Program Overview:
The field of Criminal Justice is a very broad field that includes the operational agencies that administer the American criminal justice system, the academic and private research centers that study criminal justice issues and evaluates programs and policies, the governmental institutions that develop criminal justice policy, the private sector that augments governmental criminal justice operations, and a host of academic disciplines that contribute to the knowledge and support services of the criminal justice system.
The Criminal Justice Major at Saint Rose engages highly motivated undergraduate students in a rigorous interdisciplinary educational experience. The program's goals are to develop a student's ability to think critically, to communicate effectively by learning how to critically read, write, and present information orally, to understand the scientific method and its application in both the academic and operational worlds, and to learn problem solving approaches in order to prepare students upon graduation for criminal justice careers in both the public and private sector or placement in criminal justice, related graduate or professional programs of study.
Students must earn a C or better in all courses used to satisfy requirements for the major. Except in special cases where a student receives written approval from the department Criminal Justice, Behavior & Law chairperson. Students may not take courses required for the major on a pass/fail basis; exceptions are noted below. Once having declared the Criminal Justice, Behavior & Law major, students must satisfy all remaining courses applicable to the major at The College of Saint Rose.
Students may apply a maximum of 6 credits of CJS 494 Internship, 4 credits of CJS 493 Cold Case, and 4 credits of CJS 480/CJS 481 Mock Trial to their CJS major. Credits accrued beyond these limits will be counted as general elective credits.
Program Contacts:
Dr. Robert Flint
Interim Chair, Department of Criminal Justice, Behavior, & Law
Email: flintr@strose.edu
Program Webpage: Criminal Justice, Behavior and Law, BS
Program Requirements:
Major in Criminal Justice, Behavior, and Law (45-46 Credits)
Core Courses (18 credits)
Transfer students and students who switch to the major after their first semester must take CJS 110 and then any other 200+ level CJS 3-credit course in place of the CJS 101/102 sequence.
CJS 199 is required every semester.
Ethical Judgement and Dilemmas (3 credits)
Advanced Skill Development (3-4 credits)
Choose one of the following:
CJS 300 | Stats & Research Mthds 2 | 4 |
| CJS 300/400 level course outside of selected concentration | 3 - 4 |
Diversity (3 credits)
Choose one of the following:
Senior Seminar (3 credits)
Choose one of the following:
Concentration (15 credits)
Students must select one of the following concentrations:
*Special Topics courses (CJS 280 and CJS 380) will require Department Chair approval to be allocated to a specific concentration.
Generalist
Students must choose 5 Courses (15 credits, 9 credits must be at the 300/400 level) from any of the courses listed in the other concentrations.
Criminal Justice
Students must choose 5 Courses (15 credits, 9 credits must be at the 300/400 level).
Criminal Behavior/Criminology
Additional Courses:
Students must choose 4 Courses (11 credits, 6 credits must be at the 300/400 level).
Law
Students must choose 5 Courses (15 credits, 9 credits must be at the 300/400 level).
For those interested in honors-level undergraduate research, please refer to the Honors Research section.
Internship/Field Experiences/Service:
Field experiences and internships, both in the public and private sector, are available and encouraged. Since the College of Saint Rose is located in New York's Capital, the criminal justice student has many opportunities for internships of their choice.
Students have an overall GPA of 2.0 and a major GPA of 2.0 or better in order to be eligible for internship opportunities.
Culminating Academic Experiences:
Required Course:
Students choose one of the following:
Suggested 4 Year Course Plan:
This suggested plan is designed to give students an idea of how to balance their coursework over 8 semesters and to graduate within 4 years. Most students will need to take a minimum of 30 credits each year in order to meet the graduation requirement of a minimum of 120 overall credits. It should be used along with your Degree Works worksheet and in consultation with your faculty advisor. It is meant as a guide, not a definitive list of courses that must be taken as written. Your faculty advisor will help you make any necessary adjustments during advisement.
