Mar 28, 2024  
2017-2019 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2017-2019 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Justice Studies Major, BA


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Program Description

The Justice Studies program is an interdisciplinary program designed to give students a broad understanding of the justice system and issues related to the administration of justice. As a multi-disciplinary program, it will encompass those disciplines in the humanities and social sciences that are relevant to an understanding of justice, the criminal justice system and related social justice issues with a global focus. The purpose of the Justice Studies program is to educate students to be critical thinkers who can communicate their thoughts effectively in oral and written form. Our program will familiarize students with facts and concepts and teach them to apply this knowledge to related problems and changing situations. Courses from political science, sociology, law, philosophy, history, and other disciplines that contribute to a greater understanding of justice and of issues related to crime, corrections and the administration of justice, will be an integral part of the program. The program will prepare students for professional positions in the justice system or in justice-related agencies, as well as to seek graduate and professional degrees in law, public policy or other fields relevant to the administration of justice.

 

Justice Studies: Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, the student will:

  • Help students develop a comprehensive understanding of Justice Studies and the criminal justice system.
  • Examine and explain justice and injustice and their impact on individuals, communities, institutions and/or nations.
  • Demonstrate writing, quantitative, and communication skills within the discipline.
  • Sharpen students’ ability to think and reason critically, to practice sound methodological skills and to communicate effectively.
  • Demonstrate the ability to analyze and critique professional literature.
  • Know and be able to apply theoretical and methodological approaches to criminal justice ideas and social justice issues.

 

Major Curriculum

For a robust and strategic liberal learning outlook, intellectual design, and instructional delivery posture that is consistent with current pedagogies in the Justice Studies discipline, focus and meaning are strengthened further by dividing the curriculum into three primary theoretical and philosophical segments: foundation, breadth, and depth.

The Foundation courses prescribe those courses that all students in the major must take so that they can begin to understand better and establish mastery in the discipline.

The Breadth courses are those that provide for focus on the discipline and its related fields; create avenues for interdisciplinary collaboration; and more content enhanced than the foundation courses.

Depth courses are more sequentially graduated in content and in levels of analysis, and typically provide more complex and critical levels of thought with the need for sophisticated evaluative judgments.

 

Foundation (21 Credit Hours)

These are courses that all students regardless of specialization must master in order to understand the discipline.

JUS 2301    Introduction to Justice Studies   

JUS 2310    Theories of Justice Studies

JUS 2302    Research Methods in Justice Studies I

JUS 4302    Research Methods in Justice Studies II

JUS 4342    Technological Analysis

***Language Requirement at the elementary level – Kiswahili, Spanish, Portuguese, French, American Sign Language – 6 hours

 

Breadth (12 Semester Hours)

These are courses that demonstrate the breadth of the discipline.

JUS 3310   Police & Community

JUS 3337   Court Procedure & Evidence

JUS 3361   Juvenile Justice

JUS 4344   Corrections

 

Depth (18 Semester Hours)

The Justice Studies program provides students the opportunity to take one area of the discipline and to go more in depth by taking additional courses.  Based on the expertise of the faculty the program offers three areas of depth or concentration.  Each student will select one area from among Forensic Science & Criminology; Global Justice & Law and; Social Justice & Policy. The academic advisor will help students determine which area best fits with their goals.

JUS 4391 Internship in Justice Studies

 

Major Requirements

The student completes 60 hours of General Education courses, and 36 hours of Justice Studies courses in any one of the three Areas of Specialization. The remaining hours (24 hours) should come from electives or courses taken toward a minor degree in another program. (A Minor is not required for the JUS degree)

Students are required to complete 120 internship hours to qualify for graduation.

The student who majors in Justice Studies should have 6 hours of foreign language which can include sign language. The student is strongly encouraged to seek proficiency in conversational Spanish.

The student, whether specializing in Forensic Science and Criminology or in Global Justice and Law or in Social Justice and Public Policy, must take the 6 core courses: 

 

BA in Justice Studies – 36 hours

Core Courses (6 courses)

JUS 2301        Introduction to Justice Studies                                              

JUS 2302        Writing & Research in Justice Studies I                         

JUS 4302        Research Methods in Justice Studies II

JUS 4391        Internship in Justice Studies

XXX-XXXX       Language Requirement at the elementary level – Kiswahili, Spanish, Portuguese, French, American Sign Language – 6 hours

Course Notes

*Students must take JUS 2302 before they can take JUS 4302

 

Areas of Specialization

Forensic Science and Criminology (6 courses; 4 of which must be in JUS and at the 3000 and 4000 level): All Students in this area of specialization must take: SOC/JUS 3353       Criminology

This area focuses on the nature, causes and solutions for crime, primarily but not exclusively in the United States.  This track focuses on the functions, policies and procedure of forensic science.  Courses in this track also addresses the scientific method of gathering and examining information as it relates to law enforcement where forensics is done in relation to criminal or civil law.

