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Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice

Note: For information on the Bachelor of Arts, Major and Minor in Criminology, see Bachelor of Arts program section.

Description

The Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice program provides students with the following benefits:

  1. A comprehensive and sophisticated understanding of crime, using the concept of community as a framework of analysis.
  2. Courses unique in Canada that unite practical and professional skills with social justice ideals.
  3. An understanding of social and legal responses to crime and the inter-relationship of these responses on societal attitudes towards crime.
  4. A solid understanding of, and familiarity with, the research techniques that allow us to accurately document crime, victimization, attitudes, and social and legal change.
  5. Ability to think critically and respond innovatively to emerging trends in community-based criminal justice and related agencies.
  6. Opportunities to work in direct partnership with local agencies and faculty on projects or engage in research, working closely with academic supervisors.
  7. 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 program ensures that graduates have covered a range of theoretical, scientific, legal, and practical courses. Specific upper-division courses build knowledge and skills in:

Students may obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice Honours degree by taking three additional courses and working closely with a faculty member to research and write an Honours Thesis.

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 will be prepared for careers in community-based and traditional organizations within the criminal and social justice sectors, both public and private.

Entrance Requirements

Students may apply for admission into the Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice program on completion of an Associate of Arts 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 may be eligible for conditional admission by successfully completing 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. Students should apply on the condition that they will have completed their Associate of Arts in Criminology by the semester prior to entering the program.

Content

The Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice requires that students obtain 120 credits of post-secondary studies (132 credit hours for the Honours degree 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:

*Students who have an Associate of Arts in Criminology (or equivalent) and who complete all the required courses in Group C will have met all Liberal Education requirements for the degree.

Residency Requirements

Students are normally expected to complete at least 60 credits at Kwantlen Polytechnic University for a BA Degree; however, they may apply for an exemption to this ruling on an individual basis. If such an exemption is granted, then residency may be limited to no fewer than 30 credits. In any case, at least 50% of the required upper-level credits within the subject area must be completed at Kwantlen.

Honours Degree Option

Students interested in applying to graduate school or who prefer a more extensive research experience are encouraged to undertake a structure program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice, Honours degree. In order to be considered for admission to the honours program, students will normally have completed 90 credits or more at the time of application, and must achieve a CGPA of 3.5. Students with a CGPA less than 3.5 (but nor below 3.0) may be granted admission with special permission. Interested students can obtain an application from the Criminology Degree Program Coordinator. A limited number of seats are available.

In addition to the 120 credits required by the Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice program, honours students will need to complete the following additional 12 credits of course work:

Graduation

Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible for a Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice, or Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice, Honours.

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