Criminology and Justice Studies

Major: Criminology and Justice Studies
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Total Credit Hours: 182.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Four years); No Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 45.0401
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-9199

Criminal Justice Concentration

The Criminal Justice concentration is housed in the Department of Criminology and Justice Studies and was designed as the most flexible of our three concentrations. The Criminal Justice concentration focuses its curriculum primarily on the substance of criminal justice institutions and crime and does not require many of the analytics and computer-based courses that the other two concentrations require. This concentration is primarily intended for students seeking to double major, prepare for law school, take on multiple minors (e.g., a language and legal studies), or for students who desire a traditional criminal justice education. Because the Criminal Justice concentration reserves 41.0 credits of free electives, it easily allows students to explore a wide range of curriculum opportunities throughout Drexel. Students in the Criminal Justice concentration often double major in Psychology, Behavioral Health, Legal Studies, Business, and Global Studies; and they often take on a language minor. Moreover, although the Criminal Justice concentration does not require most of the analytical courses (e.g., Crime Mapping using Geographic Information Systems) as the other two concentration, it does allow students to take any number of those courses as electives while they pursue other curricular pathways.

The Criminal Justice concentration offers the same community-based learning and global perspective courses as the other two concentrations. Students in all three concentrations are encouraged to participate in at least one faculty-led study abroad program during which students will explore various justice related themes. Recent trips have been The Legacy of Nazi Policing in Munich and Prague; and Crime and Justice in Scandinavia. Please see the Study Abroad Program web page to view the location and itinerary of the 2019 study tour. The emphasis on comparative justice and study abroad reside at the leading edges of Drexel's core value of global citizenship. 

Criminal Justice Concentration

Degree Requirements

Criminal Justice Concentration

Sample Plan of Study

4 year, no co-op

4 year, one co-op

Criminal Justice Concentration

Professional Experiences

Students will complete one co-op (i.e., professional placement), typically during the spring and summer quarters of their Junior year. When they return for the start of their senior year, they can immediately begin their (impending) post-graduation job search with their co-op experience still recent on their resume. Some placements are paid (usually in the private sector) and others are unpaid (primarily in the public sector). The placements earn students academic credit while providing professional socialization and learning with crime and justice professionals. The networking aspects of these placements are invaluable for future career development. In addition to the learning experiences, past students have received excellent letters of recommendation for future employment agencies and for graduate and law school admissions.

In recent years, students have been placed in local agencies such as the District Attorney’s Office, the Institutional Law Project, the Juvenile Law Center, the Defendants Association of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia and Bucks County Prison Systems and the Pennsylvania Prison Society, Pennsylvania and New Jersey State Police. Several students have done co-ops and later worked full time at the Eastern State Penitentiary Historical Site and Museum. On the state level, co-op students have worked with the Board of Probation & Parole and other agencies. At the federal level, the US Customs Service had an agreement to accept cooperative education placements after having been screened by faculty. The faculty in Criminology and Justice Studies has been working over the past few years to expand its list of research co-ops (primarily for students working toward graduate school) and international co-ops.

Criminology and Justice Studies Faculty