Justice Studies

Overview

Mission

The Justice Studies program of Chadron State College provides students with instruction in Criminal Justice and Legal Studies. The program focuses on law enforcement, criminology, law, legal studies, courts, juvenile justice, forensic studies, and corrections from a social science perspective. The program promotes principles of justice that enhance the criminal justice and legal professions and benefit the community at large. The program seeks to produce students who are critical and ethical thinkers, knowledgeable about issues of crime, law and justice, and appreciative and mindful of their civic and social responsibilities to provide service and leadership in their communities. The program provides students with the professional and academic preparation necessary for entry-level positions in public and private sectors. The program prepares students for successful graduate study and professionals with career-enhancing educational experiences.

Student Learning Outcomes – Criminal Justice

The curriculum prepares students for professional employment in the Criminal Justice field for various professional schools including law, social work, public administration and business administration; and for those who plan to obtain advanced degrees.

• Students will demonstrate academic proficiency in the core criminal justice areas (corrections, forensic studies, juvenile justice, law, and law enforcement).

• Students will employ critical thinking skills when evaluating issues in criminal justice.

• Students will be able to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, using discipline-specific discourse.

• Students will be able to evaluate ethical issues related to the criminal justice system.

• Students will identify issues of diversity and social justice in relation to the workings of the criminal justice system.

Student Learning Outcomes – Legal Studies

The curriculum prepares students for support services in law firms, government offices, trust departments, real estate offices, accounting firms and other law related environments. Under a lawyer’s supervision, Legal Assistants or Paralegals perform a wide variety of functions. The curriculum prepares students for interviewing clients and witnesses, researching legal authority, analyzing factual and legal situations, and preparing documents and forms. The curriculum also prepares students for graduate work in Legal Studies or law school. 

• Students will acquire a comprehensive understanding of selected areas of substantive and procedural law.  

• Students will analyze legal problems, formulate and evaluate potential solutions, and construct logical arguments in support of specific positions. 

• Students will be able to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, using discipline-specific discourse.

• Students will be able to evaluate ethical issues related to the legal professions.

• Students will demonstrate proficiency in legal research.