Skip to content
ST. Thomas Aquinas College logo
  • Apply
  • Visit
  • Request Info
  • Giving
  • Events
  • mySTAC
  • Events
  1. home
  2. Academics
  3. School of Arts & Social Sciences
  4. Arts & Social Sciences Program Courses
  5. Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice

  • Academics
    • Academic Affairs
    • Academic Calendars
    • Assessment & Accreditation
    • Academic Services
      • Center for Student Success
      • Writing Lab
    • Accelerated Graduate Degree Programs
    • General Education
    • Combined Degree Programs
    • Lougheed Library
    • Aquinas Leaders
    • HEOP Program
    • Honors Program
      • Honors Program: Service & Research
      • University of Oxford Experience
    • Pathways Program
    • Spartan Star Summer Program
    • Ignite
    • College Catalogs
    • Graduate School Partnerships
    • 2025 Commencement
    • Registrar
      • Academic Policies
      • Course Offerings
      • Dean’s List
      • Digital Badges
      • FERPA
      • Frequently Asked Questions: Registration Dates
      • Grading Policy
      • Planning Your Schedule
      • Summer Session
      • Transcript Request
    • Study Abroad
    • School of Arts & Social Sciences
      • Faculty
      • ARTS@
        • Azarian McCullough Art Gallery
        • Art for Social Change Contest
      • Justice Studies Institute
      • Therapeutic Recreation Certification
      • Arts & Social Sciences Program Courses
        • Applied Humanities
        • Art Therapy
        • Communication, Media & Design (CMD)
        • Art Education K-12 Certification
        • English
        • Criminal Justice
        • History
        • Human Rights & Social Justice Minor
        • English with Adolescence Certification
        • Forensic Psychology Minor
        • Journalism Minor
        • Latina/o/x Studies Minor
        • MPA Course Offerings
        • MPA-CJ Accelerated Program
        • Performing Arts Minor
        • Psychology
        • Public Relations Minor
        • Psychology Pre-Occupational Therapy
        • Religious Studies / Philosophy
        • Social Policy & Civic Engagement
        • Social Media Minor
        • Social Sciences
        • Social Science with Adolescence Certification
        • Sociology Minor
        • Spanish
        • Spanish with Adolescence Certification
        • Therapeutic Recreation
        • Visual Art
        • Writing Minor
    • School of Education
      • Faculty
      • Graduate Education Programs
      • Master of Science in Education
      • Master of Science in Teaching
      • 5-Year Dual Degrees
      • School of Education Certificate Programs
      • Student Teaching
      • Certification
      • Bridge2Teaching
      • Summer STEAM Camps
      • Summer Literacy Program
      • Education Program Courses
        • Art Education K-12
        • Childhood Education
        • Childhood & Special Education
        • Early Childhood & Childhood Education
        • Educational Studies
        • English with Grades 7-12 Certification
        • Mathematics with Adolescence Certification
        • Social Science with Grades 7-12 Certification
        • Spanish
        • Mathematics
        • Master of Science in Education, TESOL
        • Master of Science in Teaching, TESOL
        • Post-Masters Professional Certificate in TESOL
    • School of Business
      • Faculty
      • Online Business Advanced Certificate Programs
      • Graduate Business Programs
      • Business Program Courses
        • Accounting
        • 150 Hour Accounting
        • Accounting Minor
        • Business Minor
        • Digital Marketing Minor
        • Economics Minor
        • Finance
        • Finance Minor
        • Hospitality Management
        • Hospitality Management Minor
        • Human Resource Management Minor
        • International Business Minor
        • Management
        • Management Information Systems Minor
        • Management Minor
        • MBA
        • MBA: Human Resource Management
        • Marketing
        • Marketing Minor
        • SPM – Business / Athletic Administration
        • SPM – Recreational Sports & Coaching
        • Sport Management Studies Minor
        • Supply Chain Management Minor
    • School of STEM
      • Faculty
      • Graduate STEM Programs
      • STEM Advisory Board
      • Motorola Solutions Foundation Computer Science Scholar Success Program
      • NSF Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation Grant
      • Partnership Programs
      • STEM Adjunct Faculty Academy
      • Summer Exploration Program
      • STEM Program Courses
        • Applied Mathematics
        • Biology (BA)
        • Biology (BS)
        • Biology Pre-Chiropractic
        • Biology Pre-Pharmacy
        • Biology Pre-Physical Therapy
        • Biology Pre-Podiatric Medicine
        • Biochemistry
        • Biotechnology Minor
        • Chemistry (BA)
        • Chemistry Minor
        • Computer Science
        • Computer Science – Cloud Computing
        • Computer Science – Data Analytics
        • Computer Science – Graphics
        • Data Science
        • Exercise Science – Allied Health
        • Exercise Science – Kinesiology
        • Mathematics – Actuarial Science
        • Exercise Science Minor
        • Forensic Science
        • Mathematics
        • Medical Technology
        • Physics (BA)

The Criminal Justice program enables students to grow as informed citizens of a democracy which is concerned about maintaining and preserving individual freedom and justice, and dealing with the problem of crime and its control in a free society. The program prepares students for careers in law, law enforcement, government, prevention of crime, and rehabilitation. Practicums offer experience in diversified placements: federal and state government agencies, law enforcement settings, rehabilitation, and social welfare centers, law firms, etc.

Criminal Justice is a truly multidisciplinary field of study. It is informed by the study of law, sociology, political science, history, psychology, economics, geography, political and social philosophy, and the natural sciences. Criminal Justice is thus quite broad and encompasses diverse content and methods. The Criminal Justice major requires students to complete an array of courses in criminal justice and criminology, including contemporary problems and topics as well as offerings in comparative criminal justice and global issues, the social sciences, and research methods.

