Department of History, Political Science, and Criminal Justice

This course examines the history and roles of police in American society, including the philosophy, policy, structure and methods of law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels. Special emphasis will be placed on police interaction with the community, focusing on public trust, engagement, and collaborative problem-solving, as well as challenges, best practices, and current debates shaping law enforcement today.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of criminal punishment and correctional practices in the United States. Students explore the historical and contemporary purposes of punishment as well as social, ethical, and legal implications. Students then examine the implementation of punishment via the corrections system, studying its history and the goals, methods, and institutions that characterize it today. Specific topics include clients and officers, programs and facilities, life in and after incarceration, community corrections, and reform, including innovation in policy, programs and techniques. Through case studies, policy analysis, and applied exercises, students critically evaluate punishment approaches and correctional practices to identify effective, fair, and humane responses to crime.

This course will prepare students for field experiences and internships in criminal justice settings. All criminal justice students seeking field experiences or internships must satisfactorily complete this course prior to registering for CRIM4960.

This course introduces the field of victimology, examining key concepts, theories, and contemporary developments as they relate to the criminal justice system. Students examine theories and research on victimization, the experiences and needs of crime victims, and the historical development of victims’ rights. Topics include vulnerable populations, reporting and help-seeking behavior, system and community responses, restorative justice, and current policy debates. Christian perspectives on justice, compassion, and human dignity are woven throughout the course, encouraging students to consider how faith-informed principles can shape advocacy, policy, and service to victims.

This course provides an introduction to criminal law, including an historical overview and a survey of general legal principles. It covers basic elements of common and statutory law, and discusses specific categories of offenses and defenses used against prosecution for them.

With emphasis on NNU’s Mission and Values, students integrate knowledge from their education thus far with readings, reflection, discussion, and practical exercises to develop strategies for ethical decision-making and effective leadership. They will explore moral reasoning, professional responsibility, integrity, and accountability, emphasizing values such as justice, compassion, and service to others as they prepare to navigate the opportunities and challenges of modern criminal justice careers.

This course requires 45 hours per credit in an approved setting of intensive experience-based learning. Course is designed to give students in-depth, work-setting knowledge of an aspect of the field of criminal justice. Students assume career-related duties as deemed appropriate by their site-supervisor and approved by their major advisor. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.

This course will analyze how the modern world came into being by examining currents of thought, political, economic and social developments, and religious belief in a global context, beginning in the ancient world and continuing up to the present. 

A study of American history from European exploration to the present, with attention to the founding of the United States, the major developments and events, and the role of the citizen in U.S. history. This course is designed for the general student and will not meet major requirements for degrees in history.

An introduction to American history from the period of exploration and colonization to the conclusion of reconstruction. Major themes and events include the European settlement of North America, Native American responses to European development of colonial America, the war for American independence, nation-building in the Early Republic, the development of slavery, Western expansion, and the Civil War and reconstruction.

An introduction to American history from the conclusion of reconstruction to recent times. Major themes include Western expansion, industrialization and urbanization, imperialism, two world wars, American life between the wars, radicalism and revolt, and the post-Cold War world.

An in-depth exploration of modern America from 1945 to the present emphasizing the political, economic, diplomatic, and social aspects of the period. The course will investigate the origins of the Cold War, McCarthyism, increasing presidential power, the U.S. and the Third World, the civil rights struggle, women's movement, student revolts, Vietnam, Watergate, and the New Right and post-Cold War America.

An in-depth exploration of Europe from the political and industrial revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries through contemporary European society and culture, including 19th century "isms" (romanticism, liberalism, socialism, nationalism, imperialism) and world wars.

Strategies appropriate to this subject field, instructional materials and tools, curricular structure common to this subject in the secondary school. Field experience: 20-40 hours. (See EDUC3581.)

The Holocaust was one of the seminal events of the twentieth century, and has had profound effects on the language and concepts that we use to describe atrocities, the way that we interpret history, and even the ways in which we remember and memorialize the past. To put it simply, the Holocaust was more than a singular tragedy in the middle of the twentieth century. It was much worse than so many other tragedies. It was a watershed that created a new lens for looking at the past, present, and future. In this course, we will study the events that make up the Holocaust, the deeper roots of antisemitism that made it possible, and how the Holocaust has been remembered, portrayed and memorialized. We will think not only about what happened, but about how to make sense of what happened—how to grapple with a history that seems to defy understanding. 

This is a CAP1 (Cultural Awareness Program) designated course.

This course is an overview of American intellectual culture from the seventeenth century to the present. From Puritanism to Pragmatism to Postmodernism, we will study the major thinkers and trends that made America. (See POLS4100.)

A requirement for all history majors. The thesis is an independent research paper of 25-30 pages, which includes demonstration of historical methods and the use of primary sources. It will be written under the supervision of the history faculty. 

An introduction to the international political system and its major institutions, issues, and events. Major themes and events include the nature of the state system, national security and national interest, war and peace, alliances, diplomacy, the Cold War, conflict resolution, and international law.

This is a CAP1 designated course.

This course is an overview of American intellectual culture from the seventeenth century to the present. From Puritanism to Pragmatism to Postmodernism, we will study the major thinkers and trends that made America. (See HIST4100).

A critical examination of U.S. Supreme Court decisions involving constitutional rights and liberties with special attention given to the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment. Topics will include religious freedom, freedom of expression, rights in criminal procedure, due process and equal protection, including racial and gender discrimination and sexual harassment.

A requirement for all political science majors. Students have the option to either write a thesis or conduct a project that involves significant gathering of new data. The thesis is an independent research paper of 25-30 pages, demonstrating critical analysis and evaluation through scholarly research. Alternatively, students may choose to conduct a comprehensive project, which includes substantial data collection and analysis. Both options allow students to engage deeply with a topic of their choice in the discipline of political science while applying key theories and methodologies. The thesis or project is also required to be publicly presented.