Crime and Justice Studies Major

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Crime and Justice Studies (CJS) offers teachings in criminology, criminal justice and justice studies, successfully bridging the social sciences and humanities. We offer a multi-disciplinary program that specializes in the study of the criminal justice system’s history, policies, politics and procedures.

Offering criminology, criminal justice and justice studies within one department allows students interested in the various branches of work in this field (law enforcement, courts, corrections, probation, parole, social services, youth services, community building, policy, research, etc.) to begin cross-agency dialogue with each other, within our classrooms and before they enter the workforce. This allows our students to grasp comprehensive perspectives on the various, at times conflicting expectations of the overlapping institutions and agencies that comprise or have to interact with the criminal justice system. Our students learn to analyze structural, institutional, and transnational violence, gaining knowledge and skills to use towards better understanding and perhaps transforming unjust conditions that impact society and their home communities.

Admission into the Major

Students seeking admission to Crime and Justice Studies must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.0.

Students seeking to declare Crime and Justice Studies as their major must schedule an interview with the department chairperson.

Requirements

To successfully complete the program for graduation, all students must:

Maintain a minimum of a 2.75 GPA in the major
Maintain a minimum of a 2.0 GPA overall
Meet the CJS major requirements listed below
Complete 30 credits at 300/400 level (including all courses in the major except Experiential Learning)
Complete a minimum of 120 credits with at least 45 at UMass Dartmouth
Complete the University Studies requirements
Complete the distribution requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences
All courses counting for the major must be completed with a C- or higher
Complete all required CJS core courses, 4 CJS electives within the Crime and Justice Studies department.

Required Core Courses - 27 Credits

CJS 190 - Introduction to Crime and Justice Studies Credits: 3
CJS 205 - Social Theory Credits: 3
CJS 256 - The Criminal Justice System Credits: 3
CJS 257 - Foundations in Justice Studies Credits: 3
CJS 258 - A History of Criminology Credits: 3
CJS 315 - Research Methods for Justice Studies Credits: 3
CJS 380 - Abolitionism Credits: 3
CJS 400 - Contemporary Topics in Justice Credits: 3
CJS 450 - Internship Credits: 3

Crime and Justice Studies Electives - 12 credits

Students must take at least four (4) 300- or 400-level CJS electives.

CJS 298 - Experience Program Credits: variable; 1.00 to 6.00
CJS 311 - Youth, Crime and Justice Credits: 3
CJS 314 - Social Control Credits: 3
CJS 321 - Women, Crime, and the Law Credits: 3
CJS 324 - Gender, Crime and In-Justice Credits: 3
CJS 326 - Female Sex Offenders in the Media Credits: 3
CJS 334 - Mental Health and Justice Credits: 3
CJS 339 - Racism, Crime and Justice Credits: 3
CJS 340 - Law and Society Credits: 3
CJS 342 - Construction of Criminal Behavior Credits: 3
CJS 344 - Intersectional Criminology Credits: 3
CJS 345 - Environments of Justice Credits: 3
CJS 347 - Beyond Borders? Immigration & Justice Credits: 3.00
CJS 350 - Read Crime & Justice Studies Credits: 3
CJS 359 - Cinema of Policing Credits: 3
CJS 361 - The War on Drugs Credits: 3
CJS 362 - Crimes Against Humanity Credits: 3
CJS 363 - Race, Colonization and Inequality: the American Indian Story Credits: 3
CJS 364 - The Death Penalty Credits: 3
CJS 366 - Justice and Policy Credits: 3
CJS 368 - The Politics of Policing Credits: 3
CJS 370 - Criminal Law and Procedure Credits: 3
CJS 372 - Roots and Realities of Nonviolence Credits: 3
CJS 375 - Education, Transformation, and Justice Credits: 3
CJS 374 - Transformative Justice Credits: 3
CJS 382 - Advanced Theory in Crime and Justice Credits: 3
CJS 389 - Black Feminist Hauntology: mapping carceral time-life-death-afterlife in the era of criminal justice Credits: 3
CJS 396 - Directed Study Credits: variable; 1.00 to 6.00
CJS 407 - Field Inquiry I Credits: 3
CJS 408 - Field Inquiry II Credits: 3
CJS 492 - Thesis Research I Credits: 3
CJS 493 - Thesis Research II Credits: 3
CJS 495 - Independent Study Credits: variable; 1.00 to 6.00
CJS 496 - Directed Study Credits: variable; 1.00 to 6.00

Total Credits: 36

Note

Work experience or internships outside of the department may not be substituted for CJS 450 Internship. A limited number of Experiential Learning Credits (CJS 298) and Field Inquiry Credits (CJS 407; CJS 408) may apply toward overall credits with additional faculty supervised and reflective academic work.

As part of the articulation agreement with the Massachusetts Community Colleges, it is anticipated that students arriving with an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice or a closely related field may have satisfied the requirements for CJS 190 Introduction to Crime and Justice Studies. We cannot transfer 300-level requirements from 2-year institutions (with the exception of 3 credits for CJS 370 completed through 6 credits at the 200 level. All 4 year CJS elective transfer requests must be approved by CJS chairperson. Current or future confirmed employers cannot be used as placements for the CJS 450 Internship requirement.

University Studies Requirements

In addition to the requirements in the major, students will be required to complete the University Studies requirements. For more information: http://www.umassd.edu/generaleducation/universitystudies/universitystudiescurriculum/.