Criminology and Justice Studies

Major: Criminology and Justice Studies
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 181.0
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: 21-0000

Crime Science and Analysis Concentration

With its thematic concentration in Crime Science and Analysis, Drexel University has transformed the traditional criminal justice degree program to produce graduates who possess knowledge and skills that are highly valued by criminal justice agencies in the 21st century. Namely, the program draws from criminology and criminal justice, as well as data science and cyber security, to produce globally aware and analytically proficient graduates who bring information-led approaches to solving the problems crime creates for society.

Each exposure to the criminal justice system represents a data collection point, which becomes part of a massive repository of data held by government entities. Crime Science and Analysis students will learn how to collect, manage, visualize, and analyze large sources of information so that they can bring their expertise into the crime and justice occupational arena and/or graduate school. In addition to learning to work with large sets of open data in the public justice arena, students will learn how to identify, collect, manage, and use data from the expansive—and rapidly growing—private system of justice and security to create innovative solutions for identifying, solving, and preventing crime.

Graduates of Drexel's Crime Science and Analysis concentration will be ideally suited to meet the demands of the growing job market for crime analysts among criminal justice, defense, and intelligence agencies and in the private-sector security community. Crime analysts have become an essential part of the modern criminal justice agency. They have become vital to, for example, the large police department looking to deploy resources in a manner that matches crime trends, the intelligence agency working to prevent terrorist events, and the financial services firm hoping to identify the fraudulent use of a credit card. JI graduates can also play an integral role on teams that build future information technology solutions for intelligence and defense, and criminal justice agencies from the public and private sectors.

Given the global nature of crime and justice issues, Crime Science and Analysis requires one course on international justice systems; and it encourages all students to participate in at least one faculty-led study abroad program during which students will explore various justice-related themes (examples of recent trips: The Legacy of Nazi Policing and Cold War Justice in Munich and Prague; and Crime and Justice in Scandinavia. Please visit the Study Abroad Program webpage to view the location and itinerary of the study abroad tour). The emphasis on comparative justice and study abroad reside at the leading edge of Drexel’s core value of global citizenship.

The Crime Science and Analysis thematic concentration reserves 46.0 credits of free electives so that students can easily double major and/or earn one or more minors outside the Department of Criminology and Justice Studies. Students interested in intelligence/security-related careers might consider minoring in a language or in a field related to data science and cyber security. Visit Drexel's Modern Languages Program webpage for a list of language minors, as well as the College of Computing and Informatics webpage for a list of their minors.

Degree Requirements (Crime Science and Analysis Concentration)

University Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development *1.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
UNIV H101The Drexel Experience1.0
UNIV H201Looking Forward: Academics and Careers1.0
College of Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum
Developing Quantitative Reasoning **6.0-8.0
Two courses in MATH based on placement exams OR
Symbolic Logic I
Symbolic Logic II
Engaging the Natural World **6.0-8.0
Analyzing Cultures & Histories **6.0-8.0
Understanding Society & Human Behavior **6.0-8.0
Cultivating Global Competence **6.0-8.0
Perspectives in Diversity **3.0-4.0
CJS Core Requirements
CJS 100Freshman Seminar in Crime and Justice3.0
CJS 101Introduction to Criminal Justice3.0
CJS 200Criminology3.0
CJS 210Race, Crime, and Justice3.0
CJS 220Crime and the City3.0
CJS 260Justice in Our Community4.0
CJS 261Prison, Society and You4.0
CJS 290Crime and Public Policy3.0
CJS 320Comparative Justice Systems3.0
CJS 376Sentencing3.0
Methods and Analytics Sequence
CJS 250Research Methods & Analytics I3.0
CJS 300Research Methods and Analytics II3.0
CJS 301Methods and Analytics III4.0
CJS 330Crime Mapping I Using Geographic Information Systems4.0
CJS 331Crime Mapping II Using Geographic Information Systems4.0
Crime Science and Analysis Thematic Concentration
CJS 240Seminar in Justice Informatics3.0
CJS 267Introduction to Security Studies3.0
CJS 270Crime Analysis Using Open Data3.0
CJS 273Surveillance, Technology, and the Law3.0
CJS 276Introduction to Computer Crime3.0
CJS 310Crime Prediction Using Open Data3.0
CJS 365Computer Investigations and the Law3.0
CJS 405Data-Driven Investigations and Crime3.0
In addition to the above, students will take two of the following three courses:6.0
Introduction to Computing and Security Technology
Information Technology Security I
Computer Forensics I: Fundamentals
CJS Program Electives
Take 9 additional credits of any CJS courses that do not appear above9.0
Free Electives46.0
Total Credits181.0-192.0
*

Students not participating in co-op will take one additional credit of free elective instead of COOP 101.

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

See Core Curriculum for complete list of course options.

