The Criminal Justice Bachelor of Science (Institutional Theory and Practice) provides a comprehensive understanding of the components of the American criminal justice system. It is a dynamic major that responds to issues of diversity as well as innovations and changes in the technological arenas, which inform criminal justice professionals. The Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice focuses on the institutions of criminal justice, particularly the police, courts, and corrections.
Major Requirements
CJBS Courses That Meet General Education Requirements
Both of the following courses are CJBS foundational courses that also count toward your General Education requirements:
Freshmen
Sophomores
Transfer Students
Juniors
Seniors
As a senior (90 or more credits completed), you can make one-on-one appointments with CJBS advisor Wanda Owens using Navigate. If you have urgent questions or major-related issues, please email Wanda Owens at CJBS@jjay.cuny.edu for assistance.
Registration and Major Holds
Major holds are placed on all upper sophomores (45-59 credits), and each student must attend a mandatory CJBS group advisement session to have the hold removed. This session will encourage wise planning and allow students to ask any questions they may have about the major. How do you know if you have a major hold? Go to CUNYfirst and complete the following steps:
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Check the Holds box of your CUNYfirst Student Center. If "Advisement Required" appears, click on “details.”
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Click on “Advisement Required.”
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See which type of advisement you need. If you must see a major advisor, then make a major advising appointment following the steps preferred by this department.
Avoid Course Planning Mistakes!
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Part 3 of the major requires three courses, one from each of the categories (Police, Law, and Corrections). Two of these three courses must be at the 300 or 400 level. If you forget this rule and take a 200 level course in all of these areas, you will need to go back and take a 300 or 400 level course in two of the categories. Remember this rule so you don’t take unnecessary courses, and keep in mind that the degree audit can be misleading when it comes to Part 3 of the CJBS major requirements.
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A single course can only meet one CJBS requirement. On the CJBS Major Choice Sheet, you may sometimes notice that one course is on both the Part 2 Diversity list and the Part 3 Corrections list. If you take such a course, you can choose which area you want it to meet, but it cannot meet both. The degree audit will sometimes indicate that it can meet two requirements, but this is incorrect.
Monitor Your Progress in the Major (Major Checklist, Sample 4 yr Plan)
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DegreeWorks degree audit - Use this online planning tool to track your overall progress toward graduation. You will see which of your general education and major requirements are completed, in progress, or still needed. Refer to the DegreeWorks FAQs to better understand how to use this helpful tool. Note: The degree audit can be misleading in certain areas of the major. Be sure to confirm the accuracy of your degree audit with a general academic advisor.
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Continuing students who declared the CJBS major before Fall 2021 should use this CJBS worksheet to monitor their progress in the major. They can use this Choice Sheet to see their Part 2 and Part 3 course options.
- New Freshmen and new Transfer students starting at John Jay in Summer 2021 or later should use this CJBS worksheet to monitor their progress in the major. They can use this Choice Sheet to see their Part 2 and Part 3 course options.
- Sample Four Year Plan - See an example of how you could complete all your degree requirements (major, general education, electives) and graduate in four years! Remember that this sample plan shows just one possible way to combine your requirements. Transfer students in particular should work with advisors to determine a plan that works best for them.
Graduation Requirements
Academic Internships
Meet with a General Academic Advisor
A General Academic Advisor will confirm what general academic requirements you still need, make suggestions about smart course planning that will help you graduate without delays, discuss your interest in adding a minor or second major, inform you about opportunities such as study abroad, discuss general questions and concerns, and make helpful referrals. Visit the Academic Advisement Center's webpage for more information.
Find a Job or Internship
Networking is often the most successful way to find an internship or job. Make use of your friends, family, professors, co-workers, classmates, and anyone else you know to see if they have a connection to someone in the field you would like to work in. Many of your current classmates may have already participated in the Academic Internship Program and may still be in contact with their previous supervisors who they can pass along your resume to. Ask around!
Job fairs
Job fairs are another excellent opportunity to make connections with employers. If you are preparing a semester ahead to find your internship, you will have plenty of time to attend the John Jay College Career and Internship Fair offered each semester. The fair is a great opportunity to make connections, collect business cards, and network for future opportunities.
Career Events
You should also make use of the many career events offered through the Center for Career and Professional Development. Employers often participate in panels, workshops, information sessions and tabling at John Jay College. Log into John Jay Careers Online and see the “Events” tab into for the upcoming schedule of events.