2018-2019

Interdisciplinary Studies - Justice Studies 90-30, Bachelor

Public Administration and Justice Studies

Online, Statewide, and Education Innovation

The courses offered in the Justice Studies program are designed to provide students with a solid theoretical foundation from which they can address current issues facing the criminal justice field. The skills focused on in the different emphasis areas (Criminal Justice Administration or Intelligence Studies) have been purposefully selected to enable students to succeed as a criminal justice practitioner and leader, enhance employment and career opportunities, and for those in the Intelligence Studies emphasis, prepare students to work in the intelligence field.  
 
Emphasis in Criminal Justice Administration: This emphasis is offered at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Estrella Mountain Community College, NAU-North Valley, Yuma, and Online.

Students pursuing a degree in Justice Studies with an emphasis in Criminal Justice Administration will be prepared to enter a career in the criminal justice field and pursue a variety of assignments. For those currently working in the criminal justice field, an emphasis in Criminal Justice Administration will provide a pathway for moving into a leadership position or a specialty assignment.
 
Emphasis in Intelligence Studies: This emphasis is only offered Online. 

Students pursuing a degree in Justice Studies with an emphasis in Intelligence Studies will be prepared to enter a career in the criminal justice field and work in the intelligence and homeland security areas. For those currently working in the criminal justice field, an emphasis in Intelligence Studies will provide a pathway for moving into intelligence-led policing, leading intelligence groups or other intelligence-related assignments within the criminal justice field. 

  • Available Emphasis Areas:
  • Intelligence Studies - Emphasis
  • Criminal Justice Administration - Emphasis

  • To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.

    • All of Northern Arizona University's diversity, liberal studies, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
    • At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
    • At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
    • A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.

    The full policy can be viewed here.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion 120
Major GPA C
Highest Mathematics Required MAT 114
Foreign Language Optional
Fieldwork Experience/Internship Optional
Some online/blended coursework Required
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A Recommended
Progression Plan Link View Progression Plan

Purpose Statement

The Interdisciplinary Studies, 90-30 in Justice Studies provides online and distance-learning students with a professional, criminal justice-focused education that prepares students to ethically work and lead in the fields of criminal justice and intelligence. The 90-30 degree plan is ideal for students who have completed a number of credit hours at the community college or university level, and are looking to finish their degree in a relatively short amount of time. The program's accelerated course format, as well as course offerings throughout the calendar year, allows students to achieve this goal.
 
To help students reach their education and career goals, all Justice Studies faculty have advanced degrees and extensive experience in the criminal justice or intelligence fields, specializing in areas, such as criminal justice investigations, police leadership, community policing, drug investigations, federal law enforcement, corrections, intelligence-led policing, military intelligence, cyber crime, and the law.
 
Students complete core courses in ethics, leadership, criminal justice, criminology, the justice system, and effective writing. They then move on to tailoring their degree to their individual interests by selecting elective courses in criminal justice administration or intelligence studies.
 
The emphasis in criminal justice administration ensures students develop an in-depth knowledge of their area of interest within the criminal justice system, such as juvenile justice, mentally ill offenders, employment law, community policing, corrections, restorative justice and crime control. This emphasis also guides students to use critical thinking to analyze theoretical concepts for the purpose of solving practical criminal justice issues; a necessary skill for success in the criminal justice field. Upon completion of this course of study, students will have the skills to ethically work and lead within the criminal justice field at the local, state or federal level.
 
The emphasis in intelligence studies ensures students develop the ability to identify, collect, process, analyze and disseminate intelligence information for investigating all forms of criminal activity, including terrorism. The specialized Intelligence Studies courses are purposefully selected to expose students to a variety of contemporary topics in the intelligence field, such as intelligence-led policing, the intelligence process, the promotion of terrorist ideologies through social media, the psychology of terrorism, and counterintelligence strategies. Upon completion of this course of study, students will have the skills to transition into intelligence community professional careers at the local, state or federal level.
 
In addition to working in the criminal justice and intelligence fields, many graduates choose to build upon their critical thinking, criminal justice, intelligence, and leadership courses by pursuing advanced degrees in criminal justice, leadership, intelligence, or the law.

