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 (15 Semester Hours required)
These are courses that all students regardless of specialization must master in order to understand the discipline.
JUS 2301 - Introduction to Justice Studies
JUS 2302 - Research Methods in Justice Studies I
JUS 2310 - Theories of Justice Studies
Foreign Language at the Elementary Level (6 SH)
(Options include: Kiswahili, Spanish, Portuguese, French, American Sign Language)
Breadth (9 Semester Hours required)
These are courses that demonstrate the breadth of the discipline.
Required Breadth Course
JUS 4302 - Writing & Research in Justice Studies II
Breadth Elective Courses (Choose two courses)
JUS 3310 - Police & Community
JUS 3335 - Justice Administration
JUS 3337 - Court Procedure & Evidence
JUS 4342 - GIS Concepts and Techniques
JUS 4344 - Prison and Punishment in U.S. Society
Depth (12 Semester Hours required)
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 four areas of depth or concentration. Each student will select one area from among Forensic Science and Criminology, Global Justice and Law, Social Justice and Policy, and Spatial Justice and Sustainability. The academic advisor will help students determine which area best fits with their goals.
Required Depth Course for all students regardless of depth area of study.
JUS 4391 - Internship in Justice Studies
Forensic Science and Criminology Depth
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 address 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.
Required Forensic Science and Criminology Depth Course
JUS 3353 - Criminology or SOC 3353 - Criminology
Elective Forensic Science and Criminology Depth Courses (Choose two courses)
BIO 1305 - Human Heredity, Genetics and Society
BIO 3315 - Fundamentals of Neuroscience Lecture
BIO 3366 - Genetics
CSC 3325 - Introduction to Information Security
GEO 2315 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
JUS 2320 - Introduction to Forensic Science
JUS 3310 - Police & Community
JUS 3318 - Forensic Psychology
JUS 3339 - Criminal Investigation
JUS 3361 - Juvenile Justice
JUS 3365 - Medical and Legal Investigations of Death
JUS 4342 - GIS Concepts and Techniques
JUS 4344 - Prison and Punishment in U.S. Society
PHI 2303 - Introduction to Logic
PHI 3302 - Philosophy of Science
PSY 3306 - Abnormal Psychology
PSY 3307 - Social Psychology
PSY 3319 - Psychology and Law
PSY 3329 - Personality
SOC 3347 - Deviant Behavior
SOC 3354 - Sociology of Mental Illness
SOC 4321 - Group Dynamics
Global Justice and Law Depth
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.
Elective Global Justice and Law Depth Courses (Choose three courses)
AAS 3303 - Conflict and Conflict Resolution in Africa
AAS 4301 - Latin American Political Thought
AAS 4302 - Race and Economics in the USA
GER 3304 - Public Policy, Aging and Society
HIS 3309 - Black Revolutionary Movements
HIS 4320 - Roman Justice
HIS 4328 - Victorian Justice
JUS 3335 - Justice Administration
JUS 3336 - The Judicial Process
JUS 3342 - Comparative Justice Studies
JUS 3344 - The Political Economy of Justice
JUS 3345 - Strategic Approaches to Community Safety
JUS 3346 - Sociology of Law
JUS 3355 - Criminal Law
JUS 3382 - Class, Race, Gender & Justice
JUS 4320 - Roman Justice
JUS 4322 - Contemporary Issues in Justice Studies
JUS 4328 - Victorian Justice
JUS 4330 - Social Justice
JUS 4369 - Constitutional Law
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 and Culture
Social Justice and Public Policy
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.
Required Social Justice and Public Policy Depth Courses
JUS 4330 - Social Justice
JUS 4391 - Internship in Justice Studies
Elective Social Justice and Public Policy Depth Courses (Choose two courses)
AAS 4301 - Latin American Political Thought
AAS 4302 - Race and Economics in the USA
GER 3304 - Public Policy, Aging and Society
JUS 3335 - Justice Administration
JUS 3342 - Comparative Justice Studies
JUS 3344 - The Political Economy of Justice
JUS 3345 - Strategic Approaches to Community Safety
JUS 3346 - Sociology of Law
JUS 3350 - Victims and Justice
JUS 3382 - Class, Race, Gender & Justice
JUS 4322 - Contemporary Issues in Justice Studies
JUS 4369 - Constitutional Law
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 and Culture
Spatial Justice and Sustainability
The concentration in Spatial Justice & Sustainability (SJ&S) is focused on exploring ‘justice’ as it relates to place. This spatial approach to justice seeks to provide students with an in-depth analysis of spatial injustices across urban spaces using innovative methodological and technological approaches to addressing spatial inequalities. Students electing to pursue a concentration in SJ&S will also be exposed to a wide variety of efforts to rectify spatial injustices and create more sustainable communities. Employment opportunities for students abound in an assortment of fields that are currently underrepresented including: urban planning/studies, environmental planning, urban data sciences and geo-spatial sciences.
Required Spatial Justice and Sustainability Depth Courses
GEO 2301 - Introduction to Urban Studies and Sustainability or IDS 2301 - Introduction to Urban Studies and Sustainability
JUS 4391 - Internship in Justice Studies
Elective Spatial Justice and Sustainability Depth Courses (Choose two courses)
AAS 4302 - Race and Economics in the USA
CSC 1315 - Introduction to Data Science
GEO 2313 - Environmental Justice and Sustainability
GEO 3311 - Urban Geography
GEO 4345 - Applied Urban Studies Lab
HIS 2305 - Freedom Dreams: U.S. Social Movements
HIS 2325 - Historical Foundations of a Just Society
HIS 3361 - Urban History
IDS 2301 - Introduction to Urban Studies and Sustainability
JUS 2305 - Freedom Dreams: U. S. Social Movements from Theory to Action
JUS 2325 - Historical Foundations of a Just Society
JUS 3382 - Class, Race, Gender & Justice
POS 3326 - Public Policy
POS 3331 - Civil Rights
POS 3371 - Urban Politics
SOC 2326 - Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences
SOC 4317 - Urban Communities
SOC 4333 - Social Stratification
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