 3 Students are provided with an overview of the role of professional stakeholders in and management of victim services delivery to ensure efficient, professional, and across-agency cooperative victim-centered responses. CJ 510 Concepts and Practices in Police Administration 3 Discusses application of police research and management principles to the contemporary policing context. Prerequisite: permission of program. Mars Hill University Graduate Catalog, 2026-2027 31
