Justice Studies, B.A.
Program Description
The Bachelor of Arts degree in justice studies provides an expansive and holistic education in the broad, interdisciplinary field of justice studies, including and beyond the subfields represented in the concentration areas (criminal justice and criminology, global justice and policy, and social justice engagement). The major offers a rigorous and vocationally-relevant course of study for persons interested in academic or applied careers at the community, national or global level.
Students can complete the B.A. degree in justice studies with or without a concentration area (refer to requirements for each option).
Transfer Credit
A maximum of two courses may be transferred into the justice studies major from other institutions. No transfer credit will be given for any course offered in the major at the 300 or 400 level.
Declaration and Progression Information
Because of the way students progress through the major, it takes at least five semesters to complete the requirements. Only declared Justice Studies majors can enroll in JUST 200. Students must take JUST 200 first; it is the only course students are allowed to take during their first semester in the major. The semester following successful completion of JUST 200, students may begin to take the 200-level foundation courses. During the third semester in the major, students may begin to take 300-level Justice Studies courses. Also be aware that MATH 220 is a prerequisite for JUST 399 Justice Research Methods, which is in turn a prerequisite for JUST 400 Senior Seminar in Justice Studies.
New first-year and transfer students should declare the Justice Studies major when they register for orientation.
For currently enrolled students, the process for declaring majors is online; see the Registrar's website for additional information. Students must declare the major by March 1 (for summer and fall enrollment) or October 1 (for spring enrollment).
Please contact the Justice Studies academic advisor, Daisy Breneman, with any questions about declaring the major.
Degree Requirements
| Degree Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| General Education courses1,2 | 41 |
| Philosophy course (in addition to any taken for General Education) | 3 |
| Foreign language courses (intermediate level required)3 | 0-12 |
| Major requirements | 41 |
| University Electives | 20-38 |
| Total | 120 |
- 1
The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. Some credits may be fulfilled by courses required within the major.
- 2
MATH 220 (prerequisite for JUST 399) will fulfill a General Education requirement.
- 3
The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of the second semester of the intermediate level of the student's chosen language (typically 232), or by placing out of that language through the Department of World Languages and Cultures' placement test.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| JUST 100 | Justice Studies Proseminar | 1 |
| JUST 200 | Introduction to Justice Studies | 3 |
| JUST 399 | Justice Research Methods 1 | 4 |
| JUST 400 | Senior Seminar in Justice Studies | 3 |
| Subtotal | 11 | |
| Fairness and Responsibility Component Requirement | ||
| Choose one of the following: 2 | 3 | |
| Race, Class and Justice | ||
| Mapping Justice | ||
| Gender and Justice | ||
| Native Justice and Resistance | ||
| Refugees and Humanitarian Response | ||
| War and Justice | ||
| Disability and Justice | ||
| Gender Identity, Law and Justice | ||
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Foundation Course Requirements for General Justice Studies Majors | ||
| The following requirements are only for majors without a concentration. | ||
| JUST 210 | Crime and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| or JUST 212 | Theories of Crime and Criminal Justice | |
| JUST 221 | Social Justice Theories | 3 |
| or JUST 223 | Social Justice Interventions and Policies | |
| JUST 235 | Justice in the Global Community | 3 |
| or JUST 237 | Dilemmas in Global Justice | |
| Subtotal | 9 | |
| Electives for General Justice Studies Majors | ||
| Students select six additional courses from the following list. At least four of the six electives must have a JUST identifier: 3 | 18 | |
| United States Urban History | ||
| Perspectives on Comparative Justice | ||
| Advanced Level Special Topics in Justice Studies | ||
| Justice and Crime | ||
| Social Psychology of Justice | ||
| Global Crime | ||
| Women, Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Mass and Serial Murder | ||
| Human Development and Crime | ||
| Victimization of Children | ||
| Sex Offenders | ||
| Organized Crime | ||
| Comparative Criminal Justice | ||
| Death Penalty | ||
| Victimology | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Race, Class and Justice | ||
| Perspectives on Law | ||
| Corrections | ||
| Human Rights in Theory and Practice | ||
| Media and Justice | ||
| Mapping Justice | ||
| Gender and Justice | ||
| Justice and Society | ||
| Restorative Justice | ||
| Justice and Globalization | ||
| Building Democracy | ||
| Global Migration | ||
| Justice and Development | ||
| Native Justice and Resistance | ||
| Solutions to Global Poverty | ||
| Refugees and Humanitarian Response | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Justice in Literature, Film and Art | ||
| Ethics and International Politics | ||
| Rebuilding Post Conflict Societies | ||
| War and Justice | ||
| Genocide in the 20th Century | ||
| Global Social Movements | ||
| Global Futures | ||
| Disability and Justice | ||
| Sexual Orientation, Law and Justice | ||
| Gender Identity, Law and Justice | ||
| Peace Studies | ||
| International Law | ||
| Legal Research and Information Literacy | ||
| Internship in Justice Studies | ||
| Advanced Research in Justice Studies | ||
| Nelson Institute Seminar | ||
| Practicum in Community-Based Research | ||
| Research Assistantship in Justice Studies | ||
| Honors | ||
| The Individual, The State and Justice | ||
| Civil Rights | ||
| The Politics of Cultural Pluralism | ||
| Ethics and International Politics | ||
| Women and Politics in Comparative Perspective | ||
| International Organizations | ||
| The Psychology of Women and Gender | ||
| Forensic Psychology | ||
| Sociology of Religion | ||
| Religion and Society | ||
| Argument and Advocacy | ||
| Sociology of Religion | ||
| Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Social Inequality | ||
| Sociology of Sexuality | ||
| Subtotal | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 41 | |
- 1
- 2
Any course not used to fulfill this requirement may be used as elective credit.
- 3
Students may select only one of the following courses for elective credit: JUST 401, JUST 402, JUST 403, JUST 404 or JUST 405. Students should seek approval from their advisor or the department head.
Justice Studies Concentrations
Concentration A: Criminal Justice and Criminology
This concentration focuses on the nature, causes and solutions for crime, primarily, but not exclusively, in the United States.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration A: Required Foundation Courses | ||
| JUST 210 | Crime and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| JUST 212 | Theories of Crime and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Subtotal | 6 | |
| Concentration A: Foundation Course Electives | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Social Justice Theories | ||
| Social Justice Interventions and Policies | ||
| Justice in the Global Community | ||
| Dilemmas in Global Justice | ||
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Concentration A: Electives | ||
| Choose six additional courses from the following list. At least four of the six electives must have a JUST identifier: 1 | 18 | |
| Advanced Level Special Topics in Justice Studies 2 | ||
| Justice and Crime | ||
| Social Psychology of Justice | ||
| Global Crime | ||
| Women, Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Mass and Serial Murder | ||
| Human Development and Crime | ||
| Victimization of Children | ||
| Sex Offenders | ||
| Organized Crime | ||
| Death Penalty | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Race, Class and Justice | ||
| Perspectives on Law | ||
| Corrections | ||
| Media and Justice | ||
| Mapping Justice | ||
| Gender and Justice | ||
| Justice and Society | ||
| Restorative Justice | ||
| Native Justice and Resistance | ||
| Refugees and Humanitarian Response | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Terrorism | ||
| Justice in Literature, Film and Art 2 | ||
| War and Justice | ||
| Disability and Justice | ||
| Sexual Orientation, Law and Justice | ||
| Gender Identity, Law and Justice | ||
| Legal Research and Information Literacy | ||
| Internship in Justice Studies | ||
| Practicum in Community-Based Research 2 | ||
| Advanced Research in Justice Studies 2 | ||
| Nelson Institute Seminar 2 | ||
| Research Assistantship in Justice Studies | ||
| Forensic Psychology 3 | ||
| Subtotal | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
- 1
Note: Other courses may be substituted with your advisor's and the department head's consent.
- 2
May be taken for elective credit in Concentration A, Concentration B and Concentration C when the topic is appropriate. Students may select only one of the following for elective credit: JUST 401, JUST 402, JUST 403, JUST 404 or JUST 405. Students should seek approval from their advisor or the department head.
- 3
Course is only open to students who are double majoring in Psychology.
Concentration B: Global Justice and Policy
This concentration explores issues of justice in global context. Most prominent among them are questions of security, equity and equality. Courses 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 and human rights.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration B: Required Foundation Courses | ||
| JUST 235 | Justice in the Global Community | 3 |
| JUST 237 | Dilemmas in Global Justice | 3 |
| Subtotal | 6 | |
| Concentration B: Foundation Course Electives | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Theories of Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Social Justice Theories | ||
| Social Justice Interventions and Policies | ||
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Concentration B: Electives | ||
| Students in Concentration B select six additional elective courses from the following list. At least four must have a JUST identifier: 1 | 18 | |
| Advanced Level Special Topics in Justice Studies 2 | ||
| Global Crime | ||
| Organized Crime | ||
| Death Penalty | ||
| Human Rights in Theory and Practice | ||
| Media and Justice 2 | ||
| Mapping Justice | ||
| Gender and Justice | ||
| Restorative Justice | ||
| Justice and Globalization | ||
| Building Democracy | ||
| Global Migration | ||
| Justice and Development | ||
| Native Justice and Resistance | ||
| Solutions to Global Poverty | ||
| Refugees and Humanitarian Response | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Terrorism | ||
| Justice in Literature, Film and Art 2 | ||
| Ethics and International Politics | ||
| Rebuilding Post Conflict Societies | ||
| War and Justice | ||
| Genocide in the 20th Century | ||
| Global Social Movements | ||
| Global Futures | ||
| Disability and Justice | ||
| Sexual Orientation, Law and Justice | ||
| Gender Identity, Law and Justice | ||
| Peace Studies | ||
| Legal Research and Information Literacy | ||
| Internship in Justice Studies 2 | ||
| Advanced Research in Justice Studies 2 | ||
| Nelson Institute Seminar 2 | ||
| Practicum in Community-Based Research 2 | ||
| Research Assistantship in Justice Studies | ||
| The Individual, The State and Justice | ||
| International Law | ||
| International Organizations | ||
| Argument and Advocacy | ||
Any 300-level anthropology course that is centered on a world region (other than North America) 3 | ||
Any 300-level history course that is centered on a world region (other than North America) and that includes coverage of the 20th century 3 | ||
Any 300-level political science course that is regionally focused 3 | ||
Any 300-level religion course with a contemporary and international focus 3 | ||
| Subtotal | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
- 1
Note: Other courses may be substituted with your advisor's and the department head's consent.
