[ Sociology & Criminal Justice ]

Major in Criminal Justice

The criminal justice program at Elmhurst provides a social/scientific approach to the criminal justice system within the context of a liberal arts curriculum. This major prepares students for positions in law enforcement, corrections, probation and parole, as well as for advanced study in graduate and professional schools in criminal justice, criminology, and criminal law.

The major combines courses in criminal justice with related courses in sociology, as well as recommended electives in political science, philosophy, psychology, communications, and computer science.

Requirements for the Major
The criminal justice major consists of the following eleven required courses and recommended electives:

Required Core Courses
CJ 200 Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
CJ 210 Policing and Society
CJ 310 Corrections: Theory and Practice
CJ/SOC 319 Juvenile Delinquency and the Justice System
CJ/SOC 408 Criminology
CJ 410 Criminal Procedure

Required Cognate Courses
MTH 345 Elementary Statistics
   or
MTH 346 Statistics for Scientists
   or
PSY 355 Statistics for Scientific Research
SOC 301 Social Problems
SOC 304 Majority-Minority Relations
SOC 423 Methods of Social Research

Criminal Justice Electives (one required)
CJ 320 Organized and White Collar Crime
CJ 330 Criminal Investigation
CJ 490 Independent Field Work
CJ 492 Independent Study

Recommended Electives
COM 213 Public Speaking
CS 100 Computers in Science and Technology
ICS 270 Introduction to Intercultural Studies (Half course)
PHL 306 Moral Philosophy
PHL 315 Philosophy of Law
POL 202 American State and Local Government
POL 360 Public Policy and Administration
POL 412 Constitutional Law
PSY 210 General Psychology        

Students seeking a Bachelor of Science, rather than a Bachelor of Arts degree, must take any two mathematics courses offered by the Department of Mathematics except MTH 325, 326, 440, and 441. Students pursuing both a major in criminal justice and a major in sociology may apply only statistics and SOC 423 toward both majors.

At least five of the required courses must be taken at Elmhurst College. Courses in criminal justice may be accepted from other colleges.