Criminology and Justice Studies BS

Major: Criminology and Justice Studies
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 181.0
Co-op Options: Three Co-op (Five years); 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

About the Program

Criminal Justice: A Flexible and Forward-Looking Degree

At Drexel, we call our major in Criminology and Justice Studies a Criminal Justice concentration to provide a familiar reference point for prospective students. But in truth, this is our full and only major pathway—a modern, flexible curriculum that covers the full spectrum of crime, justice, and public safety in both U.S. and global contexts.

The Criminal Justice concentration introduces students to the workings of justice institutions—police, courts, corrections—while also exploring broader questions about crime policy, community safety, and the role of data and technology in understanding crime. All students complete core sequences in research methods and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), building tools to ask better questions and design stronger solutions.

To allow students to specialize and personalize their degree, we encourage them to add one or both of our department’s minors:

Many students pair their major with minors in areas like psychology, business, legal studies, or languages—and the degree structure makes this easy. With 55.0 free elective credits, students have the flexibility to double major or customize their path without extending their time at Drexel.

Students also learn by doing. Our program includes community-based courses and faculty-led study abroad programs that examine justice systems through an international lens. Recent seminars have explored The Legacy of Nazi Policing in Germany and the Czech Republic, and Crime and Justice in Scandinavia in Sweden and Norway. We continue to develop new opportunities for our students to take our intensive courses abroad across an expanding list of countries.

Students build maps and visualizations that uncover where and why crime clusters—near schools, transit stations, or abandoned properties—and how those patterns shift over time. These tools help answer big questions: Where should resources go? What strategies work? How can we design safer communities?

Criminology and Justice Studies at Drexel gives students the insight, tools, and hands-on experience to analyze problems—and the vision to imagine what justice can become. At its core, Drexel’s Criminal Justice degree prepares students to think clearly, analyze crime and justice with purpose, and take part in building safer, more just communities—at home and abroad.

For more information about Criminology and Justice Studies, contact Senior Academic Advisor, Mica Storer mls46@drexel.edu or Department Head, Dr. Robert J. Kane rjk72@drexel.edu.

Degree Requirements

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 (or)
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 220Crime and the City3.0
CJS 260Justice in Our Community4.0
CJS 261Prison, Society and You 4.0
CJS 276Introduction to Computer Crime3.0
CJS 290Crime and Public Policy3.0
CJS 320Comparative Justice Systems3.0
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
Program Electives
Complete 33.0 credits of any CJS courses not already listed above33.0
Free Electives55.0
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.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

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 1113.0CJS Course3.0CJS 2614.0 
UNIV H1011.0Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0Understanding Society & Human Behavior3.0-4.0 Analyzing Cultures & Histories3.0-4.0 
  Analyzing Cultures & Histories3.0-4.0 
 13-14 16-18 17-19 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 2503.0CJS 3003.0CJS 3014.0VACATION
CJS course3.0CJS course3.0CJS Course3.0 
Understanding Society & Human Behavior3.0-4.0CJS Course3.0CJS courses3.0 
Free Elective3.0 Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0 
Free elective3.0Free elective3.0Free elective3.0 
 15-16 15-16 16-17 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 3304.0CJS 2203.0 Cultivating Global Competence3.0-4.0VACATION
Perspectives in Diversity3.0-4.0CJS 2903.0CJS Course3.0 
Free electives9.0CJS 3203.0CJS Course3.0 
 CJS 3314.0Free elective3.0 
  Cultivating Global Competence3.0-4.0Free elective4.0 
 16-17 16-17 16-17 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
CJS 2763.0UNIV H2011.0CJS course3.0 
CJS course3.0CJS courses3.0Free electives11.0 
Free electives8.0Free elective9.0  
 14 13 14 
Total Credits 181-192

4 year, one co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 1003.0CJS 2604.0CIVC 1011.0VACATION
CJS 1013.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0CJS 2003.0 
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CJS Course3.0CJS 2614.0 
UNIV H1011.0Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0Understanding Society & Human Behavior3.0-4.0 Analyzing Cultures & Histories3.0-4.0 
  Analyzing Cultures & Histories3.0-4.0 
 13-14 16-18 17-19 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 2503.0CJS 3003.0CJS 3014.0COOP 1011.0
CJS 3203.0CJS course3.0 Engaging the Natural World 3.0-4.0CJS course3.0
CJS Course3.0CJS Course3.0CJS Course3.0 Cultivating Global Competence3.0-4.0
Understanding Society & Human Behavior 3.0-4.0Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0CJS Course3.0 Perspectives in Diversity 3.0-4.0
Free elective3.0Free elective4.0Free elective3.0Free electives6.0
 15-16 16-17 16-17 16-18
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 2203.0CJS 3314.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
CJS 2903.0CJS course3.0  
CJS 3304.0CJS Course3.0  
Free elective6.0 Cultivating Global Competence 3.0-4.0  
 Free elective3.0  
 16 16-17 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
CJS 2763.0UNIV H2011.0Free electives12.0 
CJS Course3.0CJS Course3.0  
Free electives9.0Free electives9.0  
 15 13 12 
Total Credits 181-192
*

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.

