Criminal Justice | East-West University

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES – CRIMINAL JUSTICE CONCENTRATION

What do you think of when you think about criminal justice programs in Chicago? Righting wrongs … fighting crime … seeking justice – the truth is, it’s all that and more. Let East-West University’s BHS program with a criminal justice concentration prepare you for a life of service and significance for your community and society in the field of Criminal Justice.

Like many institutions with accredited criminal justice courses, our bachelor’s degree program will guide you through a strong general education core … a focused criminal justice concentration … and relevant electives to meet your specific educational – and career – goals. The program is designed to:

Prepare you for professional services in the area of criminal justice in a variety of settings
Offer the education foundation necessary to continue life-long professional development
Foster commitment toward a local, regional, and global humane service-oriented perspective and dedication to professional values in the area of criminal justice
Help you develop within the criminal justice profession and in its responses to the changing needs of society

At the completion of this program, you’ll be able to:

Apply theoretical and empirical knowledge from the liberal arts, the sciences, and criminal justice to provide professional services in the area of criminal justice.
Pursue further studies in a graduate-level programs for Criminal Justice or closely related fields
Employ relevant best practices to protect the growth and wellbeing of contemporary society
Promote equity and equality as they relate to criminal justice
Improve services to disadvantaged communities in the area of criminal justice
Internalize criminal justice best practices on personal and professional values which incorporate a humane, service-oriented perspective
Accept responsibility and accountability for professional and personal development

Why a Concentration in Criminal Justice from East-West University?

In line with our mission, this concentration is designed to help you improve your life and make the world a better place. To that end, a secondary education is often valued, if not required, to open the door to opportunities in a number of life-changing career fields. This program can help you prepare for a relevant and fulfilling career in the field of criminal justice.

THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE CURRICULUM

Includes both liberal and professional instruction to prepare graduates for life in general and a career in high demand.
Its geographic and demographic location is situated in the center of an urban area with a population of over 8 million people; it has the opportunity to make use of the urban and suburban infrastructure and resources. Other resources include nursing related industries, agencies, and organizations, a job market within convenient commuting distance, health and health-related facilities, as well as the entire range of “rest and recreation” opportunities.
Demographically, there is hardly a place with a greater and more balanced multicultural mix, with greater ethnic and socio-economic diversity, and with a broader range of exceptionalities. It is situated in one of the major diverse and multicultural urban areas in the world which presents an ideal “laboratory” for first-hand experience/observation of an extended variety of crimes and issues with which criminal justice is concerned at the present time
Offers education in a career that is geared to the service economy. Few professions touch the lives of so many, individuals, families, communities, the society at large, in so many different ways and are proactive, preventative, and reactive, restorative.
offers practical experience in agencies and organizations directly or substantively related to aspects of criminal justice within the metropolitan Chicago area that are state of the art and enjoy educational opportunities that include the most modern advances.
The number of potential professionals in areas of criminal justice is projected to increase moderately, according to U.S. Department of Labor information and by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).
Substantial opportunities for personal contact and interaction with multi-cultural populations will be an ongoing part of the student’s practical experiences.
Agencies and organizations of criminal justice have assumed increased responsibilities in recent years. The need for highly educated criminal justice professionals continues to grow. Students have the option to pursue specialized professional programs in the areas, for instance, of law, law enforcement, aspects of social service, and governmental agencies.

CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

Curricular requirements must comply with all general academic requirements for a bachelor’s degree, including:

Completion of 180 quarter hours,
Residency requirement of 48 quarter hours
Completion of HM 279 (East-West University Signature course)
Completion of HM 491 (Senior Seminar),
An overall GPA of 2.0 and a 2.5 GPA in the major,
Compliance with Satisfactory Academic Progress policy pertaining to both Grade Maintenance and Timely Completion,
All outcome measures required by the assessment program must be passed successfully,
All financial obligations must be cleared

The program embodies three broad blocks of curricular requirements or components:

I: General Education Core (64 quarter hours);
II: BHS core and concentration courses 60 quarter hours
III: Elective courses (56 quarter hours), for a total of 180 quarter hours

I: General Education Core courses:

5 specified courses in English and Communications for a total of 20 quarter hours;
1 specified mathematics course, one biology course, and 12 additional hours from biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics for a total of 20 hours;
1 specified humanities course and 16 additional quarter hours selected from behavioral and social sciences and humanities for a total of 20 hours;
1 specified course from computer and information science for a total of 4 hours.

II: BHS Core and selected Criminal Justice concentration area courses

11 specified BHS core courses, and an additional 16 hours BHS elective courses for a total of 60 hours

III: Elective courses:

56 quarter hours from freely selected courses

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Alumni & Students

Jiaxin Li

Before attending East-West University, I attended college in China. I heard about EWU from my uncle and knew it would be a good opportunity to expand my knowledge and prepare for my career.

I am studying Management in the business program and ultimately would like to use these skills to pursue my dream of becoming a designer. I have learned a lot in my classes and courses like Accounting teach skills that I will continue to use.

In China, my parents and teachers always told me that through studying, one gains success and fortunes will follow. Reading brings us everything. At East-West University, I am studying hard to prepare for my future.

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Justyna Bronska

I came to East-West after studying in the ESL program at Triton College. I received a scholarship for international students and was also hired as an international student advisor. I’ve always wanted to be successful regardless of the obstacles in place and exceed expectations. My experience at East-West University has changed my approach toward life and my responsibilities.

I’m studying in the Business program to obtain a management position. An important lesson I’ve learned at EWU is that I am responsible for my own future. I am committed to finishing my degree and have obtained the self-discipline to do so as I’ve made progress in my program. When I graduate, I would like to travel, have a family, and buy a house. Studying business at EWU will give me the tools to succeed.

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Greg Williams

I could not pass up the opportunity to return to school at East-West. I chose EWU because of its academics, location, and affordability.

East-West has helped me be successful by making it possible for me to both work and go to school. The instructors are experienced have encouraged me to pursue a career in Accounting. I have really enjoyed my experience here and would like to go to graduate school after I finish. My professor always said to ‘be the captain of your own ship.’ At East-West University, I am afforded the opportunity to do so.

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