Course Syllabus
Course: CJ 1330
Division: Social and Behavioral Science
Department: Behavioral Science
Title: Criminal Law
Semester Approved: Spring 2024
Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2028
End Semester: Fall 2029
Catalog Description: This course considers several basic areas of the criminal law, including the origins of the criminal code, court structure, present elements of many various offenses, social considerations, community impact and offender consequences. This course is offered as in-class and online.
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 0
Justification: This course is required for an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice. It is designed so that it can transfer to all schools within the USHE system.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Evaluate contemporary and/or historical problems using appropriate Criminal Law research methodology. This will be accomplished through the research project by the student and evaluated by the instructor; and by the student’s participation in a final project or exam.
Describe and analytically compare the different social, political, economic, cultural, geographical, or historical settings and processes in Criminal Law Students will complete critical thinking exercises in the chapters or take the appropriate quiz or exam and submit them for evaluation by the instructor. The student will also complete a research project that will be based on different types of processes.
Develop and communicate hypothetical explanations for individual human behavior within the large-scale historical or social context related to Criminal Law. This will be explored and assessed by the instructor in final projects and questions in review.
Write and/or demonstrate effectively within the (appropriate) the discipline of Criminal Law, using correct disciplinary guidelines, to analyze, interpret, and communicate about social science phenomena. This will be accomplished in all the written assignments, attendance, and projects.
Content:
At course conclusion, students should possess a basic understand of the criminal law. They should be able to differentiate between various crimes and the elements comprising them, understand the court components and process, identify potential penalties and recognize strengths, pitfalls and perceived inequities within the criminal system. The criminal legal system disproportionately affects minority groups, so it is important that this course teaches the difficulties in social situations, investigating, sentencing, and trying people from marginalized groups so that the future criminal law process might improve.
Key Performance Indicators:
Attendance 10 to 10%
Quizzes 10 to 10%
Questions in Review 10 to 20%
Written Assignments 10 to 30%
Final Projects 10 to 40%
Final Examination 20 to 50%
Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Principles of Criminal Law, Roberson Wallace, Current Edition, Pearson
Pedagogy Statement:
This course will be taught by the most up to date pedagogical methods such as lecture, group work, discussion, written assignments and projects which require practical application. Criminal Law is based on including groups of all backgrounds and learning styles. It is a course that is designed to understand various backgrounds of various cultures.
Instructional Mediums:
Lecture
Online
Maximum Class Size: 40
Optimum Class Size: 40
