Criminal Justice Degree - Shorter University

Sheffield-Thompson building on the Rome camus

A degree in Criminal Justice will open many opportunities for jobs on the Federal, State, County and City levels. The degree will give the student a well-rounded comprehensive study of Police, Courts, and Corrections as well as supporting agencies. The Criminal Justice degree at Shorter University not only prepares students for pre-employment training, such as police academy, it also positions graduates to advance in rank more quickly.

This degree will prepare the student for many jobs:

  • Policing on multiple levels
  • Courts:
         Pre-sentence Investigators
         Victim Advocates
         Probation and Parole Officers
         Court Bailiffs
         Attorneys
         Positions with agencies affiliated with the court system
  • Corrections:
         Corrections Officers
         Case Managers
         Pre-release Officers
         Recreation Directors
         Diagnostic Counselors

A Program to Meet Your Needs

Shorter’s Criminal Justice faculty consists of scholar-practitioners who teach from both an academic perspective and personal experience. The Criminal Justice degree is available in both traditional and online formats to better serve the needs of our students.

Peace officers who are certified by a state or Department of Corrections will receive 14 to 16 hours of credit. Coursework is then closely related to the officers’ professional experience – allowing them to take the lessons learned back to their agency and improve their service.

Criminal Justice Curriculum

Major Courses (36 hours)

  • CRJ 2070 Introduction to Criminal Justice
  • CRJ 2900 Criminal Justice Research and Writing
  • CRJ 3090 Theories in Criminal Justice
  • CRJ 3330 Police Systems
  • CRJ 3350 Correctional Systems
  • CRJ 3550 Judicial Systems
  • CRJ 4800 Ethics in Criminal Justice

Electives in Criminal Justice (Choose 5 of the following courses)

  • CRJ/SOC 3300 Juvenile Delinquency
  • CRJ 3340 Criminal Investigations
  • CRJ 3410 Criminal Law
  • CRJ 3430 Procedural Law
  • CRJ 3600 Prin./Practice of Restorative Justice
  • CRJ 3990 Special Topics
  • CRJ 4050 Internship
  • CRJ 4100 Conflict Resolution and Mediation
  • CRJ 4200 Human Trafficking
  • CRJ 4250 International CRJ and Human Rights
  • CRJ 4300 International Terrorism
  • CRJ/SOC 4500 Drugs, Alcohol, and Society
  • PSY 3100 Abnormal Psychology
  • SOC 3400 Cultural Diversity

Our Belief

The Criminal Justice Program at Shorter University strongly believes in Micah 6:8 – “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

“Our calling is humbly to love and serve our neighbors – clients, pastors, spouses, the oppressed, the orphans, and the actual neighbors on our block – through the limits and the freedom of the roles to which God has called us. We will seek to recognize our responsibilities to particular roles and in particular circumstances as those working in the criminal justice system within the body of Christ.” (Michael Schutt, 2007)

Meet the Faculty

Dr. Dustin Addison
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice