Learning Objective/Outcomes
Upon completing this course students should be able to:
1. Think critically about the our role as individuals in society and how we shape conceptions of justice.
2. Be able to think critically about social problems (past and present) with an eye towards mitigating adverse impacts and solutions oriented thinking.
3. Understand the role of human behavior and diversity in relation to justice and the pursuit of justice.
4. Understrand the role and importance of civic engagement to a democratic society - how can you make a difference and why should you?
This course is intended to:
5. Assist students in developing an understanding of what is meant by the terms justice and injustice as the terms apply to different social circumstances and events.
6. Assist students in broadening their knowledge of historical and contemporary social issues and injustices.
7. Assists students in developing their critical thinking skills when considering controversial issues.
8. Fundamental Principles: Students will understand the major fundamental principles and theoretical perspectives of criminology/criminal justice. They will be able to apply these to practical problems and identify relevant policy implications.
9. Systems and Context: Students will understand important influences—of the criminal justice system on society, and of society on the criminal justice system. They will understand the relevance of race, ethnicity, or minoritized status in this interactive system. Likewise, they will recognize the relevance of political and economic power in policy making, criminal activity, and justice.
**This course is part of the General Education Requirements at Illinois State University. The course is identified in the Individuals and Civic Life category where students learn about functioning responsibly in their civic environment. Students develop an understanding of the complex interrelationships among people, political structures, and other dimensions of society, including the natural, social, business, and legal. The course helps students understand how in the past and in the present individual freedoms and social and political environments interact. The course should actively stimulate students to ponder the socially responsible choices that educated citizens who participate in shared governance make.
In Social Sciences courses, students focus on the various ways of knowing how to appropriately investigate and interpret problems in the social sciences, understood as those disciplines that systematically study humans and human interactions with institutions.
Courses in the Social Sciences category of General Education address the following program objectives:
I. knowledge of diverse human cultures and the physical and natural world, allowing students to
b. explain how the combination of the humanities, fine arts, natural and social sciences, and technology contribute to the quality of life for individuals and communities
c. experience and reflect on global issues
II. intellectual and practical skills, allowing students to
a. make informed judgments
b. analyze data to examine research questions and test hypotheses
c. report information effectively and responsibly
d. write in a variety of genres, contexts, and disciplines
e. deliver purposeful presentations that inform attitudes or behaviors
III. personal and social responsibility, allowing students to
b. interact competently in a variety of cultural contexts
c. demonstrate ethical decision making
d. demonstrate the ability to think reflectively
IV. integrative and applied learning, allowing students to
a. identify and solve problems
b. transfer learning to novel situations
c. work effectively in teams
Primary outcomes are indicated in plain text and secondary outcomes are indicated in italics.
Any student needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability should contact Student Access and Accommodation Services at 350 Fell Hall, (309) 438-5853, or visit the website at StudentAccess.IllinoisState.edu.