Criminal Justice Major
The criminal justice major is designed to provide theoretical and practical knowledge for students interested in professional careers in traditional law enforcement fields such as federal law enforcement, corrections, courts, police, and probation; in administrative and management positions in criminal justice and private security; and in law and para-legal occupations. Moreover, the major’s curriculum is intended to facilitate entry into graduate programs in criminal justice, sociology, and law, while also retaining a humanistic understanding of the study of crime. The criminal justice major at Saint Joseph’s is distinguished by its emphasis on creative participation, student-faculty interaction, and independent research projects.
Goal 1: Criminal justice majors will gain foundational knowledge of the core concepts and theoretical perspectives that define the causes of and responses to crime.
Outcome 1: Students will be able to define, classify, and compare the core concepts and theoretical perspectives that explain individual behaviors and criminal justice systems.
Goal 2: Criminal justice majors will analyze social problems with appropriate social scientific research methods.
Outcome 2: Students will be able to design a research study and apply appropriate designs and analytic methods to answer research questions.
Goal 3: Criminal justice majors will effectively communicate about their discipline.
Outcome 3: Students will be able to interpret and explain course content and empirical findings in oral and written communications.
Goal 4: Criminal justice majors will examine the impacts of culture and social structure on the criminal justice system.
Outcome 4: Students will be able to explain and critically assess the significance of race, class, gender identity, sexual identity, and age in the social construction of crime and justice.
Cornerstone Core Curriculum Requirements
Consist of 14 core and 2 overlay requirements. See below for additional detailed information on each of these requirements.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Course Requirements | ||
| ENG 101 | Craft of Language | 3 |
| World History Course Area | 3 | |
| Philosophy Requirements | ||
Either Level One or Level Two (but not both) -- must be Ethics designated. If approved, philosophy courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive overlay. Students may not double-count the same course as Philosophy Level Two and as a Mission Overlay course. | ||
| Philosophy Level One | 3 | |
| Philosophy Level Two | 3 | |
| Theology & Religious Studies Requirements | ||
If approved, Theology & Religious Studies courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive overlay. Students may not double-count the same course as CCC Theology and as a Mission Overlay course. | ||
| Theology | 3 | |
| Religious Studies | 3 | |
| Diversity & INT 151 Requirements | ||
A student's Diversity course may not count for any other CCC course area requirement or as their Mission Overlay course. If approved, Diversity courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive Overlay requirement. INT 151 may not count for any other CCC requirements. This course must be taken in the first two years | ||
| Diversity | 3 | |
| INT 151 | Inequality in American Society | 1 |
| Math & Natural Science Requirements | ||
If approved, Math & Natural Science Requirements may count toward overlay requirements. | ||
| Mathematics | 3-4 | |
| Natural Science | 4 | |
| Social Science Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, such Social Science Requirement may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Non-Native Language Requirement | 3-4 | |
A single Non-Native Language course may not count as an overlay course but a second language course fulfills a student's Mission Overlay requirement. | ||
| Literature Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, Literature courses may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design courses may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Overlay Requirements | ||
| Writing-Intensive | 3 | |
If approved, Writing-Intensive courses may double count as major courses, minor courses, electives, or as any CCC course area requirement except for the first-year courses (World History and Rhetoric and Composition). | ||
| Mission-Overlay | 3 | |
Mission Overlay courses may double count as major courses, minor courses, elective courses, or any of the following CCC course areas: Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design, Literature, Mathematics, Natural Science, or Social Science. | ||
| Total Hours | 47-49 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACC 101 | Concepts of Financial Acct | 3 |
| or GIS 101 | Introduction to GIS | |
| or GIS 201 | Intermediate GIS | |
| SOC 101 | Intro to Sociology (will count for CCC: Diversity) | 3 |
| SOC 102 | Social Problems (will count for CCC: Social Science) | 3 |
| SOC 118 | Statistics in Social Sciences | 3 |
| SOC 190 | Strategies for Success | 1 |
| SOC 206 | Theories of Crime | 3 |
| SOC 207 | Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| SOC 225 | Intro to American CJ | 3 |
| SOC 290 | Professional Prep Seminar | 1 |
| SOC 312 | Research Methods | 3 |
| SOC 313 | Data Analysis | 3 |
| SOC 470 | Special Topics | 3 |
| SOC 495 | Senior Thesis | 3 |
| Experiential learning is also a requirement and can include: study abroad, internships, study tour, or service learning classes. | 0-3 | |
| Select five other SOC courses with a criminal justice attribute numbered above SOC 102. 1 | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 50-53 | |
- 1
Approved courses are indicated in the Sociology course descriptions.
Free Electives
Seven elective courses. Graduation requires 120 credits. Any credits necessary to reach that number outside of the CCC and major requirements are considered free electives.
Requirements for College Honors in Sociology
To receive College Honors credit, Sociology majors will participate in the Senior Capstone experience required of all majors by taking SOC 495 as an honors course during the fall of the senior year. Additionally, College Honors candidates in Sociology will complete a second honors course during the spring of the senior year (SOC 497) that includes research, extending the senior capstone experience beyond what non-Honors students complete.
For students in the University Honors program, these two upgraded courses may be counted toward the eight course Honors requirement. To be eligible to participate in College Honors, a student must have a 3.5 GPA. If you are interested in completing the College Honors project during your senior year, please be in touch with the department chair early in the spring of your junior year. More details concerning College Honors may be found under Honors Program.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| World History | 3 | |
| SOC 101 | Intro to Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 190 | Strategies for Success | 1 |
| Philosophy Level One | 3 | |
| Literature or Theology | 3 | |
| Non-Native Language or Free Elective | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 101 | Craft of Language | 3 |
| SOC 225 | Intro to American CJ | 3 |
| Philosophy Level Two | 3 | |
| Theology or Literature | 3 | |
| INT 151 | Inequality in American Society | 1 |
| Free Elective or Non-Native Language | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOC 118 or MAT 118 |
Statistics in Social Sciences or Introduction to Statistics |
3 |
| Natural Science | 3-4 | |
| SOC 102 | Social Problems | 3 |
| SOC 207 | Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOC 206 | Theories of Crime | 3 |
| Religious Studies | 3 | |
| Experiential Learning | 3 | |
| Major Elective | 3 | |
| SOC 290 | ||
| Mission-Specific Overlay | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOC 312 | Research Methods | 3 |
| Fine & Performing Arts, Design & Creativity | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3-4 | |
| Major Elective | 3 | |
| Free-Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOC 313 | Data Analysis | 3 |
| Major Elective | 3 | |
| Free Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOC 495 | Senior Thesis | 3 |
| Major Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOC 470 | Special Topics | 3 |
| Major Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 6-9 | |
| Hours | 12-15 | |
| Total Hours | 119-126 | |