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.
The traditional undergraduate programs includes a minimum of 120 credits distributed across three components: A General Education component divided into Signature Courses, Variable Courses, and an Integrative Learning requirement; a Major and Divisional component; and Free Electives. In addition to course requirements as specified in each area, students must complete one certified course in each of the following overlay areas1:
- Diversity, Globalization or Non-western Area Studies,
- Ethics Intensive
- Writing Intensive, and
- Diversity
- 1
Overlay requirements are part of the 120 credit requirements
General Education Signature Courses
See this page about Signature courses.
General Education Variable Courses
See this page about Variable courses. Six to Nine courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Social/Behavioral Science | ||
| SOC 101 | Intro to Sociology | 3 |
General Education Overlays
General Education Integrative Learning Component
See this page about Integrative Learning Component. Three courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 118 | Intro Statistics Social Sci | 3 |
| or MAT 118 | Introduction to Statistics | |
| Social Science Select any College of Arts and Science course outside of sociology with a "social science" attribute | 3 | |
| Arts and Sciences Select any other course within the College of Arts and Sciences | 3 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACC 101 | Concepts of Financial Acct | 3 |
| or GIS 101 | Introduction to GIS | |
| or GIS 201 | Intermediate GIS | |
| SOC 102 | Social Problems | 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 & SOC 313 | Research Methods and Data Analysis | 6 |
| SOC 470 | Special Topics | 3 |
| SOC 495 | Senior Thesis | 3 |
| Select any experiential learning, including study abroad, internships, study tour courses, and service learning | 3 | |
| Select five other approved Criminal Justice courses numbered above SOC 102. 1 | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 47 | |
- 1
Approved courses are indicated in the Sociology course descriptions.
Free Electives
Seven elective courses.
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.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| SOC 101 | Intro to Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 190 | Strategies for Success | 1 |
| First-Year Seminar | 3 | |
| ENG 101 | Craft of Language | 3 |
| HIS 154 | Forging the Modern World | 3 |
| Non-native Language | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOC 102 | Social Problems | 3 |
| SOC 225 | Intro to American CJ | 3 |
| ENG 102 | Texts & Contexts | 3 |
| Math Beauty | 3 | |
| Non-native Language | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOC 206 | Theories of Crime | 3 |
| ACC 101 |
Concepts of Financial Acct or Introduction to GIS or Intermediate GIS |
3 |
| THE 154 |
Catholic Theological Tradition or Encountering the New Testament or Catholic Theological Tradition |
3 |
| Free-Elective | 3 | |
| Arts & Sciences (ILC) | ||
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| Upper Level CJ elective | 3 | |
| PHL 154 | Moral Foundations | 3 |
| SOC 118 or MAT 118 |
Intro Statistics Social Sci or Introduction to Statistics |
3 |
| Social Science (ILC) | 3 | |
| Free-Elective | 3 | |
| SOC 290 | Professional Prep Seminar | 1 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOC 312 | Research Methods | 3 |
| SOC 207 | Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| Upper Division CJ elective | 3 | |
| Religious Difference | 3 | |
| Free-Elective (Ethics-Intensive Overlay, if needed) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOC 313 | Data Analysis | 3 |
| Philosophical Anthropology | 3 | |
| SOC 490 | Internship (or Upper Division CJ elective) | 2-3 |
| Free-Elective | 6 | |
| Hours | 14-15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOC 495 | Senior Thesis | 3 |
| Upper Division CJ elective | 3 | |
| Natural Science (with lab) | 4 | |
| Faith and Reason | 3 | |
| Free-Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOC 470 | Special Topics | 3 |
| Upper Division CJ elective | 3 | |
| Fine Arts/Literature | 3 | |
| Free-Elective | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 119-120 | |
Saint Joseph University's combined BS/MS in Criminal Justice offers students an exciting and challenging curriculum of study. The program allows students to engage the most cogent criminal justice theories while providing opportunities for research with nationally renowned Sociology faculty. This unique program is designed for successful completion over five academic years.
Undergraduate criminal justice/sociology majors at Saint Joseph's who apply for the 4+1 BS/MS program will be evaluated for acceptance into the program following the completion of the first semester of the junior year. These undergraduate applicants will be asked to submit a complete undergraduate transcript, two letters of recommendation/reference, and an essay describing their interests and goals of graduate education in criminal justice. Minimum GPA requirement is 3.00.
| Senior | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| CRJ 565 | Ethics and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| CRJ 570 | Prof Writ for Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Summer | ||
| CRJ 550 or CRJ 575 |
Research Methods and Analysis or Adv Resrch Methds & Analysis |
3 |
| CRJ elective (3 credits) | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CRJ 793 | Thesis Supervision I If thesis option is not chosen, student will take 2 CRJ electives. | 3 |
| CRJ 560 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
| CRJ elective (3 credits) | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| CRJ 793 | Thesis Supervision I If thesis option is not chosen, student will take 3 CRJ electives. | 3 |
| 2 CRJ electives (6 credits) | 6 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |