Note: For information on the Bachelor of Arts Major and Minor in Criminology, see Bachelor of Arts program section.
DESCRIPTION
The Bachelor of Arts Community Criminal Justice (BA CCJ) is designed to do four things:
- It provides graduates with a comprehensive and sophisticated understanding of crime, using the concept of community as a framework of analysis.
- Students acquire a solid understanding, and familiarity with the research techniques that allow us to accurately document crime, victimization, attitudes, and social and legal change.
- Students gain an understanding of social and legal responses to crime and the interrelationship of these responses on societal attitudes towards crime.
- Students acquire an understanding of and ability to use various means to promote social justice, including conflict resolution, restorative justice, community advocacy in a human rights framework, and an ability to deal with the many regulatory regimes that affect people in the criminal justice system. This program emphasizes the importance of well-documented, evidence-based policy initiatives and an inclusive understanding of justice that transcends national boundaries.
The Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice:
- Prepares students to think critically and respond innovatively to emerging trends in community-based criminal justice and related agencies.
- Provides students with opportunities to work in direct partnership with local agencies and faculty on particular projects, or engage in research, working closely with academic supervisors.
- Provides students with courses unique in Canada that unite practical and professional skills with social justice ideals.
- Allows for a program management option that provides skill development for management positions in community-based agencies. Contact the Criminology Department for a list of recommended elective courses.
The BA CCJ program ensures that graduates have covered a range of theoretical and scientific courses and legal and practical courses. Specific upper-division courses build knowledge and skills in:
- understanding crime in communities and its prevention
- empirical data collection, analysis, and presentation
- conflict resolution and mediation
- professional communication skills
- project planning, management, and evaluation
- advocacy, human rights, and decision-making in regulatory agencies
- professional ethics
Students may obtain a BA CCJ Honours degree by taking two additional courses and working closely with a faculty member to research and write an Honours Thesis.
Students admitted to the BA CCJ program receive priority registration to CCJ courses.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Labour market predictions for criminal justice and related areas are positive, as demographic trends and public safety and security concerns have increased demand for criminal justice professionals. At the same time, the limited success of traditional responses to crime has increased calls for new approaches to understanding the causes and effects of crime. New awareness of the burdens of crime requires communities to rethink the focus of their efforts. Kwantlen's Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice features a unique focus on community-based programs, which will prepare students well for anticipated trends within criminal justice agencies and related community agencies. The conceptual, critical, and applied skills that students acquire in this program will be attractive to employers in a wide range of settings.
Thus, graduates of the BA CCJ will be prepared for careers in community-based and traditional organizations within the criminal and social justice sectors, both public and private.
The BA (CCJ) is excellent preparation for students who want to study at the graduate level in criminology or criminal justice, or apply to law schools.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Students may apply for admission into the BA CCJ program on completion of an Associate of Arts degree in Criminology (or equivalent) with a CGPA of 2.00 or higher. (See Associate of Arts degree in Criminology). Students with a Diploma in Criminology will be eligible for conditional admission but will be required to successfully complete necessary bridging courses.
Enrolment in this program is limited. In addition to Kwantlen's standard application start date, students will be considered for admission based on the date of qualification. Third-semester students should apply on the condition that they will have completed their AA degree by the semester prior to entering 3rd year.
CONTENT
The BA CCJ requires that students obtain 120 credits of post-secondary studies (132 credit hours for the honours option). The first two years consist of 60 credit hours obtained on completion of the Associate of Arts in Criminology (or equivalent). In addition, students must successfully complete:
- 39 credit hours (13 courses) of specific upper-division CRIM and CMNS courses
- 9 credit hours of upper-division elective courses
- Liberal Education requirements – students who have an Associate of Arts in Criminology, (or equivalent) and who complete all the required courses in Group C below will have met all Liberal Education requirements
For the Honours option, CRIM 5100 and 5120
- Group A (All of the following are required)
- Group B (All of the following are required)
- Group C (All of the following are required)
- Group D (12 credit hours selected from the following)
- Any course in arts, science, or other areas.
- Group E (9 credit hours selected from the following)
- CRIM 4150 Directed Studies
- CRIM 4154 Community Criminal Justice Project I
- CRIM 4155 Community Criminal Justice Project II
- CRIM 4160 Community Practicum
- Any third or fourth-year course in arts, science, or other areas.
HONOURS DEGREE OPTION
Students interested in applying for graduate studies may apply to undertake a structured program leading to a BA (Honours) degree. Students will normally have completed 90 credits at the time of application, and will be expected to maintain a minimum CGPA of 3.00 (B). This CGPA will be required for registration in the Honours Thesis courses. Admission to the program will be by application to the Degree Program Coordinator. Students undertaking this option will complete 72 credits beyond their Associate of Arts in Criminology degree (or equivalent), including a minimum of 60 upper-division credits, at least 54 of which will be upper-division Criminology courses. Requirements of the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Community Criminal Justice include all the requirements of the BA CCJ with the additional courses listed in Group F below:
- Group F (All of the following are required)
GRADUATION
Upon successful completion of these programs, students are awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice, or Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice, Honours.