Course Requirement Definitions:
Elective Requirement: Additional courses necessary to earn enough credits for a degree outside of Major and STAGE requirements.
First Year Seminar (FYS): Introductory course to the academic experience, emphasizing the skills necessary for academic success.
Major Requirement: Courses are core to this major and are subject matter-specific.
Stage Requirement: Courses are part of our STAGE General Education program, and must be taken to earn a degree. Learn more here>


Fall One – first year

Course CodeCourse NameCredit Hours
CJ 101 Intro to Criminal Justice (Recommended)
Major Requirement
3 CR
Foundation Course Quantitative Literacy OR Scientific Reasoning
Stage Requirement
3 CR
Social Science Elective HIS 101, HIS 102, SOC 101, PSYC 103
Major Requirement
3 CR
STAC 101 Elective Requirement1 CR
FYS 101 First Year Seminar
Stage Requirement / Foundations 1
3 CR
WRT 101Academic Writing I
Stage Requirement
3 CR
16 FALL CREDITS

Spring One – first year

Course CodeCourse NameCredit Hours
CJ 201Criminology (Recommended)
Major Requirement
3 CR
Foundation Course Quantitative Literacy OR Scientific Reasoning
Stage Requirement
3 CR
Breadth & Proficiency 1Stage Requirement3 CR
Foundation Course Academic Writing II
Stage Requirement
3 CR
Social Science Elective HIS 101, HIS 102, SOC 101, PSYC 103
Major Requirement
3 CR
STAC 102Elective Requirement1 CR
16 SPRING CREDITS

Fall Two – sophomore

Course CodeCourse NameCredit Hours
CJ Core Policing, Courts & Law, or Corrections
Major Requirement
3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor)3 CR
Social Science ElectiveChoice of Liberal Arts Classes
Major Requirement
3 CR
Breadth & Proficiency 2Stage Requirement3 CR
Breadth & Proficiency 3 Stage Requirement3 CR
STAC 201Elective Requirement1 CR
16 FALL CREDITS

Spring Two – sophomore

Course CodeCourse NameCredit Hours
CJ CorePolicing, Courts & Law, or Corrections
Major Requirement
3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor)3 CR
Social Science Elective Choice of Liberal Arts Classes
Major Requirement
3 CR
Breadth & Proficiency 4 Stage Requirement3 CR
Breadth & Proficiency 5 Stage Requirement3 CR
15 SPRING CREDITS

Fall three – junior

Course CodeCourse NameCredit Hours
CJ Core Policing, Courts & Law, or Corrections
Major Requirement
3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor)3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor)3 CR
Gateway Course 1 Stage Requirement3 CR
Social Science ElectiveChoice of Liberal Arts Classes
Major Requirement
3 CR
15 FALL CREDITS

Spring three – junior

Course CodeCourse NameCredit Hours
CJ 3XXCriminal Justice Elective at 300 Level
Major Requirement
3 CR
CJ 301Criminal Law
Major Requirement
3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor) 3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor)3 CR
Gateway Course 2 Stage Requirement3 CR
15 SPRING CREDITS

Fall four – senior

Course CodeCourse NameCredit Hours
CJ 400 Level Research Methods or Senior Seminar
Major Requirement
3 CR
CJ 3XX Criminal Justice Elective at 300 Level
Major Requirement
3 CR
Gateway Course 3 Free Elective Requirement3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor)3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor)3 CR
15 FALL CREDITS

Spring Four – senior

Course CodeCourse NameCredit Hours
CJ 400 LevelResearch Methods or Senior Seminar
Major Requirement
3 CR
CJ 3XX Criminal Justice Elective at 300 Level
Major Requirement
3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor)3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor)3 CR
Elective Free Elective Requirement (possible Minor)3 CR
15 SPRING CREDITS
ST. Thomas Aquinas College logo
  • 125 Route 340
    Sparkill, New York 10976
  • 845.398.4000
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Instagram
youtube
Linkedin
Helpful Links
  • mySTAC
  • Alumni & Friends
  • Athletics
  • News
  • Events
  • Directory
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Consumer Info
  • Employment Opportunities
  • Offices
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sexual Misconduct/Title IX
© St. Thomas Aquinas College 2025
  • Apply
  • Visit
  • Request Info
  • Giving
  • Events
  • mySTAC
  • About
    • Why St. Thomas Aquinas
    • Student Success
    • Access & Inclusion
    • President
    • Campus
  • Academics
    • School of Arts & Social Sciences
    • School of Business
    • School of Education
    • School of STEM
    • Academic Affairs
    • Academic Services
    • Ignite
    • Registrar
    • Lougheed Library
    • Study Abroad
    • Honors Program
  • Admissions & Aid
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Transfer Admissions
    • International Admissions
    • Veteran & Military Admissions
    • Parents & Guardians
    • Financial Aid
    • Visit
    • Apply
    • Virtual Tour
  • Student Life
    • Student Engagement
    • Residence Life
    • Dining Services
    • Health and Wellness
    • Campus Safety
  • Find your Fit
    • Find My Major Quiz
    • Career Center
    • Experiential Learning
  • Athletics
Quick Links
  • Majors
  • Virtual Tour
  • Alumni and Friends
  • Employment Opportunities
  • Directory
  • News
  • Facility Rental
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Instagram
youtube
Linkedin
We use cookies to ensure we give you the best user experience. By continuing to use this site, we will assume you agree to the use of cookies. Privacy Policy. xAccept