 

JUS 2320        Introduction to Forensic Science

JUS 2310        Theories of Justice Studies

JUS 3318        Forensic Psychology

JUS 3339        Criminal Investigation

JUS 3310        Police & Community 

JUS 3337        Court Procedure & Evidence                                           

JUS 3361        Juvenile Justice                                                               

JUS 4344        Corrections                                                                                                              

JUS 4342        Technological Analysis                                                   

BIO 1305        Scientific Ethics

BIO 3315        Introduction to Neuroscience

BIO 3366        Genetics

CSC 3325        Introduction to Information Security

GEO 2315       Introduction to GIS

SOC 3347       Deviant Behavior

SOC 3353       Criminology

SOC 3354       Sociology of Mental Illness

SOC 4321       Group Dynamics

PHI 2303        Introduction to Logic           

PHI 3302        Philosophy of Science

PSY 3306        Abnormal Behavior

PSY 3307        Social Psychology

PSY 3319        Psychology of Law

PSY 3329        Personality

 

Global Justice and Law  (6 courses; 4 of which must be in JUS and at the 3000 and 4000 level) All Students in this area of specialization must take: JUS 2310 Theories of Justice Studies

This area explores issues of justice in global context. Most prominent among them are questions of security, equity and equality. It further guides students in engaging in intellectual thoughts and discussions in investigating social justice, inequality and violence among various groups globally.  Courses in this track address the individual, group and state dimensions of these and related issues in a diverse set of policy areas including democratization, cultural identity, developmental, environmental protection, conflict resolution, human rights and the impact of the legal system.

JUS 2310     Theories of Justice Studies

JUS 3336     The Judicial Process

JUS 3335     Justice Administration

JUS 3344     The Political Economy of Justice

JUS 3355     Criminal Law

JUS 3342     Comparative Justice Systems

JUS 3345     Strategic Approaches to Community Justice

JUS 3346     Sociology of Law

JUS 3382     Class, Race, Gender & Justice

JUS 4322     Contemporary Issues in Justice Studies

JUS 4330     Social Justice

JUS 4369       Constitutional Law

AAS 4302    Race and Economics in the USA

AAS 4301      Latin American Political Thought

AAS 4303     Conflict & Conflict Resolution in Africa

JUS/HIS 4320   Roman Justice

JUS/HIS 4328   Victorian Justice

HIS 3309         Black Revolutionary Movements

GER 3304        Public Policy of Aging

PHI 2302         Contemporary Moral Problems

POS 3326        Public Policy

POS 3341        International Relations

POS 3371        Urban Politics

POS 4356        Black Political Thought

POS 4378        Western Political Thought

SOC 3343        Cultural Diversity

SOC 4317        Urban Communities

SOC 4364        Race & Culture

 

This area is designed to investigate what is fair, equitable and just for society. Emphasizing the oppression and liberation of vulnerable, exploited and marginalized populations, this curriculum promotes sustainable and just solutions to social, political and economic problems.  Courses afford an opportunity to both consider such issues and ideas in addition to offering various resolutions of particular issues.

JUS 2310     Theories of Justice Studies

JUS 3335     Justice Administration

JUS 3342     Comparative Justice Systems

JUS 3344     The Political Economy of Justice

JUS 3345     Strategic Approaches to Community Justice

JUS 3346     Sociology of Law

JUS 3350      Victims and Justice

JUS 3382     Class, Race, Gender & Justice

JUS 4330     Social Justice

JUS 4322     Contemporary Issues in Justice Studies

JUS 4369     Constitutional Law

AAS 4302   Race and Economics in the USA

AAS 4301   Latin American Political Thought

GER 3304   Public Policy of Aging

PHI 2302    Contemporary Moral Problems

POS 3310    Legal, Political and Economic Aspects of Aging

POS 3326    Public Policy

POS 3331    Civil Rights

POS 3371    Urban Politics

SOC 3343    Cultural Diversity

SOC 3344    Sex, Gender & Feminist Thought

SOC 4364    Race & Culture

Course Notes

*Students must take JUS 2302 before they can take JUS 4302

 

Minor Requirements

A minimum of 18 semester hours with a grade of “C” or higher in each course is required for a minor in Justice Studies. To satisfy the requirements for a minor, students must take JUS 2301 (Introduction to Justice Studies), which is a prerequisite to all other Justice Studies courses, as well as JUS 2302 (Research Methods in Justice Studies I). Students may choose any combination of other Justice Studies courses to fulfill the remaining 12-semester-hour requirement.

Courses in Numerical Order

 

JUS 2301/Introduction to Justice Studies

JUS 2302/Research Methods in Justice Studies I

JUS 2310/Theories of Justice Studies

JUS 2320/Introduction to Forensic Science

JUS 3310/Police & Community

JUS 3318/Forensic Psychology

JUS 3335/Justice Administration

JUS 3336 /The Judicial Process

JUS 3337/Court Procedure & Evidence

JUS 3339/Criminal Investigation

JUS 3342/Comparative Justice Systems

JUS 3344/The Political Economy of Justice

JUS 3345/Strategic Approaches to Community Justice

JUS 3346 /Sociology of Law

JUS 3347/Drugs, Crime, and Justice

JUS 3350/Victims and Justice

JUS 3355/Criminal Law

JUS 3361/Juvenile Justice

JUS 3382/Class, Race, Gender & Justice

JUS 4302/Research Methods in Justice Studies II

JUS 4320/Roman Justice              

JUS 4322/Contemporary Issues in Justice Studies

JUS 4328/Victorian Justice

JUS 4330/Social Justice

JUS 4342/Technological Analysis

JUS 4344/Corrections

JUS 4369/Constitutional Law

JUS 4391/Internship in Justice Studies

 

 

 

 

 

 

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