Criminal Justice Program At The University of Alaska Anchorage
First up on our tour of Criminal Justice schools is the University of Alaska Anchorage. The school is located in the heart of the city and is surrounded by lakes, ponds and wildlife. It is also connected to a citywide trail system.The academic program is directed at students interested in justice as a field encompassing a broad range of social and behavioral concerns. The program of courses covers the areas of crime and delinquency, law, corrections, police policy and administration, and judicial policy and administration. The undergraduate curriculum, which leads to a Bachelor of Arts Degree, provides the educational background for admittance to a variety of operational, administrative, research and planning positions in law, law enforcement, and corrections. It can also provide the basis for pursuit of graduate or professional degrees. Within the undergraduate curriculum the Justice Center offers a separate program leading to certification in paralegal studies. The paralegal program is certified by the American Bar Association.
The Justice baccalaureate degree curriculumrequires completion of 14 courses, for a total of 42 Justice credits, in addition to the general University requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree. These 14 courses consist of a common core of seven courses (Introduction to Justice, Development of Law, Criminology, Justice Organization and Management, Justice and Society, Justice Processes, and Research and Policymaking) which all majors must complete and seven courses selected by students from several additional Justice courses to support an emphasis in the study of general justice, policing, legal studies, bush justice, and corrections.
The Paralegal Certificate is a two-year curriculum which has achieved American Bar Association approval. It can be pursued as an independent certificate or as an emphasis in the Justice bachelor’s degree.
The Masters o f Public Administration (MPA) degree offered by the UAA Department of Public Administration provides students with knowledge and skills needed for professional careers in public service. MPA students learn new techniques and add to their expertise in organizational and program management, policy analysis, and related areas with emphasis on policy and administrative issues in the North. Students specialize in one of the following emphasis areas: Public Management, Policy Analysis, Health Administration, or Criminal Justice.
The Criminal Justice Emphasis will provide graduates with the theoretical basis for management careers in the field of criminal justice. Students will develop knowledge and skills necessary for effective public management: planning and decision making, managing people, money and programs. These skills will be applicable in a wide spectrum of employment areas in law enforcement and the criminal justice system; and will also prepare graduates seeking to earn a terminal degree in justice administration.
On an interesting side note, The baccalaureate program was the first in the nation to expand from a narrower focus on criminal justice to include study related to civil law and its processes and agencies. Since the establishment of the “Justice” program at UAA, several other institutions of higher education, including American University, University of Louisville, and Arizona State University, have adopted this justice program format. The title Justice Review adopted as an alternative to the Journal of Criminal Justice for the professional publication of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences is indicative of the continuing evolution of the academic professional field of justice throughout the United States.
So in review, this University offers a B.A. in Justice, a two year Paralegal Certificate and a Masters of Public Administration with a Criminal Justice Emphasis. To the best of my knowledge they do not offer on-line courses. I encourage you to check out the UAA Justice Center Blog for more info on this college.