Fall of Year 1:
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
ENG 105
|
Expository Writing, Speaking, & Research Techniques (LIB ED)
|
4
|
PHI, RLS
|
Philosophical and Religious Traditions (LIB ED)
|
3
|
CJS 101*
|
Fundamentals of Criminal Justice 1
|
3
|
CJS 111
|
Criminal Behavior
|
3
|
ECO, POS, PSY, or SOC
|
Social Scientific Knowledge and Inquiry (LIB ED, 3 of 6 Credits)
|
3
|
CJS 199
|
Criminal Justice Colloquium
|
0
|
|
Total Credits
|
16
|
Winter Immersion of Year 1: OPTIONAL
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
|
Spring of Year 1:
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
ARA, CHN, FRE, GRK, ITA, POR, RUS, SLG, or SPA
|
Study of World Languages and Cultures (LIB ED)
|
3
|
ENG
|
Literary Studies (LIB ED)
|
4
|
CJS 102*
|
Fundamentals of Criminal Justice 2
|
3
|
CJS 112
|
The Court Systems
|
3
|
ECO, POS, PSY, or SOC
|
Social Scientific Knowledge and Inquiry (LIB ED, 3 of 6 Credits)
|
3
|
CJS 199
|
Criminal Justice Colloquium
|
0
|
|
Total Credits
|
16
|
Summer of Year 1: OPTIONAL
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fall of Year 2:
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
MAT
|
Mathematical Reasoning (LIB ED)
|
3
|
CJS 200
|
Statistics & Research Methods 1
|
4
|
CJS 310
|
Ethics
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
CJS 199
|
Criminal Justice Colloquium
|
0
|
|
Total Credits
|
16
|
Winter Immersion of Year 2: OPTIONAL
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
|
Spring of Year 2:
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
BIO, CHM, ENV, ESC, PHY, SCI
|
Scientific Knowledge and Inquiry with a lab (LIB ED)
|
4
|
CJS 300 or Any CJS 300/400 Outside Concentration
|
CJS Advanced Skill Development (Must take 1 course from either CJS 300 or any single 300/400 level course outside student’s concentration)
|
3
|
CJS 319, 321, 331, 428, or 429
|
CJS Diversity (1 Course Required)
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
CJS 199
|
Criminal Justice Colloquium
|
0
|
|
Total Credits
|
13
|
Summer of Year 2: OPTIONAL
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fall of Year 3:
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
CSC
|
Computational Logic and Reasoning
|
3
|
HIS
|
Historical Knowledge and Perspective (LIB ED)
|
3
|
CJS Concentration
|
CJS Concentration (3 of 15 Required Credits)
|
3
|
CJS Concentration
|
CJS Concentration (3 of 15 Required Credits)
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
CJS 199
|
Criminal Justice Colloquium
|
0
|
|
Total Credits
|
15
|
Winter Immersion of Year 3: OPTIONAL
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
|
Spring of Year 3:
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
CJS 399
|
Career Preparation Seminar
|
2
|
CJS Concentration
|
CJS Concentration (3 of 15 Required Credits)
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
CJS 199
|
Criminal Justice Colloquium
|
0
|
|
Total Credits
|
14
|
Summer of Year 3: OPTIONAL
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fall of Year 4:
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
CJS 496, 497, or 498
|
Senior Seminar
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
CJS 199
|
Criminal Justice Colloquium
|
0
|
|
Total Credits
|
15
|
Winter Immersion of Year 4: OPTIONAL
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
|
Spring of Year 4:
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
CJS Concentration
|
CJS Concentration (3 of 15 Required Credits)
|
3
|
CJS Concentration
|
CJS Concentration (3 of 15 Required Credits)
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
Any Extra CJS, Lib Ed, or Gen Ed
|
Open Elective – May be used for minor or second major
|
3
|
CJS 199
|
Criminal Justice Colloquium
|
0
|
|
Total Credits
|
15
|
Summer of Year 4: OPTIONAL
Course Prefix/Number
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*Transfer students and students who switch to the major after their first semester must take CJS 110 and then any other 200+ level CJS 3-credit course in place of the CJS 101/102 sequence.
Accelerated Degree Option: Criminal Justice, Behavior, and Law BS + MBA:
Students in the B.S., Criminal Justice/MBA accelerated course of study are required to take the following undergraduate business courses. These courses provide a strong foundation in business, making it easier for the student to transition to graduate level business courses.
While not required, we encourage students to take the following undergraduate business courses as part of their undergraduate coursework.
Students in this accelerated course of study will use the following course substitutions to complete the undergraduate and graduate degrees at an accelerated pace.
Course Substitutions
|
Undergraduate Course
|
Graduate Course
|
General Elective
|
ACC 522
|
General Elective
|
MBA 516
|
General Elective
|
MBA 517
|
General Elective
|
MBA 555
|
General Elective
|
MBA Elective
|
Requirements for the Master of Business Administration can be found in the current Graduate Catalog.
General Information on Accelerated Degree Options (Bachelor's + Master's):
Eligibility Standards:
High School Students:
- Minimum high school GPA of 92
- Combined SAT of 1100 (out of 1600) OR ACT of 24
- Letter of recommendation specifically for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Program from a high school teacher or counselor
Transfer Students:
- 45 credits completed
- GPA of 3.4 overall or at least a 3.4 GPA in the last 30 credits
- Letter of recommendation from a faculty member from either Saint Rose or the institution from which the student transferred
Current Saint Rose Students:
- 45 credits completed
- Overall GPA of 3.4
- Letter of recommendation from a Saint Rose faculty member
Maintaining Status in Accelerated Programs:
- Overall GPA of 3.4 at the completion of 45 credits
- Overall GPA of 3.0 from the completion of 45 credits to completion of the undergraduate degree
- Students can receive no more than one C in a graduate level course. An earned C must be retaken at the graduate level unless otherwise specified by the program.
