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.