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.
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 3353 /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 3310 Police & Community
JUS 3318 Forensic Psychology
JUS 3337 Court Procedure & Evidence
JUS 3339 Criminal Investigation
JUS 3361 Juvenile Justice
JUS 3365 Medical and Legal Investigations of Death
JUS 4344 Corrections
JUS 4342 GIS Concepts and Techniques
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 4301 Latin American Political Thought
AAS 4302 Race and Economics in the USA
AAS 3303 Conflict & Conflict Resolution in Africa
JUS 4320 /HIS 4320 Roman Justice
JUS 4328 /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
Social Jutice and Public Policy
(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; JUS 4330 Social Justice
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 /GIS Technological Analysis
JUS 4344 /Corrections
JUS 4369 /Constitutional Law
JUS 4391 /Internship in Justice Studies
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