Student Learning Outcomes

Core Outcomes:
 

  • Understand the ethical issues impacting the criminal justice field
  • Identify and discuss the various steps involved in the adjudication process
  • Distinguish between the crime control model of criminal justice and the due process model of criminal justice
  • Describe how the courts are related to other components of the criminal justice system 
In addition, students pursuing an emphasis in Criminal Justice Administration will be able to: 
  • Have an in-depth understanding of specific areas of the criminal justice field (e.g., employment law for justice administrators, forensics, cultural diversity)
  • Have a general understanding of the theoretical causes of crime and be able to use this theoretical foundation to analyze practical criminal justice situations
  • Use leadership theories to develop strategies for leading in the criminal justice field 
In addition, students pursuing an emphasis in Intelligence Studies will be able to: 
  • Provide a detailed understanding of basic intelligence concepts including the intelligence cycle, which serves as a framework for understanding intelligence activities.
  • Explain the conceptual and practical foundations, organization, collection of platforms, capabilities, limitations, exploitation and key issues of intelligence collection with emphasis on various disciplines including HUMINT, SIGINT, MASINT, GEOINT and OSINT used in intelligence products
  • Identify, describe and evaluate applicable intelligence technologies
  • Understand how and why social media is used to facilitate terrorist ideologies
  • Identify ways to monitor, collect (covertly, overtly, and electronically), organize, and analyze data relating to a wide range criminal activity.
  • Understand the role criminal intelligence has in crime prevention and intervention.
  • Articulate understanding of the craft of intelligence analysis to include: critical thinking techniques, recognizing cognitive biases and logic errors, intelligence analysis process, intelligence-policy connection and natural points of conflict within this critical relationship, intelligence failures and associated causes, and challenges facing today's intelligence analyst.
  • Examine the range of ethical responsibilities different U.S. intelligence communities hold, the relationship between intelligence and the policy-making process as well as the legal foundations and oversight mechanisms with particular emphasis on the intersection of national security concerns and civil liabilities

Additional Admission Requirements
  • Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

    • To be admitted to the 90-30 program in Justice Studies you must have completed or be in the process of completing JUS 110 and JUS 120 or their equivalent.
Liberal Studies Requirement
    • Students with a completed AGEC from Arizona Community Colleges will have met the 35 units of liberal studies requirements.
    • Students with a completed IGETC from a California Community College will have met the 35 units of liberal studies requirements.
    • Up to 9 units of specialization prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy specialization requirements.
Major Requirements
  • All coursework in the Specialization Areas must be upper-division and from Northern Arizona University. Substitutions and use of credit from other institutions are not allowed in the Specialization.

    Multi-use of coursework is not permitted within the Major Requirements. Major Requirements include Specialization, Communication, Computer Literacy, Language and Science.

  • Take the following 30 units with a Grade of "C" or better in each course

    Justice Studies Specialization


  • Select one Emphasis in Criminal Justice Administration or Intelligence Studies (21 units)
Interdisciplinary Studies Requirements
  • Communication Requirements (6 units)

    Choose 6 units in the following two categories. 

    • Performance-based courses, select one from the following (3 units)
      • CST 111, CST 311, CST 312, CST 314, CST 315CST 318 (Performance-based courses are defined as having at least 51 percent of the evaluation of the student being based upon oral performance.)
      • Or advisor approved
    • Theory-based courses, select one from the following (3 units)
  • Please note that you cannot use CLEP or locally prepared exams to satisfy this requirement. Transfer credit used to satisfy this requirement must be approved by the program director.

  • Foreign Language Requirement Option (19 units)

    • Foreign Language Requirement (16 units)
      • You must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is equivalent to four terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or by testing out of all or part of it by taking CLEP, or other exams.
    AND
    • Computer Literacy (3 units)
      • This coursework must help you to understand, in general, the technical components of computers and information systems, how to solve problems using information systems technology, word processing, spreadsheet use, database management, graphic information software, website development, graphic design and use of statistical analysis software. Subject to advisor approval.
      • Select one from the following (3 units)
        • [BBA 293]
        • [ISM 120]
  • OR

    Science Requirement Option (18 units)
  • Science Requirement, select from the following (12 units):

    • ANT 101, ANT 250
    • GSP 130, GSP 150
    • Courses with Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Geology, Mathematics, Nutrition, Physical Science, Physics, Statistics prefixes. Please note that other courses must be approved by the program director.
  • AND

    Computer Literacy (6 units)

    This coursework must help you to understand, in general, the technical components of computers and information systems, how to solve problems using information systems technology, word processing, spreadsheet use, database management, graphic information software, website development, graphic design and use of statistical analysis software. Subject to advisor approval.

    • Select ISM 120 or BBA 293 (3 units)
    • BBA 340 or Advisor Approved coursework including the CIS or CS prefix (3 units)
General Electives
  • Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.

    You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.

    We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.

Additional Information
  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.