The International Criminal Justice major introduces students to the nature and cause of crime at the international level and to the mechanisms for its prevention and control. Rather than dealing mostly with conventional crime, the ICJ major focuses more on international crimes such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, including torture and terrorism, and transnational crimes such as trafficking, money laundering that threaten the peace, wellbeing and security of the globalized world.
Major Requirements
ICJ Courses That Meet General Education Requirements
Major Advising in Fall/Spring
International Criminal Justice major advising is available year-round, including summer and winter terms, and we are happy to meet with you.
The ICJ BA major advisor is Professor Verónica Michel. Students are advised to make an appointment with Professor Michel once per semester. Advising will be done remotely in Spring 2023. Professor Michel will also hold occasional group advising sessions. Keep an eye on your John Jay email account for updates. If you would like to talk to Professor Michel, please schedule your appointment here https://calendly.com/vmichel-luviano/icj_advising.
For a different time/day please email her at vmichel@jjay.cuny.edu.
Note: Professor Michel will be available in person on Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m.- 2 p.m. for walk-in advising in her office (9.65.11 New Building). No appointment necessary; she will see students during that time on a first come first served basis.
Ms. Caitlin Garcia (General Education and ICJ Advisor)
Caitlin is now offering both remote and in person advising availability for the ICJ major and general education requirements. She will serve as an ICJ major's first stop for advisement, and can answer your questions, clarify which ICJ requirements you need, and confirm your progress with general education requirements. You can email Caitlin (cagarcia@jjay.cuny.edu), remembering to include your EMPL ID, or make a Zoom appointment through our new Navigate scheduling platform. Follow these instructions to find her availability on Navigate:
1. Go to the John Jay website and click on Web Apps.
2. Under the CUNY Services Tab click on Navigate (EAB).
3. Log in with your CUNYfirst username and password.
4. When Navigate opens, click the blue "Schedule an Appointment button" on the right.
5. Choose "Academic Advising" (this may already be selected).
6. Under "Service" choose "Major Advisement-International Criminal Justice."
7. Choose a date for your appointment, then click "Find an Available Time."
8. On the next page you'll see the available days and times.
9. Click on an available time slot for your appointment.
10. Review the appointment details, add a comment or note, and provide a cell phone number (you will receive a text reminder about your appointment).
11. Click "Schedule."
Caitlin Garcia advising hours for Spring 2023:
Tuesday 11:00 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Wednesday 9:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Major Advising in Summer/Winter
Ms. Caitlin Garcia will be available to advise continuing ICJ students until mid-January, and then may have limited availability until the start of the Spring 2023 semester on January 25.
Registration and Major Holds
Sophomores with 45-59 credits may have a major hold placed on their registration. The hold will be removed when they have an appointment with ICJ program director Professor Verónica Michel (vmichel@jjay.cuny.edu). This discussion 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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ICJ 101 is the first course in the major, and is also a prerequisite for several higher level major courses. Freshmen should focus on the major's prerequisites (ECO 101, SOC 101, POL 101) and delay ICJ 101 until the first semester of their sophomore year.
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ICJ requires STA 250, which has a MAT 108 or MAT 141 prerequisite. Complete the necessary math foundation early, preferably in your freshman year, and then take STA 250 right away.
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ICJ has a 200 level language requirement, and many students will need to take the 100 level language foundation courses (101-102 or 111-112). Take your language courses early, in consecutive semesters, and remember that they can count towards general education requirements as well. See the Language Requirement section below for important planning information.
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Plan carefully for the required course sequences shown in the chart above. For example, POL 101 → POL 259 → ICJ 310 → ICJ 401.
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300-level courses will often require that you have junior standing (at least 60 credits earned).
- For detailed information about prerequisites for your Part Four Specialized Areas course options, click here!
- If you are interested in pursuing the optional internship (ICJ 381) in the major, speak with Professor Michel about this early so you can work it into your academic plan. Both POL 259 and SOC 341 are required prerequisites for this course, along with permission from the ICJ coordinator. See the Internships section of the ICJ major resource page for more information.
- Remember that you will need at least a 2.0 GPA in the major and at least a 2.0 overall GPA to graduate.
Language Requirement
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The foreign language 201 courses are typically offered only in the fall semesters.
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SPA 207, SPA 308 and SPA 335 (and any other courses taught in English) do NOT fulfill the ICJ language requirement.
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The ICJ language requirement can be waived for students who show the ICJ program director their high school diploma from a non-English speaking country. As an alternative, the ICJ language requirement can be waived if students choose to take a Foreign Language Proficiency exam (such as CLEP or the NYU Foreign Language Proficiency Exam) and submit a passing score to the Office of Academic Credit Evaluation. For more information, please speak with the ICJ major advisor.
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If you have prior knowledge of a foreign language, you can take a placement exam in the Modern Language Center to place out of prerequisites and possibly the 200 level requirement. You can drop by 7.64 New Building on M-F to take a placement test; no advance appointment is necessary. Note that placement tests at John Jay are only available in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. If you have background in a language that is not on this list, ask the Modern Language Center about the NYU proficiency exam, which will determine your language proficiency and may allow you to earn credits towards your John Jay degree (be sure to find out what this NYU option would cost).
Study Abroad
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: be sure to confirm the accuracy of your degree audit with a general advisor and major advisor.
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ICJ Major Checklist - Fill out this printable worksheet to keep track of which major requirements you have completed and which ones you still need. For detailed information about prerequisites for your Part Four Specialized Areas course options, click here!
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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.
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.
Internships
Graduate School Guidance
ICJ Dual Admission Accelerated Program (DAAP)
The ICJ dual admission / accelerated program leads to the Bachelor's degree in International Criminal Justice and the Master's degree in International Crime and Justice. The program allows exceptional students to complete both degrees in a five year time period.
The BA in International Criminal Justice introduces students to the nature and cause of crime at the international level and to the mechanisms for its prevention and control. Components of the criminal justice system as they apply to transnational and international crime are studied, as well as the impact of international law and human rights in addressing crimes against humanity. The BA is intended to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed for careers in which the globalization of crime plays an important role.
The MA in International Crime and Justice combines advanced substantive knowledge of international crime challenges and domestic and international responses, with analytic and research techniques in an interdisciplinary framework. It aims to produce graduates with a truly global outlook on criminal justice, a moral commitment to international justice, and professional competence in the increasingly multicultural workforce.
The DAAP program offers advanced students in the ICJ major the opportunity to:
Understand global crime (root causes, facilitators, risk factors)
Respond to global crime (criminal justice responses)
Gain research skills and interdisciplinary knowledge
Improve career opportunities
Improve networking and social opportunities
Career Guidance
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We encourage students to participate in the job fairs that are held at the college every semester. See the Center for Career and Professional Development for job fair information.
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The CUNY Edge Program helps students navigate successfully through college and obtain employment.
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The CUNY Counseling Assistantship Program (CUNYCAP) affords recent CUNY graduates the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in various student service-oriented positions throughout CUNY.