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CJA/305
Criminal Law

Course level: Undergraduate

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Criminal Justice

Online

Format

$1,194

Estimated Tuition

3 credits

Total credits

5 weeks

Course length

Take this course on its own, or as part of a degree or certificate program.

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Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

This is an introductory course in the study of criminal law, general legal principles, and how the criminal law functions in and affects modern society. This course highlights a variety of key topics, including the concept of crime and the development of criminal law, defenses to criminal charges, and a number of specific types of crimes, including personal crimes, property crimes, public order crimes, and offenses against public morality. Legal issues affecting punishment will also be discussed, as will ways the criminal law impacts victims of crime.

Prerequisites

CJS/201 – Introduction to Criminal Justice  or equivalent

Required materials

The materials required for this course are covered in your resource fees.

Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

Earn these career-relevant skills in weeks, not years.

  • Identify the sources, purposes and jurisdiction of criminal law.
  • Describe the adversarial system and the concept of criminal liability.
  • Define accomplice liability and inchoate offenses.
  • Describe the elements of crime: actus reus, mens rea, and concurrence.

  • Explain the nature of and types of defenses to criminal charges.
  • Compare justification and excuse.
  • Assess the legal aspects of competency to stand trial.
  • Investigate the determination of insanity in the criminal law.

  • Define different types of homicide and the meaning of corpus delicti.
  • Distinguish between assault, battery, and sex crimes.
  • Distinguish between kidnapping and false imprisonment and robbery, burglary, and theft.
  • Describe computer and high-technology crimes.

  • Identify crimes against public order.
  • Identify crimes related to drugs and alcohol.
  • Explain asset forfeiture as it relates to federal and state anti-drug legislation

  • Analyze the resources related to victim advocacy and witness support.
  • Evaluate the goals of sentencing and alternative sanctions.
  • Define plea bargaining and intermediate sanctions.
  • Describe the Eighth Amendment and its relationship to capital punishment.

Why take courses at University of Phoenix?

University of Phoenix serves busy adults

Accreditation that matters

We’ve been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) for more than 40 years.

Real-world instructors

Learn from instructors who bring an average of 25 years of working experience to the classroom.

Affordable and potentially reimbursable

Our tuition and fees are competitive and fixed. Also, check to see if your employer will cover you for this course.

Transfer-friendly courses

Before you enroll in a course, check with your school of choice to make sure they will accept your transfer credits and to understand any requirements or limitations. Then you can request your transcripts.

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.

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University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. Although our continuing teacher education courses are accepted by some state agencies in the United States toward teacher certifications and endorsements, this may not be the case in all states or foreign jurisdictions. If you plan to use courses for certification or endorsement, please check with your own state agency and your school district for applicability. Continuing teacher education courses are not eligible to apply to degree programs at University of Phoenix. These courses are not eligible for federal financial aid. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.