The crime and legal studies major offers students a unique, critically oriented, interdisciplinary program that has two complementary missions. First, this program provides a broad academic background for students to have maximum flexibility during their academic tenure and after they graduate, regardless of whether they intend to pursue a career in law enforcement, helping professions in the criminal justice system or attend law school or graduate school. Second, the program places an emphasis on the interrelation of ethics, social justice, race/ethnicity, socio-economic class and other cultural factors with the various components of the system including law enforcement, juvenile justice, court services and corrections. Ultimately, through a liberal arts and career-focused curriculum, students will have practical opportunities to prepare for a variety of careers in the field of criminal justice.
Students in the Crime and Legal Studies major will:
- Describe the history and structure of the American criminal justice system, including law enforcement, courts, corrections, and the juvenile justice system, as well as the American legal system, including legal processes, sources of law, and the interrelationships between legal institutions.
- Differentiate and analyze the substantive criminal laws intended to control crime and the laws of criminal procedure that place constraints on law enforcement.
- Critically analyze both quantitative and qualitative research, crime data, and public policies to inform evidence-based solutions to contemporary sociolegal dilemmas.
- Identify and explain the experiences of vulnerable populations within the criminal justice system, such as racial and ethnic minorities, juveniles, and gender and sexual minorities, and describe the roles that criminal justice and legal personnel can play in supporting these populations.
- Develop and apply ethical and professional knowledge, skills, and values through coursework and internship placements to foster career development in various settings.
Note: students taking HPS 487 will need an extra credit to get to 12 credits.