Bachelor of Science Degree

The Career-Focused Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice provides dynamic and intensive instruction in all aspects of the Criminal Justice system. The program is designed to prepare motivated students for their career in two short years. This results-oriented program has fewer credits than the traditional program and focuses on workplace-ready skills. The Career-Focused program is designed with liberal arts outcomes embedded within the context of courses in the major, highlighting the importance of soft skills in technology-focused careers. Career-Focused programs are closely aligned with market needs, providing students with a robust framework for both academic and professional success. These innovative programs will not only provide graduates with a skillset that is in demand but will also reduce the cost of their education and the time to enter their chosen career.

NEIT’s reduced credit Career Focused programs will be sufficient to meet admission requirements for NEIT’s master’s degree programs.  However, other institutions may not accept NEIT’s reduced credit Career Focused program as an undergraduate credential sufficient for admission.  It is critical that students confirm specific          requirements with their institution of choice.

The program exposes students to rigorous study of criminal justice topics like Case Studies in Criminal Forensics, Domestic and Family Law Issues, Integration of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, and The Bridge Between Technology and CJ.

Students are exposed to various specialized disciplines in criminal justice such as domestic terrorism, ethics, and administrative issues. Students will also study police operations, including report writing, use of force issues, issues of diversity in criminal justice and advanced investigation techniques.

Career-Focused Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice students will utilize the skills and knowledge acquired in each term to participate in a Moot Court/Mock Trial testimony exercise in term four and then a challenging multi-session Criminal Justice Senior Capstone in their final term. The Criminal Justice Senior Capstone Project is a real-time investigative assignment beginning with a mock crime event and involves gathering information from victims and/or witnesses, processing the crime scene and culminates with drafting a comprehensive report and evidence portfolio that will be presented to a panel of law enforcement professionals. Students will develop a Capstone case file/portfolio that can be used when applying for employment and demonstrating skills acquired during the program.

In the final term, students may have the option to participate in a Criminal Justice Senior Internship where they will work with criminal justice professionals in the community. During this Senior Internship, students will have opportunities to apply classroom training to real-life situations in various police departments, courts, correctional facilities, and investigative agencies and gain first-hand knowledge of the criminal justice system.

Graduates of this program will be qualified to seek entry-level employment in a number of challenging criminal justice professions, such as police officer, state trooper, correctional officer, court officer, criminal justice counselor, federal law enforcement officer, private security officer, crime scene investigator, corporate loss prevention, and insurance claims investigator. (Please note: a criminal record may affect a graduate’s ability to qualify for some law enforcement positions.)

Plan of Study Grid

Term I		Quarter Credit Hours
CJ 110	Criminal Justice	4
CJ 114	The Court System	4
CJ 120	Forensics I	5
EN 100	Introduction to College Writing	4
	Quarter Credit Hours	17
Term II
CJ 122	Criminal Law	5
CJ 130	Forensics II/Portfolio Management	4
CJ 134	Report Writing	4
Choose one of the following (depending upon Math Placement):		4
MA 125	Technical Math I
Elective	100-200 level Math/Science Core
	Quarter Credit Hours	17
Term III
CJ 132	Criminal Procedure	5
CJ 240	Interviewing & Investigation Techniques	3
CJ 256	Portfolio Prep & Management	1
CJ 264
	Quarter Credit Hours	9
Intersession 1
Elective	100-200 Level Humanities (or Arts/Foreign Language) Core	4
	Quarter Credit Hours	4
Term IV
CJ 250	Police Operations/Simulated Firearms Skills	4
CJ 260	Moot Court/Mock Trial	3
Elective	100-200 Level Social Sciences Core	4
Choose one of the following:		3-4
CJ 262	Internship
CJ 266	Gangs & Organized Crime
	Quarter Credit Hours	14-15
Term V
CJ 371	Evidence and the Law	4
CJ 372	Case Studies in Criminal Forensics	4
CJ 402	Use of Force and the Consequences	4
EN 322	Advanced Career Writing for Digital Media	4
	Quarter Credit Hours	16
Term VI
CJ 382	Integration of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure	3
CJ 393	Advanced Reporting Writing Skills	4
CJ 410	Advanced Techniques in Criminal Forensics	4
HU 315	Cultural Competence in the Workplace	4
	Quarter Credit Hours	15
Term VII
CJ 389	Mobile Device Forensics	4
CJ 394	Issues of Diversity in Criminal Justice	3
CJ 418	Capstone Investigation and Preparation	2
CJ 420	Criminal Justice Administration Issues	3
Elective	300-400 Level Humanities or Social Sciences Core	4
	Quarter Credit Hours	16
Intersession 2
Elective	300-400 Level Mathematics or Science Core	4
	Quarter Credit Hours	4
Term VIII
CJ 380	Criminal Justice and the Media	4
CJ 400	Ethics and the Criminal Justice Professional	3
CJ 424	Senior Capstone	3
Choose one of the following:		3-4
CJ 419	From the Street to the Courtroom
CJ 426	Senior Internship
	Quarter Credit Hours	13-14
	Total Quarter Credit Hours	125-127

