Bachelor in Criminal & Social Justice

The Criminal & Social Justice major at the University of St. Francis offers students an exciting alternative to a traditional criminal justice program by offering the opportunity to build a concentration in one of several specializations.

Writing skills, ethics, and integrity, service and social justice are emphasized to prepare students for a profession where these traits and skills are in high demand. The Criminal & Social Justice major educates students in the structure and process of the criminal justice system with a holistic Catholic Franciscan social justice perspective.

Concentrations:

• Forensics
• Languages & Cultural Diversity
• Leadership (for law enforcement officers)
• Politics and Law
• Psychology
• Social Work

This program seeks to:

• Provide students with a broad liberal arts foundation challenged by Franciscan values
• and char-ism, engaged in a continuous pursuit of knowledge, faith, wisdom, and justice, and ever mindful of a tradition that emphasizes reverence for creation, compassion, and
• peacemaking.
• Provide a social justice perspective on criminal justice through the exploration and
• understanding of societal issues that lead to criminal behavior.
• Teach students theoretical and practical knowledge of the structures, processes, and
• functions of the criminal justice institutions and their relationship to other social systems.
• Provide students the opportunity to explore an area of Criminal & Social Justice in depth through concentration options.

Incorporate the following skills and attitudes into the curriculum as identified by law enforcement professionals:

• Ethics and integrity
• Cultural diversity and tolerance
• Public service and community leadership
• Interpersonal communication and conflict resolution
• Strong writing skills
• Provide students with the opportunity for experiential learning including service
• learning, internships, and research.
• Prepare students to contribute to society through service and leadership as criminal and social justice professionals.
• Graduate students who have an awareness and appreciation of diversity including differences and similarities of culture, race, ethics, norms, and values.

Curriculum

Core Requirements (42 semester hours)

• CSJU 101 Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (3)
• CSJU 220 Criminal Law (3)
• CSJU 221 Law Enforcement & Society
• CSJU 225 Introduction to Corrections (3)
• CSJU 230 Juvenile Justice System (3)
• CSJU 240 Criminology (3)
• CSJU 310 Social Justice Issues (3)
• CSJU 333 Criminal & Social Justice Research Methods (3)
• CSJU 370 Criminal Justice and Diversity Issues (3)
• CSJU 430 Comparative Justice Systems (3)
• CSJU 410 White Collar Crime(3) OR CSJU 494 Topics: (3)
• CSJU 497 Internship (6-15)
• POLI 346 Constitutional Law II: Bill of Rights (3)

Concentrations (9 semester hours)

Students must choose from one of six concentrations. Each concentration requires a minimum of three (3) courses from a single concentration. At least one course must be at the 300-400 level.

Forensics

• BIOL 114 Human Biology/Lab (4)
• CHEM 120 Foundations of Chemistry/Lab (5)
• CHEM 495 Directed Study: Forensics (2)
• PSYC 260 Introduction to Forensic Psychology (3)

Languages & Cultural Diversity

• FORL 200/300 Intermediate or Advanced language course (minimum 6)
• FORL 294/494 Cultural Diversity Topics (requires advisor approval) (3)
• CSJU 497 Practicum (must be in a “diverse” setting that exposes the student to a culture different from his/her own) (3)

Leadership (open to practicing Law Enforcement officers only)

All courses offered online.

• ORGL 331 Leadership Principles (3)
• ORGL 332 Interpersonal Communications in the Workplace (3)
• ORGL 333 Team Building and Development (3)
• ORGL 335 Strategies for Change (3)
• ORGL 336 Ethics in the Workplace (3)
• ORGL 337 Human Resource Issues for Leaders (3)
• ORGL 338 Contemporary Issues in Leadership (3)

Politics & Law

• CSJU 320 Terrorism (3)
• CSJU 410 White Collar Crime (3)
• CSJU 494 Topics: (3)
• POLI 210 Introduction to Law (3)
• POLI 350 Legal process/Mock Trial (3)
• POLI 375 American Public Policy (3)

**Side note: if a student completed CSJU 410 to fulfill the requirement within the major, the student must choose a different course to complete the 9 hours within the concentration (no “double-dipping”)

Psychology

• PSYC 240 Life-Span Development (3)
• PSYC 250 Abnormal Psychology (3)
• PSYC 260 Introduction to Forensic Psychology (3)
• PSYC 302 Psychology of Terrorism (3)
• PSYC 342 Adolescent Behavior (3)
• PSYC 350 Personality (3)

Social Work

• SWRK 315 Social Policy II (3)
• SWRK 321 The Legal System and the Helping Profession (3)
• SWRK 363 Social Work Practice I (3)
• SWRK 364 Social Work Practice II (3)
• SWRK 424 Social Work in a Pluralistic Society (3)

Specified General Education Required (12 semester hours):

• MATH 105 Introduction to Statistics (3)
• PSYC 111 General Psychology (3)
• PHIL 320 Contemporary Issues in Ethics (3)
• POLI 221 State and Local Politics (3)

Minor Program

Criminal and Social Justice (18 Semester hours)

Required Courses: (15 semester hours)

• CSJU 101 Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (3)
• CSJU 225 Corrections (3)
• CSJU 240 Criminology (3)
• CSJU 310 Social Justice Issues (3)
• CSJU 412 Law Enforcement and Society (3)

Elective Course (3 semester hours)

Choose one course from the following:

• CSJU 220 Criminal Law (3)
• CSJU 320 Terrorism (3)
• CSJU 325 Criminal Procedures (3)
• CSJU 330 Criminal Evidence (3)
• CSJU 333 Criminal and Social Justice Research Issues (3)
• CSJU 370 Criminal Justice and Diversity Issues (3)
• CSJU 410 White Collar Crime (3)
• CSJU 494 Topics in Criminal and Social Justice (3)
• POLI 346 American Constitutional Law II (3)
• POLI 350 Legal Process/Mock Trial (3)
• POLI 375 American Public Policy (3)

Employment Opportunities

Employment projections for national, state and county levels are higher than average in many criminal justice occupations.

As a Catholic university rooted in the liberal arts, we are a welcoming community of learners challenged by Franciscan values and charism, engaged in continuous pursuit of knowledge, faith, wisdom, and justice, and ever mindful of a tradition that emphasizes reverence for creation, compassion, and peacemaking. We strive for academic excellence in all programs, preparing women and men to contribute to the world through service and leadership.