B.S. Degree Description:
The Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice is a 120 credit-hour program. It is an interdisciplinary major, predicated on a common core of the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and physical sciences. The goal of the program is to develop in students an increased analytical awareness of the role of law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional institutions in the criminal justice system.

The course of study consists of an extensive overview of the criminal justice system and an intensive examination of each of the major components of the system. The program is designed to serve students who may elect to enter the criminal justice profession immediately upon graduation, students of the liberal arts without professional interest in criminal justice, and students who desire to continue their education through graduate studies.

The Criminal Justice major has grown from four students in 1969 to present day enrollment of more than 750. Currently, the Criminal Justice Department offers its baccalaureate program at Westfield State College through the day and evening divisions, and part time through Continuing Education at Framingham State College. The Department also offers the Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice at Westfield State College and Framingham State College.

REQUIREMENTS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE MAJORS

The Criminal Justice major consists of 39 credits.  All students must complete at least 21 credits of Criminal Justice coursework at Westfield State College.  There are six required courses in the major (Major Core) that comprise 18 of the 39 required credits.  All criminal justice majors must complete the Major Core courses with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5, and no grade in any of the Major Core courses may be below a C-.  Students may repeat any of these courses in order to meet this requirement, in accordance with the College?s Course Repeat Policy.

MAJOR CORE:

 CRJU 0101     Introduction to Criminal Justice                               (3)

CRJU 0121     Theories of Crime                                                       (3)

CRJU 0201     Law Enforcement and Society                                  (3)

CRJU 0202     Introduction to Corrections                                      (3)

CRJU 0205     American Judicial System                                         (3)

CRJU 0231     Research Methods in Criminal Justice                    (3)

Students choose upper-level electives in the major to complete the remaining 21 credits.  A student, who has not maintained the requisite 2.5 GPA for the six Major Core courses or had a grade below a C- in any one of the Major Core courses, will be required to correct this deficiency in order to enroll in upper level major electives.

TRANSFER STUDENTS: 

Students transferring from another college must have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA.  A grade of less than C-in any criminal justice course is not transferable into the Criminal Justice major.  If after transferring, a student needs to complete any or all of the Major Core classes the student must do so with no grade in any of the Major Core courses below a C-.  The transfer student must also complete the Major Core courses with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5, including WSC and transfer coursework.  Regardless of the number of Criminal Justice courses taken at other colleges, a transferring student must complete a minimum of 21 Criminal Justice credit-hours at Westfield State College and complete the Major Core courses in compliance with the above requirements for GPA and with no grade of less than a C- in the Major Core courses.

CHANGE OF MAJOR: 

Any students seeking to change their major to Criminal Justice must have completed at least 15 credits at WSC with a 2.50 or better cumulative GPA.  The major core GPA requirements are also applicable (see above).

REQUIREMENTS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE MINOR:

A Criminal Justice minor may be particularly attractive to students who seek to augment their major field of study with a basic knowledge of criminology/criminal justice.  The minor requires that a student take a minimum of 18 credits hours of CRJU-labeled coursework, including CRJU 0101, Introduction to Criminal Justice.  CRJU 0101 is a prerequisite for all other criminal justice courses and is one of only two 100-level courses offered by the department.  Students desiring to minor in Criminal Justice shall be required to declare their minor intention, and therefore be assigned to and meet with an advisor, prior to the taking of a third CRJU course that shall be applied to the minor program of studies.

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