Program Mission

The mission of the Career-Focused Criminal Justice Bachelor Program is to provide instruction to current and future criminal justice professionals by emphasizing the role of critical thinking and decision-making as they examine relevant topics and theories. Through a combination of theory and participation in practical skills exercises, as well as an optional internship, the bachelor’s program provides instruction related to society’s efforts to uphold social control, deter crime, and deal with offenders using criminal and civil penalties, as well as rehabilitation programs. Students will enhance and sharpen the investigative skills learned during their initial terms of study by reviewing, evaluating, and applying proper techniques in more complex crime scenes and scenarios. These learned skills will prepare students for a Capstone case where they will encounter a challenging mock crime scene event in several segments designed to showcase the practical, oral, and written communication skills they have acquired.

Program Goals

1. Provide an environment that will instill a sense of pride, skill, professionalism and a higher level of critical thinking and communication that students can transition to a criminal justice organization.
2. Allow students to acquire the necessary practical skills that are required to effectively seek employment in a public or private criminal justice agency through the use of contemporary equipment and methods utilized by professionals in the field.
3. Expose students to discussions involving topics such as ethics, diversity, and administrative challenges in an effort to broaden their understanding of the future of their profession and help prepare them for advancement in their chosen field of employment.

Program Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

1. Assess the relevancy and use of various advanced forensic investigation processes and their impact on criminal and civil cases.
2. Assess and employ analytical and report writing skills through use of software used in the profession.
3. Expand individual insights by studying points of view that differ from their own and that may differ from the view most dominant in their culture and recognize that there is relevance in the viewpoints of other cultures and peoples.
4. Analyze and apply legal decisions, particularly those pertaining to the United States Constitution, that are applicable to current trends in criminal justice.
5. Research and critique operational policies relevant to the criminal justice profession identifying areas in need of revision and make recommendations for improvement.
6. Challenge the student to investigate and assess a demanding mock crime scene in several segments and make real time decisions that may impact on the outcome of their investigation and complete a comprehensive report and presentation to a panel of criminal justice professionals.

Questions and Answers

1.When do my classes meet?
Day Classes: Criminal Justice classes normally meet for at least three hours a day for up to five days a week. Classes normally begin in the early morning (7:45 a.m.), late morning (usually 11:25 a.m.), or mid-afternoon. A technical time slot may vary from term to term.

Evening Classes: Criminal Justice classes meet on average, three nights a week, although there may be times when they will meet four nights a week. Classes normally begin at 5:45 p.m.

In addition, to achieve your bachelor’s degree, you will take a total eight (8) liberal arts courses, which will be scheduled around your program schedule over the course of your entire program. Each liberal arts course meets approximately four hours per week. Liberal arts courses are offered days, evenings, and Saturdays, and online.

At the beginning of each term you will receive a detailed schedule giving the exact time and location of all your classes. The university requires that all students be prepared to take classes and receive services at any of NEIT’s locations where the appropriate classes and services are offered.

When a regularly scheduled class falls on a day which is an NEIT observed holiday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Labor Day, Columbus Day and Veteran’s Day), an alternate class will be scheduled as a make up for that class. The make up class may fall on a Friday. It is the student’s responsibility to take note of when and where classes are offered.

2.How large will my classes be?
The average size for a class is about 20 to 25 students; however, larger and smaller classes occur from time to time.

3.How much time will I spend in lab?
Almost half of your Criminal Justice courses may consist of laboratory work. In order for you to get the most out of your laboratory experiences, you will first receive a thorough explanation of the theory behind your lab work.

4.Where do my classes meet?
Students should be prepared to attend classes at any of NEIT’s classroom facilities: either at the Post Road, Access Road, or East Greenwich campuses.

5.How long should it take me to complete my program?
To complete your degree requirements in the shortest possible time, you should take the courses outlined in the prescribed curriculum. For a typical eight-term curriculum, a student may complete the requirements in as little as 24 months as long as you take classes in both intersessions. The Intersession is a special five-week term scheduled between Spring and Summer Terms.