5-year three co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CJS 2604.0CIVC 1011.0Vacation
CJS 1003.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0CJS 2003.0 
CJS 1013.0Cultivating Global Competence3.0-4.0CJS 2614.0 
UNIV H1011.0Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0COOP 101*1.0 
Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0Understanding Society & Human Behavior3.0-4.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
  Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0 
 13-14 16-19 15-16 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 2503.0CJS 3003.0CO-OP EXPERIENCECO-OP EXPERIENCE
CJS Course3.0CJS Course3.0  
CJS Course3.0CJS Course3.0  
Understanding Society & Human Behavior3.0-4.0Analyzing Cultures3.0-4.0  
Free Elective3.0Free Elective3.0  
 15-16 15-16 0 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CJS 2763.0CJS 3314.0CO-OP EXPERIENCECO-OP EXPERIENCE
CJS 2903.0CJS Course3.0  
CJS 3304.0Free Elective7.0  
Free Elective3.0   
Free Elective3.0   
 16 14 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
Cultivating Global Competence3.0-4.0CJS Course3.0CO-OP EXPERIENCECO-OP EXPERIENCE
Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0Perspectives in Diversity3.0-4.0  
CJS Course3.0Analyzing Cultures3.0-4.0  
Free Elective3.0Free Elective6.0  
Free Elective3.0   
 15-17 15-17 0 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
UNIV H2011.0CJS 2203.0CJS 3203.0 
CJS Course3.0CJS Course3.0CJS 3014.0 
Free Elective12.0Free Elective3.0CJS Course3.0 
 Free Elective6.0CJS Course3.0 
  Free Elective3.0 
 16 15 16 
Total Credits 181-192
*

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.

Professional Experiences

The Department of Criminology and Justice Studies offers three options for students: a five-year three co-op option, a four-year one co-op option, and a four-year, no co-op option. We help students identify a co-op option that best fits their goals, though we encourage students earning their bachelor's degree in criminology to take advantage of the co-op program. Taking on the 5-year three co-op option means students will have earned a total of one and a half years of work experience by the time they graduate, allowing them to apply for crime and intelligence analysis or other positions that require at least one-year experience (What is crime analysis? Click here to find out about this exciting career path for our graduates). Criminology and Justice Studies students have held co-op positions at the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, at local sheriff and police departments, with local judges, at criminal justice agencies, law firms, community agencies and nonprofit organizations locally and justice organizations nationally.

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.

Program Level Outcomes

  • Fluently discuss the processes by which institutions of the public justice system (e.g., police, courts, corrections) label, adjudicate and sanction criminal offenders (Justice Process; Procedural Law; Crime and the City)
  • Describe the major theories of crime and criminal offending (Criminology; Advanced Criminological Theorizing, Crime and City)
  • Explain the major legal and/or due process requirements that both enable and constrain the justice system (Criminal Procedure; Police Authority and Accountability; Surveillance, Technology, and the Law)
  • Identify and evaluate crime policies and policy gaps in order to determine the extent to which they are consistent with current societal values and legal doctrine (Criminal Procedure; Justice Process; Crime and Public Policy; Capstone in Criminology and Justice Studies)
  • Apply the standard benchmarks of scientific rigor (i.e., reliability and validity) and ethics to evaluate the quality of scientific studies, particularly those that are related to public policy (Methods and Analytics I, II, & III; Crime Mapping Using GIS; Intelligence Led Decision Making, Program Evaluation; Criminal Justice Ethics)
  • Organize, analyze, and visualize data, as well as interpret findings from quantitative and qualitative analyses (Methods and Analytics I, II, & III; Crime Mapping Using GIS; Intelligence Led Decision Making, Program Evaluation)
  • Translate through written expression the meaning and value of statistical findings derived from data analysis (Writing Intensive courses. Methods and Analytics I, II, & III; Crime Mapping Using GIS; Intelligence Led Decision Making, Program Evaluation; Capstone in Criminology and Justice Studies)
  • Describe the role of government and culture in shaping the roles and behaviors of our institutions of formal and informal social control (Race, Crime and Justice; Criminology, Gender, Crime, and Justice, Justice in Our Community; Prison, Society, and You)
  • Compare and contrast cross-cultural perspectives that shape formal and informal social institutions, including those responsible for institutions of social control (Non-Democratic Policing: The Rise of the Nazi Police System; Comparative Justice Systems: courses in the Global Competence sequence; Justice in Our Community; Prison, Society and You)

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. 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. Associate Teaching Professor. Intersections between information technology, people, and justice, information policy, ethics of data use, data analytics.