Minor in Criminal Justice
A significant portion of federal, state, and local budgets is dedicated to funding programs which address various criminal justice issues. These monies are used to fund jobs in the criminal justice system (police, courts, and corrections), and also to fund related ancillary programs (e.g., research, construction, accounting, education, health care, and other social services). Some students at IU East who are majoring in fields other than criminal justice will find it beneficial to acquire a minor in criminal justice in order to better position themselves to work in these areas.
Students majoring in any of IU East’s Behavioral and Social Sciences programs (sociology, psychology, political science, social work, and anthropology) are likely to be someday involved in jobs that are associated to the criminal justice system; even students majoring in business, education, humanities and fine arts, natural sciences, mathematics, and nursing may find themselves working in areas related to the criminal justice system. Students, by successfully completing five basic criminal justice courses, will become knowledgeable in how the criminal justice system operates and why it operates as it does.
The American Criminal Justice System course (J101) will provide students with an overview of the criminal justice system, and allow them to learn how the various components – police, courts, and corrections – are interrelated. The American Policing (J321), Criminal Courts (J306), and Corrections (J221) courses will then provide students with an additional semester of intensive instruction regarding each of these three components. Finally, the Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Justice Policies course (J201), will provide students with knowledge of the theoretical concepts which guide the operation of the current criminal justice system. Ultimately a minor in criminal justice will allow some students to be more competitive in the job market.
Course Requirements (15 cr)
- SPEA-J 101 American Criminal Justice System
- SPEA-J 201 Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Justice Policies
- SPEA-J 306 The Criminal Courts
- SPEA-J 321 American Policing
- SPEA-J 331 Corrections
