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Program Codes:
BACRJS
Bachelor of Arts
Mercyhurst University’s Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice affords students the ability to take a broad spectrum of courses that are designed to provide a basic understanding of the criminal justice system, to theorize why people commit crime, to review judicial processes and constitutional safeguards, to examine the effectiveness of correctional systems, and to evaluate criminal justice policies. Thus, our program encompasses all aspects of the criminal justice system. In addition to the required course offerings, majors have flexibility in our criminal justice course elective offerings. Upon graduation, our students are prepared for careers in public and private sectors, in public safety and protective services, in legal and victim service arenas, and in correctional facilities and reentry agencies.
Students are not Criminal Justice majors simply because they are enrolled in Criminal Justice courses. Students who enroll as Criminal Justice majors must meet and maintain University and Department academic requirements. This requires a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 and a Criminal Justice GPA of 2.5. In addition, students must also demonstrate character and conduct which are consistent with professional standards for careers in Criminal Justice.
Student progress and academic achievement are monitored and evaluated by the Department each semester. The faculty may also request a meeting with students to review academic progress. Students who fail to meet or maintain the GPA requirements or the appropriate conduct standards will be subject to probationary status or removal from the Criminal Justice major. Students who are dismissed from the Criminal Justice major will be placed on Non-Major status and referred to an Academic Counselor to consider academic alternatives, including repeating Criminal Justice courses and petitioning the Department for readmission to the major. Students with Non-Major status who take Criminal Justice courses will not be eligible to graduate in Criminal Justice.
Students must meet the regular degree requirements of the University as well as the requirements of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. To fulfill Bachelor of Arts degree requirements, students must complete 121 credits to graduate. These credits include: 51 credits in required Criminal Justice major courses: 40 credits in the core; and 30 credits of general electives. Students are encouraged to pursue minors and/or double majors in related disciplines.
The vision of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice is to provide students with a liberal arts background that will enable them to live rich and fulfilling lives, with the capability of personal responsibility, professional development and civic responsibility.
The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice is dedicated to developing critical thinking, diversity appreciation, civic responsibility, leadership and social justice in our undergraduate and graduate students. We prepare students for careers in the helping professions, for leadership in criminal justice and community affairs, and for the pursuit of advanced degrees. Engaging students in sustained and civil conversations about the relationship between individual and community well-being is both an objective and a means for realizing other objectives.
The goals and objectives of the program are to provide students with a basic knowledge of the operation of the Criminal Justice System, including the necessary historical background, the legal aspects and ramifications, the sociological factors and issues, and the basic principles and skills needed for an entry-level career position.
The Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice prohibits plagiarism in any form, including directly copying large or small portions of either printed works or written papers of another student. Paraphrasing, or changing an author’s ideas or words, is also a form of plagiarism if the source of the idea being paraphrased is not acknowledged. Violations of this policy are treated seriously. A first offense will result in failure of the course; any subsequent offenses will result in expulsion from the criminal justice major. The Department also subscribes to the Academic Dishonesty Policy set forth by the Office of Academic Affairs.
The Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice offers a five-year Bachelor’s Degree + Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration (CJA) program. This 4+1 option is open to all majors. The 4+1 program allows students to complete their undergraduate degree in 4 years and in their fifth year of full time study, he/ she will complete his/her final 18 credits of graduate study for degree completion. Thus, the student can earn the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (or any other related major) in 4 years and then complete the Master’s Degree in the Criminal Justice Administration in just one (1) year. This program is designed to enhance career credentials and opportunities with a more affordable cost for an advanced degree. The Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration is a completely online program; all courses are online, even the courses that the students take while in the 4+1 program.
Eligibility: Complete 5 undergraduate major courses with a minimum of a 3.2 GPA in the major courses and 3.0 GPA overall.
Students who participate in this program can obtain a Juris Doctorate and a Bachelor’s Degree in a total of 6 years. Students interested in this program must see their academic advisor as early as possible to ensure proper advising and planning for courses needed in the first three years of study. Students may apply for admission to the Duquesne University School of Law or the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law through a pre-arranged 3/3 Early Admissions Agreement between the two schools. Students will complete all required major courses by the end of their third year at Mercyhurst, and upon successful completion of their first year of law school, will obtain their Bachelor’s Degree.