6.Is NEIT accredited?
NEIT is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (CIHE). Accreditation by NECHE is recognized by the federal government and entitles NEIT to participate in federal financial aid programs. Some academic departments have specialized professional accreditations in addition to accreditation by NECHE. For more information on accreditation, see NEIT’s catalog.

7. What are the admissions criteria to this program? 
To be considered for admission to this program, you must provide/meet the following requirements:
•Transcripts from high school or prior college coursework
•A minimum high school GPA of 3.0 or a college GPA of 2.5 (B- or higher for all English and math courses).
•An Accuplacer entrance exam for students with a GED and those 24 and older with no college achieving a reading score of 236 or higher, a writing score of 14 or higher and a math score of 244 or higher.

8.Can I transfer the credits that I earn at NEIT to another college?
The transferability of a course is always up to the institution to which the student is transferring.

9.Can I transfer credits earned at another college to NEIT?
Transfer credit for appropriate courses taken at an accredited institution will be considered for courses in which the student has earned a "C" or above. An official transcript from the other institution must be received before the end of the first week of the term for transfer credit to be granted for courses to be taken during that term. 

10.Can I switch to a traditional bachelor’s program after being enrolled in the career-focused bachelor's program?
Students enrolled in the Career-Focused Bachelor of Science degree program have the flexibility to transition to the traditional program at any point during their first two terms. After the second term, students who wish to shift to the traditional program will need to meet with their student advisor to develop a custom program.

11.What is the "Feinstein Enriching America" Program?
New England Institute of Technology is the proud recipient of a grant from the Feinstein Foundation. To satisfy the terms of the grant, the university has developed a one-credit community enrichment course which includes hands-on community enrichment projects. The course can be taken for a few hours per term, spread over several terms. Students who are already engaged in community enrichment on their own may be able to count that service towards course credit.

12.Are NEIT’s career-focused baccalaureate programs eligible for federal financial aid?
NEIT’s career-focused baccalaureate programs are eligible for Title IV federal financial aid. However, students who leave NEIT having completed a career-focused baccalaureate degree but later choose to return to NEIT or attend another institution to complete additional undergraduate credits, either to earn a Certificate of Post-Baccalaureate Studies or to earn a second baccalaureate degree, will not be eligible for federal grant aid and may have limited eligibility for other federal aid programs.

13.How many credits do I need to acquire my Financial Aid?
In order to be eligible for the maximum financial aid award, you need to maintain at least 12 credits per academic term.

14.What kind of employment assistance does NEIT offer?
The Career Services Office assists NEIT students and graduates in in all aspects of the job search, including resume writing, interviewing skills, and developing a job search strategy. Upon completion of their program, graduates may submit a resume to the Career Services Office to be circulated to employers for employment opportunities in their fields. Employers regularly contact us about our graduates. In addition, our Career Services Office contacts employers to develop job leads.
A strong relationship with employers exists as a result of our training students to meet the needs of industry for over fifty years. No school can, and NEIT does not, guarantee to its graduates employment or a specific starting salary.

15.What types of materials will be included in the Criminal Justice program curriculum?
Students will be exposed to a significant amount of very graphic and potentially disturbing information, photos, videos and other types of physical evidence. The curriculum is designed to expose students to the actual nature of material that criminal justice professionals come into contact with on a daily basis and is necessary for a comprehensive educational experience. Therefore, students with sensitivity to such materials will not be excluded from the requirements of the program.

Additionally, students will be required to compile a case file/portfolio of work throughout their educational career for use and to assist in presentations made in term IV and term VIIII. Students will complete challenging long term Criminal Justice Capstone projects. The Senior Capstone in term VIII is a real time investigative assignment beginning with a mock crime event and involves gathering information from victims and/or witnesses, processing the crime scene and culminates with drafting a comprehensive report that will be presented to a panel of law enforcement professionals. The Senior Capstone experience will include a case file/portfolio that is an organized and comprehensive source of material and information that will be necessary and beneficial to support successful completion of program outcomes. Instruction will be given in the preparation of the Capstone Project(s) and maintenance of the case file/portfolio throughout the program.

16. What is the Criminal Justice Senior Capstone Project in Term VIII?
The Criminal Justice portfolio Senior Capstone requires that students participate in a challenging term- long series of events that will mirror a life-like criminal investigation. Contains materials and evidence collected throughout the various terms that demonstrate a student’s academic progression and acquisition of various Criminal Justice skills. The Project will be used as a means for evaluation of proficiency and ability and will demonstrate a comprehensive picture of each level of skill and knowledge the student has attained during the program. The Senior Capstone is an individual learning experience.