- Students cannot receive a failing grade in a graduate level course.
Specific course requirements for Accelerated programs with MBA (Transfer, Current and to Maintain Status):
- A grade of B or higher in financial accounting
- A grade of B or higher in managerial accounting
Losing Eligibility for an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Option:
Students who do not maintain the standards outlined for their Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Option will lose eligibility for this completion option. If these students are in otherwise good standing with the College, they can continue in their current undergraduate program or move to another undergraduate major. We propose that up to a maximum of 12 graduate credits taken up to that point and completed with a grade of C or higher may be applied to their undergraduate degree. These credits might be applied as either general elective credits or to fulfill a requirement within the undergraduate major, depending on the undergraduate major’s grade requirements. Major grade restrictions would still apply. The student would take the undergraduate courses specified in the course catalog to fulfill all remaining requirements.
Discontinuing an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Options:
Students in good standing may choose to discontinue an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Option or withdraw from a dual degree program. These students may then move to another program offered by the college. Up to a maximum of 12 graduate credits taken up to that point and completed with a grade of C or higher would be applied to their undergraduate degree. The student would take the undergraduate courses specified in the course catalog to fulfill all remaining requirements.
Opportunity to apply graduate credits to a future master’s degree at Saint Rose if no longer enrolled in Accelerated Program:
Students who withdraw or are dismissed from the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Option may apply to a Saint Rose Master’s Degree program after completion of the Bachelor’s Degree. If accepted to a Saint Rose master’s degree program these students may transfer up to 12 graduate credits earned as part of their Saint Rose Bachelor’s Degree. Specific courses must be approved for transfer by the faculty advisor, and Department Chair/Program Coordinator. Transfer credit is allowed only for courses in which students have received a grade of “B” or better and within the six-year time limit allowed for completion of the Master’s Degree or Certificate of Advanced Study. No more than half of a Certificate of Advanced Study or Master’s Degree can be fulfilled with credits that had been applied to a Saint Rose Bachelor’s Degree.
Reinstatement in Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Options:
Students in good academic standing with the college but previously declared ineligible from their Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Option can apply for reinstatement to the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Option after retaking undergraduate courses that resulted in their change of eligibility and/or after earning an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students who earned any graduate grade lower than a C or more than one C at the graduate level may not reapply for reinstatement into the Accelerated degree option.
Advising:
Students in this Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Course of Study will have two advisors while they are undergraduates. A faculty member from the student’s undergraduate discipline will serve as the primary advisor while the student is an undergraduate. A faculty member from the graduate program will serve as a secondary advisor. After completing the Bachelor’s Degree the advisor from the graduate program will serve as the student’s sole advisor.
Professional Accreditation:
The College of Saint Rose, sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, Albany Province, is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State. All of its degrees and programs are registered and its professional programs fully approved by the Board of Regents through the New York State Education Department.
The College of Saint Rose is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. http://www.msche.org
Career Opportunities and Graduate Study:
Graduates of this program will be prepared to enter a variety of career opportunities in the field of criminal justice or pursue graduate or professional education.
Admissions and Financial Aid Information:
The Undergraduate Admissions Office begins review of First-Year applications each fall in late September for the following Fall. Students are encouraged to submit a complete application as early as October. The Admissions Team will return a decision on complete applications within just three weeks. The College awards academic scholarships at the same time.
What Makes an Application Complete
- Online or Paper application (fee waived for all applicants!)
- Official High School Transcripts
- Official Transcripts for any College Level Courses
- SAT or ACT scores (See Test Optional FAQ's)
- Letter of Recommendation from a Counselor or Teacher
- Essay or Graded Paper
- Applicants may also apply via the Common Application Online.
- Art applicants are required to complete a portfolio review.
- Music applicants are required to complete an audition.
Admissions contact information (telephone number, admissions web pages)
Scholarships and Financial Aid
See Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid section for more information.
The Bottom Line
The total cost of The College of Saint Rose (including tuition, fees, room and board) is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast, and we award more than $34 million in Saint Rose scholarships, grants and financial aid.
Take a look at our bottom line, and view a cost comparison with a four-year public institution.
More about Financial Aid
Financial Aid is defined as any grant, scholarship, loan, or employment opportunity given with the express purpose of assisting you with education-related expenses to make your education affordable. Financial Aid is awarded on the basis of student need and the availability of funds.
The Admission and Financial Aid teams have designed a Guide to Scholarships and Financial Aid to help prospective students and families get to the bottom line and find that The College of Saint Rose is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast--while maintaining powerful academic opportunities.
Find Out More: