Academic Programs
Department of Justice Studies
Dr. Glenn P. Hastedt, Director
Location: Moody Hall, Room 213
Phone: (540) 568-7124
E-mail: hastedgp@jmu.edu
Web site: www.jmu.edu/justicestudies/
Professor
G. Hastedt, P. Plass, S. Spivey
Associate Professor
J. Peter Pham
Assistant Professors
T. Beitzel, J. Buffington-Vollum, T. Castle, W. Garriott, S. Jacob, R. Mitchell,
S. Vollum
Mission Statement
Career Opportunities
Transfer Credit
Major and Degree Requirements
Recommended Schedule for Majors
Criminal Justice Minor
Mission Statement
Justice studies is committed to offering an interdisciplinary, intellectually challenging and vocationally relevant course of study for persons interested in academic or applied careers in justice studies at the community, national or global level.
Goals
To carry out this mission, justice studies seeks to:
- help students develop a comprehensive understanding of justice studies.
- examine and explain justice and injustice and their impact on individuals, communities, institutions and/or nations.
- understand human behavior and interactive systems with a focus on negotiation and conflict resolution in justice contexts.
- sharpen students' ability to think and reason critically, to practice sound methodological skills and to communicate effectively.
- prepare students to utilize and produce scholarship in the field of justice studies.
- Law enforcement
- Corrections
- Law
- Peace Corps
- Nonprofit groups (national and international)
- Human Services
- Domestic and International Security
- Intelligence Analysis
- Diplomatic Corps
- Research and Graduate Study
The justice studies major includes opportunities for field work and career-related internships as part of the curriculum.
Transfer Credit
A maximum of three courses may be transferred into the justice studies major from other institutions. No transfer credit will be given for any course offered in the major at the 300 or 400 level.
Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies
Degree Requirements
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| General Education | 41 |
| Philosophy course (except GPHIL 120A) | 3 |
| Foreign language courses (intermediate level required) | 1-14 |
| Major requirements | 38-44 |
| Electives | 18-38 |
120 |
|
Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies
Degree Requirements
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| General Education courses | 41 |
| Quantitative requirement (in addition to General Education) | 3 |
| Scientific literacy requirement (in addition to General Education) | 3-4 |
| Major requirements (core courses and selected track) | 38-44 |
| Electives | 28-35 |
120 |
|
Justice Studies Major Requirements
| Core Courses | Credit Hours |
| JUST 100. Proseminar | 1 |
| JUST 200. Introduction to Justice Studies | 3 |
| JUST 201. Justice Research Methods | 4 |
| JUST 300. Perspectives on Comparative Justice Systems | 3 |
| JUST 400. Senior Seminars in Justice Studies | 3 |
| Communication Course | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | |
| JUST/SCOM 333. Negotiations | |
| SCOM 231. Introduction to Alternative Dispute Resolution | |
| SCOM 331. Communication and Conflict | |
17 |
|
Students select one track:
Track A. Crime and Criminology
This track focuses on the nature, causes and solutions for crime, primarily in the USA.
All students in Track A must take JUST 210, Crime and Criminal Justice, and JUST 212, Theories of Crime and Criminal Justice.
Students select six additional courses from the following. No more than two 200-level courses may be selected in completing the track:
JUST 301. Special Topics in Justice Studies (when topic is appropriate)
JUST 322. Understanding Violence
JUST 323. Comparative Criminology
JUST/SOCI 326. Victimology
JUST 327. Criminal Law
JUST 328. Women, Crime and Criminal Justice
JUST 329. Perspectives on Law
JUST 401. Internship in Justice Studies
JUST 402. Advanced Research in Justice Studies
PHIL 325. Crime, Punishment and Justice
PHIL 367. Topics in Philosophy of Law
POSC 326. Civil Rights
POSC 435. Seminar in International Terrorism
Choose one of the following:
PSYC 250. Introduction to Abnormal Psychology (non-psychology majors)
PSYC/JUST 255. Abnormal Psychology for Law Enforcement (non-psychology
majors)
PSYC 335. Abnormal Psychology (for psychology majors)
PSYC 312. Forensic Psychology
PSYC/JUST 314. Police Psychology
PSYC/JUST 316. Developmental Psychology and Crime
SCOM 231. Introduction to Alternative Dispute Resolution
SCOM 248. Intercultural Communication
SOCI 214. Social Deviance
JUST/SOCI/SOWK 330. Corrections
SOCI 369. Law and Society
Note: Other courses may be substituted with adviser's and department chair's consent.
Track B. Global Justice and Policy
This track focuses on issues of justice in global context, including international political and economic relations, international law, the global environment, human rights, and the encounter between cultures. Across the many disciplines embraced by this track, the topic of achieving justice in its plurality of manifestations serves as a unifying element.
All students in Track B must take POSC 230, International Relations and JUST 235. Justice in the Global Community.
Students select six additional courses from the following. No more than two 200-level courses may be selected in completing the track:
ANTH 340. Race, Nation and Culture
ANTH 364. US/Latin American Borders
HIST. Any 300 level history course that is centered on a world region (other than North America) and that includes coverage of the 20th century.
JUST 301. Special Topics in Justice Studies (when topic is appropriate)
JUST/POSC 372. Ethics and International Politics
JUST 401. Internship in Justice Studies
JUST 402. Advanced Research in Justice Studies
PHIL 270. Introduction to Ethics
PHIL 325. Crime, Punishment and Justice
PHIL 335. The Individual, the State and Justice
PHIL 367. Topics in Philosophy of Law
POSC/JUST 392. Peace Studies
POSC 395. International Law
POSC 396. International Organizations
POSC 435. Seminar in International Terrorism
POSC. Any 300 level POSC course that is regionally focused.
REL 270. Religious Ethics
REL 450. Religion and Society (topics as relevant): Reconciliation
SCOM 248. Intercultural Communication
SCOM 331. Communication and Conflict
SCOM 342. Argument and Advocacy
SCOM 352. Communication and Social Movements
SCOM 353. Political Communication
SOCI/ANTH/SOWK 348. Third World Societies: An Introduction
SOCI 360. Modern Social Movements
SOCI 369. Law and Society
SOWK 487. Topics: Conflict and Mediation
Note: Other courses may be substituted with adviser's and department chair's consent.
Track C. Social Justice
This track focuses on aspects of social justice; how individuals, families, organizations, communities and societies engage in social justice. This includes legislation, course action, and federal, state, and municipal programs as well as local efforts such as restorative justice, alternative dispute resolution, victim support, abuse prevention, and community organizing.
Students in Track C must take JUST 221, Social Justice Theories, and JUST 223, Social Justice Interventions and Policies.
Students select six additional courses from the following. No more than two 200-level courses may be selected in completing the track:
Choose one:
FAM 133. The Contemporary Family
SOCI 276. Sociology of the Family
FAM 330. Family Relations
HIST 466. The Family
JUST 301. Special Topics in Justice Studies (when topic is appropriate)
JUST/PSYC 316. Developmental Psychology and Crime
JUST 401. Internship in Justice Studies
JUST 402. Advanced Research in Justice Studies
PHIL 270. Introduction to Ethics
PHIL 335. The Individual, the State and Justice
SCOM 231. Introduction to Alternative Dispute Resolution
SCOM 248. Intercultural Communication
Choose one:
SCOM 331. Communication and Conflict
SOWK 487. Topics: Conflict and Mediation
SCOM 342. Argument and Advocacy
SCOM 352. Communication and Social Movements
SCOM 431. Legal Communication
SOCI 214. Social Deviance
SOCI 265. Sociology of Community
SOCI 360. Modern Social Movements
SOWK 338. Issues and Policies in Family Services
SOWK 340. Violence in the Family
SOWK 342. Child Welfare
SOWK 387. Working with Teens
Note: Other courses may be substituted with adviser's and department chair's consent.
Recommended Schedule for Majors
| First Year | Credit Hours |
| JUST 200. Introduction to Justice | 3 |
| MATH 220. Elementary Statistics (prerequisite for JUST 201)1 | 3 |
| Track core course | 3 |
9 |
|
1 Can be counted for General Education, Cluster 3.
| Second Year | Credit Hours |
| Track core course | 3 |
| Communication course | 3 |
| Track electives | 6 |
12 |
|
| Third Year | Credit Hours |
| JUST 100. Proseminar | 1 |
| JUST 201. Research Methods | 4 |
| JUST 300. Perspectives on Comparative Justice | 3 |
| Track electives | 6 |
14 |
|
| Fourth Year | Credit Hours |
| JUST 400. Senior Seminar in Justice Studies | 3 |
| Track electives | 3 |
6 |
|
Criminal Justice Minor
Peggy Plass, Minor Adviser
Location: Moody 118
Phone: (540) 568-7151
E-mail: plassms@jmu.edu
The interdisciplinary minor in criminal justice is designed for students who are preparing for careers in law enforcement, corrections, judicial administration or other areas related to the study or management of crime, either directly upon graduation or after further graduate training. For a full description of the requirements for the minor in criminal justice, see Cross Disciplinary Programs.
