SPEA Course Descriptions
P = prerequisite R = recommended
C = corequisite * = lab fee
Criminal Justice Courses
Public Affairs and Environmental Courses
Criminal Justice Courses
Note: SPEA-J 101 is a prerequisite to all other criminal justice courses. SPEA-V 170 is a prerequisite to all other public affairs courses. The university reserves the right to cancel courses for insufficient enrollment.
SPEA-J 101 The American Criminal Justice System (3 cr.)
Introduction to elements of the criminal justice system: the police, the courts, and corrections, and how they function in contemporary American society.
SPEA-J 201 Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Justice Policies (3 cr.)
This course examines the impact of sociological, biological, and economic theories of crime and the practice of criminal justice. Focus is upon the natural and importance of theory, context of theoretical developments, methods for the critical analysis of theoretical developments, and policy implications of the varying perspectives considered.
SPEA-J 202 Criminal Justice Data, Methods, and Resources (3 cr.)
R: SPEA-C 106 or equivalent. Course examines basic concepts of criminal justice. Students become familiar with research techniques necessary for systematic analysis of the criminal justice system, offender behavior, crime trends, and program effectiveness. Students will learn to critically evaluate existing research. Students will become familiar with existing sources of criminal justice data and will learn to assess the quality of that data.
SPEA-J 301 Substantive Criminal Law (3 cr.)
The development, limitations, and application of substantive criminal law utilizing the case-study method.
SPEA-J 302 Procedural Criminal Law (3 cr.)
Criminal law application and procedure from the initiation of police activity through the correctional process utilizing the case-study method.
SPEA-J 303 Evidence (3 cr.)
The rules of law governing proof at trial of disputed issues of fact; burden of proof; presumptions and judicial notice; examination, impeachment, competency, and privileges of witnesses; hearsay rule and exceptions. All related as nearly as possible to criminal as opposed to civil process.
SPEA-J 304 Correctional Law (3 cr.)
Legal problems from conviction to release: pre-sentence investigations, sentencing, probation and parole, incarceration, loss and restoration of civil rights.
SPEA-J 305 The Juvenile Justice System (3 cr.)
Current developments in the legal, administrative, and operational aspects of the juvenile justice system.
SPEA-J 306 The Criminal Courts (3 cr.)
An analysis of the criminal justice process from prosecution through appeal. The organization and operation of felony and misdemeanor courts are examined. Topics include prosecutorial decision-making, plea bargaining, judicial selection, the conduct of trials, sentencing, and appeal.
SPEA-J 310 Introduction to Administrative Processes (3 cr.)
Introduction to principles of management and systems theory for the administration of criminal justice agencies.
SPEA-J 320 Criminal Investigation (3 cr.)
Theory of investigation; crime scene procedures; interviews, interrogations, surveillance and sources of information; collection and preservation of physical evidence; investigative techniques in specific crimes.
SPEA-J 321 American Policing (3 cr.)
A broadly based study of the operations and interrelationships of the American police system, including discussion of the limitations of the police function, inter-jurisdictional matters, and intra-agency processes.
SPEA-J 322 Introduction to Criminalistics (3 cr.)
R: SPEA-J 301. The broad range of physical evidence developed through the investigative process, and methods of identifying and establishing validity and relevance through forensic laboratory techniques.
SPEA-J 331 Corrections (3 cr.)
A survey of contemporary correctional systems, including analysis of federal, state, and local corrections; adult and juvenile facilities and programs; probation and parole. This course is not open to students who have completed SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance: Corrections.
SPEA-J 355 International Criminal Justice Perspectives (3 cr.)
This course will survey various criminal justice systems from a variety of cultures and regions of the world. Particular attention will be given to the contrast of eastern and western systems, as well as systems that do not fit neatly into established categories.
SPEA-J 370 Seminar in Criminal Justice (3 cr.)
Selected contemporary topics in criminal justice. May be repeated for credit.
SPEA-J 380 Internship in Criminal Justice (1-6 cr.)
P: Permission of instructor and junior or senior status. May be repeated for credit. Course grade is S/F (Satisfactory/Fail). Students are placed with a criminal justice agency for assigned tasks. Students also complete an academic component.
SPEA-J 439 Crime and Public Policy (3 cr.)
This course is an introduction to the major efforts designed to control or reduce crime. A review of existing knowledge is followed by an investigation of current crime control theories, proposals, and programs.
SPEA-J 440 Corrections in the Community (3 cr.)
An introduction to correctional alternatives to incarceration that focus on the reintegration of the offender while remaining in the community. Because of their extensive use, considerable attention is given to probation and parole. Other topics include diversion, community residential programs, restitution, halfway houses, and home detention.
SPEA-J 460 Police in the Community (3 cr.)
In-depth examination of crime as an urban policy problem; focusing on the role of police and victims in defining crime as a policy problem, and their role in seeking to reduce the incidence of crime.
SPEA-J 470 Seminar in Criminal Justice (3 cr.)
P: Senior standing. Emphasizes current developments in legal, administrative, and operational aspects of the criminal justice system.
SPEA-J 480 Research in Criminal Justice (1-6 cr.)
P: Junior standing and consent of instructor. Individual research under guidance of faculty member.
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Public Affairs and Environmental Courses
Undergraduate
Graduate
Undergraduate
SPEA-E 262 Environment: Problems and Prospects (3 cr.)
A survey of different aspects of the interaction between humans and their environment, with an emphasis on the complex interactions within systems. Subjects discussed include population levels, natural resources, energy use, and various types of population and means of controlling them.
SPEA-E 272 Introduction to Environmental Sciences (3 cr.)
Application of principles from life and physical sciences to the understanding and management of the environment. Emphasis will be placed on (1) the physical and biological restraints on resource availability and use, and (2) the technological and scientific options to solving environmental problems.
SPEA-V 100 Current Topics in Public Affairs (1-3 cr.)
Readings and discussion of current public affairs issues and problems. May be repeated for credit.
SPEA-V 170 Introduction to Public Affairs (3 cr.)
Broad coverage of public affairs through critical and analytical inquiry into policy making at all levels of government. Particular emphasis on intergovernmental relations as they affect policy in the federal system.
SPEA-V 263 Public Management (3 cr.)
This course is an examination of the management process in public organizations in the United States. Special attention will be given to external influences on public managers, the effects of the intergovernmental environment, and, in particular, problems of management in a democratic, limited government system.
SPEA-V 264 Urban Structure and Policy (3 cr.)
An introduction to urban government and policy issues. Topics include: urban government structure and policy making, the economic foundations and development of cities, demography of cities and suburbs, land-use planning, and other selected urban policy problems.
SPEA-V 346 Introduction to Government Accounting and Financial Reporting (3 cr.)
An introduction to government accounting, including comparison with accounting for the private sector; intended as background for the use of financial administrators. The course primarily deals with municipal accounting. Not open to students with more than seven credit hours of accounting.
SPEA-V 348 Management Science (3 cr.)
P: PSY-K 300 and MATH-M 118. Introduction to management science models and methods for policy analysis and public management. Methods include decision analysis, linear programming, queuing analysis, and simulation. Computer-based applications are included. Prior familiarization with computers is recommended, though not required.
SPEA-V 366 Managing Behavior in Public Organizations (3 cr.)
This course provides an introduction to the management of people in public organizations. Focus is on behavioral science in management and related analytical and experiential applications.
SPEA-V 368 Managing Government Operations (3 cr.)
P: SPEA-V 348. Application of analytical techniques to operating decisions in the public management sector. Cases are used extensively to illustrate the application of techniques (such as charting, capacity and demand analysis, forecasting, performance measurement, decision analysis, queuing/simulation, Markov modeling, and cost-effective analysis) to design, scheduling, inventory assignment, transportation, and replacement decisions.
SPEA-V 372 Government Finance and Budgets (3 cr.)
Study of fiscal management in public agencies, including revenue administration , and fiscal federalism. Examples and applications to contemporary government decisions.
SPEA-V 376 Law and Public Policy (3 cr.)
The purpose of this course is to provide a basic understanding of the origins, process, and impact of law in the making and implementing of public policy. The course's major objective is to provide students with the substantive concepts necessary to understand the judicial system and law in its various forms.
SPEA-V 380 Internship in Public and Environmental Affairs (1-6 cr.)
Requires permission of the instructor. Open to interested majors upon approval of the faculty. Students are placed with public agencies or governmental units for assignment to a defined task relevant to their educational interests in public affairs. Tasks may involve staff work or research. Full-time participants may earn up to 6 credit hours. May be repeated for credit. Course is graded S/F (Satisfactory/Fail).
SPEA-V 391 Honors Readings in Public and Environmental Affairs (3 cr.)
P: Student must be in the IU Kokomo Honors Program. Independent readings and research.
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Graduate
SPEA-V 502 Public Management (3 cr.)
Analysis of concepts, methods, and procedures involved in managing public organizations. Problems of organization, planning, decision making, performance evaluation, and management of human resources are considered. Cases are drawn from a variety of public services found at federal, state, and local levels of government.
SPEA-V 520 Environmental Policy Analysis (3 cr.)
The interrelationships among social, technical, and natural systems. Theories of growth. Causes and implications of environmental problems. Alternative policies and mechanisms for environmental control and bases of choice.
SPEA-V 521 The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (3 cr.)
The theory, size, scope, and functions of the nonprofit and voluntary sector are covered from multiple disciplinary perspectives including historical, political, economic, and social.
SPEA-V 525 Management in the Nonprofit Sector (3 cr.)
P: SPEA-V 521. An examination of nonprofit organizations and their role in society. Management issues and public policy affecting these organizations are discussed. Primary emphasis is upon U.S. organizations, but attention is given to the global nature of the sector.
SPEA-V 540 Law and Public Policy (3 cr.)
Explanation of law in society and its influence on public-sector operations. Examination of some of the central substantive areas of the study of law, including regulatory processes, administrative adjudication, the Administrative Procedures Act, ombudsmen, and citizens rights, among others.
SPEA-V 560 Public Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)
The fiscal role of government in a mixed economy; sources of public revenue and credit; administrative, political revenue and credit; administrative, political, and institutional aspects of the budget and the budgetary process; problems and trends in intergovernmental fiscal relations.
SPEA-V 561 Public Human Resources Management (3 cr.)
Analysis of the structure, operations, and design of public personnel systems, including government agencies and public enterprise. Relationships between public policy and personnel concepts, values, and operations considered.
SPEA-V 585 Practicum in Public Affairs (1-6 cr.)
Students hold work assignments with public agencies. Grading is on an S/F basis.
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