Sample Plan of Study (Crime Science and Analysis Concentration)

4 year, no co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 1003.0CJS 2604.0CIVC 1011.0VACATION
CJS 1013.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0CJS 2003.0 
ENGL 101 or 1113.0Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0CJS 2614.0 
UNIV H1011.0 Understanding Society & Human Behavior3.0-4.0ENGL 1033.0 
Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0Free Elective3.0 Analyzing Cultures & Histories 3.0-4.0 
   Analyzing Cultures & Histories3.0-4.0 
 13-14 16-18 17-19 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 2103.0CJS 3003.0CJS 2703.0VACATION
CJS 2403.0INFO 101, CT 201, or CT 2123.0CJS 2733.0 
CJS 2503.0CJS Program Elective3.0CJS 3014.0 
CJS 2763.0Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0INFO 101, CT 201, or CT 2123.0 
Free Elective3.0Free Electives3.0 Engaging the Natural World 3.0-4.0 
 15 15-16 16-17 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 2673.0CJS 2203.0CJS 3103.0VACATION
CJS 3304.0CJS 2903.0CJS 3203.0 
CJS Program Elective3.0CJS 3314.0CJS 3763.0 
Perspectives in Diversity3.0-4.0Cultivating Global Competence3.0-4.0 Cultivating Global Competence3.0-4.0 
Understanding Society & Human Behavior 3.0-4.0Free Electives3.0Free Elective3.0 
 16-18 16-17 15-16 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
CJS Program Elective3.0CJS 4053.0CJS 3653.0 
Free Electives12.0UNIV H2011.0Free Electives9.0 
 Free Electives11.0  
 15 15 12 
Total Credits 181-192

 4 year, 1 co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 1003.0CJS 2604.0CIVC 1011.0VACATION
CJS 1013.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0CJS 2003.0 
ENGL 101 or 1113.0Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0CJS 2614.0 
UNIV H1011.0 Understanding Society & Human Behavior 3.0-4.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0Free Elective3.0 Analyzing Cultures & Histories3.0-4.0 
   Analyzing Cultures & Histories3.0-4.0 
 13-14 16-18 17-19 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 2103.0CJS 3003.0CJS 2703.0COOP 101*1.0
CJS 2403.0INFO 101, CT 201, or CT 2123.0CJS 2733.0CJS 2673.0
CJS 2503.0CJS Program Elective3.0CJS 3014.0 Perspectives in Diversity3.0-4.0
CJS 2763.0Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0INFO 101, CT 201, or CT 2123.0Free Elective6.0
CJS Program Elective3.0Free Electives6.0 Engaging the Natural World 3.0-4.0 
 15 18-19 16-17 13-14
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 2903.0CJS 3314.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
CJS 3304.0CJS 3763.0  
CJS Program Elective3.0Cultivating Global Competence3.0-4.0  
Understanding Society & Human Behavior 3.0-4.0Free Electives6.0  
Free Elective3.0   
 16-17 16-17 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
CJS 3103.0CJS 2203.0CJS 3203.0 
Cultivating Global Competence 3.0-4.0CJS 4053.0CJS 3653.0 
Free Electives6.0UNIV H2011.0Free Elective9.0 
 Free Electives7.0  
 12-13 14 15 
Total Credits 181-192
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Crime Science and Analysis Concentration

Professional Experiences

Students will complete one co-op (i.e., professional placement), typically during the spring and summer quarters of their Junior year. This way, 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 co-op'd 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

Robert D'Ovidio, PhD (Temple University). Associate Professor. The intersection of computer technology, crime, and the criminal justice system; criminological theory; surveillance; and digital forensics.
Ashley Dickinson, PhD, MPH (Indiana University of Pennsylvania). Associate Teaching Professor. Offender rehabilitation; capital punishment; LGBTQ+ community (criminal behavior and victimization); crime and health.
Jordan Hyatt, PhD, JD (University of Pennsylvania, Villanova University School of Law) Director, Center for Public Policy. Associate Professor. Community corrections; drug treatment; homelessness; probation/parole; re-entry; risk assessment; sentencing.
Shannon K. Jacobsen, PhD (Rutgers University). Assistant Professor. Gender, crime and victimization; fear of crime and perceptions of risk; campus crime; public safety; communities and crime; social inequalities; mixed methods research
Robert J. Kane, PhD (Temple University) Department Head. Professor. Police authority and accountability; urban ecology and sociology; violence and public health; police strategies and practices.
Kathleen Powell, PhD (Rutgers University). Post-Doctoral Fellow. Crime, punishment, and the life course; the intersection of health and justice system involvement; legal financial obligations; correctional interventions.
Cyndi Rickards, EdD (Drexel University). Associate Teaching Professor. Director of Justice Studies. Issues of mass incarceration, community-engaged scholarship, intersection of mental health and the CJ system, the criminal justice system and the lived experience.
C. Clare Strange, PhD (University of Cincinnati). Assistant Research Professor. Sentencing, courts, and corrections; Racial and ethnic inequalities; Health and public health approaches to criminal justice; Program and policy implementation and evaluation.
Matthew J. Teti, PhD (Northeastern University) Post-Doctoral Fellow. Police strategies and practices, technology diffusion in policing, police militarization, and issues related to race and policing.
Kristene Unsworth, PhD (University of Washington) Director, Center for Science, Technology, & Society. Assistant Teaching Professor. Intersections between information technology, people, and justice, information policy, ethics of data use, data analytics.
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