- 2
May be taken for elective credit in Concentration A, Concentration B and Concentration C when the topic is appropriate. Students may select only one of the following for elective credit: JUST 401, JUST 402, JUST 403, JUST 404 or JUST 405. Students should seek approval from their advisor or the department head.
- 3
Only one course from this option may be counted toward the major; approval for course selection from Justice Studies and the academic unit offering the course is also required.
Concentration C: Social Justice Engagement
This concentration 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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration C: Required Foundation Courses | ||
| JUST 221 | Social Justice Theories | 3 |
| JUST 223 | Social Justice Interventions and Policies | 3 |
| Subtotal | 6 | |
| Concentration C: Foundation Course Electives | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Theories of Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Justice in the Global Community | ||
| Dilemmas in Global Justice | ||
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Concentration C: Electives | ||
| Students in Concentration C select six additional elective courses from the following list. At least four must have a JUST identifier: 1 | 18 | |
| United States Urban History | ||
| Advanced Level Special Topics in Justice Studies 2 | ||
| Social Psychology of Justice | ||
| Global Crime | ||
| Women, Crime and Criminal Justice | ||
| Death Penalty | ||
| Media and Justice 2 | ||
| Mapping Justice | ||
| Gender and Justice | ||
| Justice and Society | ||
| Global Migration | ||
| Native Justice and Resistance | ||
| Solutions to Global Poverty | ||
| Refugees and Humanitarian Response | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Terrorism | ||
| Justice in Literature, Film and Art | ||
| Genocide in the 20th Century | ||
| Global Social Movements | ||
| Disability and Justice | ||
| Sexual Orientation, Law and Justice | ||
| Gender Identity, Law and Justice | ||
| Peace Studies | ||
| Legal Research and Information Literacy | ||
| Internship in Justice Studies 2 | ||
| Advanced Research in Justice Studies 2 | ||
| Nelson Institute Seminar 2 | ||
| Practicum in Community-Based Research 2 | ||
| Research Assistantship in Justice Studies | ||
| Civil Rights | ||
| The Politics of Cultural Pluralism | ||
| Women and Politics in Comparative Perspective | ||
| The Psychology of Women and Gender 3 | ||
| Sociology of Religion | ||
| Religion and Disability | ||
| Religion and Medicine, East and West | ||
| Religion and Society | ||
| Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Social Inequality | ||
| Sociology of Sexuality | ||
| Subtotal | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
- 1
Note: Other courses may be substituted with your advisor's and the department head's consent.
- 2
May be taken for elective credit in Concentration A, Concentration B and Concentration C when the topic is appropriate. Students may select only one of the following for elective credit: JUST 401, JUST 402, JUST 403, JUST 404 or JUST 405. Students should seek approval from their advisor or the department head.
- 3
Course is only open to students who are double majoring in Psychology.
Recommended Schedule for Majors
| First Year | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| JUST 200 | Introduction to Justice Studies | 3 |
| MATH 220 | Elementary Statistics [C3QR] (Can be counted for General Education, The Natural World) 1 | 3 |
| Foundation course | 3 | |
| General education, degree requirements and/or university electives | 21 | |
| Credits | 30 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Foundation courses | 6 | |
| Justice Studies electives | 6 | |
| General education, degree requirements and/or university electives | 18 | |
| Credits | 30 | |
| Third Year | ||
| JUST 100 | Justice Studies Proseminar | 1 |
| JUST 399 | Justice Research Methods | 4 |
| Fairness and Responsibility course | 3 | |
| Justice Studies electives | 9 | |
| General education, degree requirements and/or university electives | 13 | |
| Credits | 30 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| JUST 400 | Senior Seminar in Justice Studies | 3 |
| Justice Studies electives | 3 | |
| General education, degree requirements and/or university electives | 24 | |
| Credits | 30 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- 1
prerequisite for JUST 399