A case file/portfolio will typically include the initial investigation of a mock crime event, gathering information, processing evidence and drafting a comprehensive report of the student’s activities that will sample reports, completed assignments, submission and evaluation of evidence and materials gathered in Forensics I and II, case studies, skill evaluations and information to be presented during the Senior Capstone in Term VIII. The main requirement is that students provide some type of documentation of the learning activities during his/her educational career.

17. Is there any open lab time?
Open lab time will be available to students with permission of a CJ instructor or the CJ Department Chair. Students may arrange with an instructor to utilize the lab in order to complete an assignment or as specific needs arise. However, all lab work is limited to what is being taught at the particular time.

18. What are the typical requirements for Criminal Justice and related fields of employment?
Many Criminal Justice occupations, particularly law enforcement positions, require civil service or other form of aptitude testing. Other requirements often include an active driver’s license, U.S. citizenship, the ability to successfully pass drug screening, polygraph testing and psychological examinations; firearms proficiency testing and the ability to obtain security clearance, if necessary. Additionally, pre-employment medical testing and physical fitness/agility testing are necessary components of any law enforcement position. (Please note: a criminal record may affect a graduate’s ability to qualify for some Law Enforcement positions.)

For examples of the regional standards that police officers must meet, go to www.rimpa.ri.gov/fitnessstandards.php (RI); www.mptc.org/patfitindex.html (MA); www.ct.gov/post/site (CT); for correctional officer standards, go to www.doc.ri.gov/administration/training/index.php (RI); www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/doc/physical_abilities_test_rationale.pdf & www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/doc/pat_preparation.pdf (MA); https://www.das.state.ct.us/LawExam (CT); for federal standards go to www.usajobs.com. Students should also refer to the Technical Standards for the Criminal Justice program or see the Department Chair or supervising instructor for assistance in obtaining additional information.

19.Am I required to obtain a criminal background check as part of the admission process?
No. However, certain technical courses include visits to secure facilities and students will be subject to a criminal background check in order to enter these locations. Secure facilities reserve the right to restrict entrance to those persons that do not satisfy their security protocols and regulations. (Please note: a criminal record may affect a graduate’s ability to qualify for some Law Enforcement positions.)

20. What kind of jobs will I be qualified to look for upon completion of the Criminal Justice program?
Upon completion of your Bachelor in Science degree in Criminal Justice program, you will be qualified to seek entry-level employment in a number of challenging criminal justice professions, including police officer, state trooper, correctional officer, court officer, criminal justice counselor, federal law enforcement officer, private security officer, crime scene investigator, corporate loss prevention, and insurance claims investigator. (Please note: a criminal record may affect a graduate’s ability to qualify for some Law Enforcement positions.)

21.Is there any state or federal licensing required in my field?
Typically, in order to qualify to work as a Criminal Justice professional, individuals must complete a training academy or similar type training and be certified by the agency that is hiring them. Students should check individual hiring standards for more information on this subject.

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Technical Standards

Physical Ability

• Ability to stand and walk for 1-2 hours at a time with no breaks.
• Ability to sit for 1-2 hours at a time with no breaks.
• Ability to bend, stretch, stoop or lie on the ground to collect evidence, view the mock crime scene, or perform testing or necessary tasks.
• Sufficient strength to perform CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) on both adults and children.
• Sufficient upper body strength great enough to carry 20 pounds.
• Sufficient strength and agility to lift, move or utilize large and small pieces of equipment.
• Ability to wear and tolerate masks and gloves and other protective equipment including lead aprons.
• Ability to work in an environment where there are latex/latex based products.
• Ability to perform learned skills, independently, with accuracy and completeness within reasonable time frames in accordance with accepted protocol.

Manual Ability

• Sufficient manual dexterity and mobility to move equipment independently.
• Sufficient motor function and sensory abilities to participate effectively in the classroom and laboratory setting.
• Sufficient manual dexterity and motor coordination to coordinate hands, eyes and fingers in the operation of equipment/instruments.
• Sufficient fine motor control to manipulate small equipment and instruments.
• Ability to grasp, lift and carry various items of equipment.

Sensory Ability

Visual

• Visual ability, with or without correction, to enable the student to differentiate between instruments/equipment.

Auditory

• Acute enough to hear and understand words spoken by staff, students and other staff in an environment with background noise. *Individuals with auditory processing disorder may not have the visual cues needed to assist in processing the spoken word.

Checklist coming soon!