Eligibility for the early admission program generally requires a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 over three years (minimum 96 credits); completion of all undergraduate curricular requirements (no transfer credits are allowed); a minimum LSAT core in at least the 60th percentile (students interested in applying should take the LSAT in the fall of their junior year); a letter of recommendation from the pre-law advisor to the Law School’s Office of Admissions; and a personal interview with the Admissions Committee. Detailed questions and requirements for each 3/3 Agreement should be directed to the Law School’s Office of Admissions.
Criminal Justice Minor. The Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice offers students a minor in criminal justice that is designed to enhance one’s understanding of crime and the criminal justice system. This minor offers a thorough exploration of the criminal justice system, including policing, judicial processing, and the criminological theories. In addition, students can choose two elective criminal justice courses that complement their interests in the field. An understanding of crime and the criminal justice system provides an advantage in many careers, especially those working with social services, politics, law and legal systems, and social work. This minor is a great complement to your studies if you are majoring in psychology, sociology, political science, intelligence studies, applied forensic sciences, and/or related majors.
Required courses:
CRJS 101 Justice in America 3 credits
CRJS 207 Police Functions 3 credits
CRJS 230 Criminology 3 credits
CRJS 310 Constitutional Law and Criminal Procedure 3 credits
Choose any two (2) CRJS courses as electives (3 credits each)
Interdisciplinary Minor in Psychology of Crime and Justice. The Departments of Psychology and Criminology & Criminal Justice have developed a sequence of study to provide students with an interdisciplinary focus in the psychology of crime and justice. The minor is designed to complement undergraduate degrees in psychology, criminal justice, and other social and behavioral sciences. Please work closely with your advisor to monitor your progress toward the minor.
Required courses:
Elective courses - choose any three from the following:
Students who wish to graduate with the Psychology of Crime and Justice minor must:
This is the foundation course in juvenile justice which provides an overview of the juvenile justice system and the study of juvenile delinquency. It examines the nature and development of delinquency against the backdrop of normal adolescent development. Research and theory are used to help the student distinguish between typical forms of adolescent exploration and indications of potentially serious delinquency. A variety of sociological, social psychological, and psychological theories of delinquency are reviewed.
This course provides an overview of basic line functions found within state and local law enforcement agencies. Included are patrol procedures and community policing concepts being undertaken that enhance relationships between the police and the community they serve. The role of other operating components found within law enforcement agencies will be explored along with the responsibilities of the services and auxiliary bureaus.
CRJS 101
An examination of the structures, procedures, and practices of the federal and state court systems in the United States, including a comparison of civil and criminal court system and the dynamics of the criminal court system from pretrial through post-conviction processes.
An in-depth analysis of criminal behavior systems, theoretical developments in explaining crime, and research methodology used in Modern American Criminology.
CRJS 101
This course analyzes the issues surrounding racial and ethnic minorities and the Criminal Justice System. Topics include group differences in offending, processing, victimization and employment in criminal justice agencies. A significant emphasis will be placed on the empirical research conducted on the social construction of race and ethnicity, differential involvement in crime, and differential treatment of enforcement of law.
A study of the judicial process and the legal framework encountered by criminal justice practitioners. Emphasis is placed on the first, fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth, and fourteenth amendments to the U.S Constitution. This course focuses on criminal law factors and evidentiary procedures from investigation through adjudication. Students will participate in a mock trial in order to synthesize the skills they have developed in this course.
Junior-Senior
This course balances theoretical principles and practical issues as they relate to the administration of justice. The focus is on the movement toward professional ethics and the growing emphasis on value-laden questions and policy decisions among scholars, researchers, and criminal justice practitioners.
CRJS 101
This seminar is required of Criminal Justice majors in order to graduate with a degree in Criminal Justice. The course is open to students with senior standing who have declared a major in Criminal Justice. Students will discuss and explore current topics in the criminal justice field, will complete a service learning project, and will participate in professional development activities. Students will also complete the Criminal Justice Major Field Test, a survey which will assess knowledge of criminal justice.
Seniors only
AND any five (5) Criminal Justice (CRJS) Electives
