Undergraduate Catalog

Criminal Justice and Social Work Co-Majors

Completing a co-major in Criminal Justice and Social Work will allow students to combine the strengths of two areas of study in order to learn more about responding to human needs and social problems.

The Criminal Justice major provides students with an understanding of the entire criminal justice system. The major emphasizes the interrelationships among the various components of the criminal justice system (e.g. law enforcement, prosecution, counts and corrections) and examines how they deal with adult offenders and juvenile delinquents.

The social work major prepares graduates for generalist social work practice and licensure, and for graduate study. The St. Thomas School of Social Work recognizes two goals for generalist social work practices:

  1. To restore and enhance the social functioning of systems of all sizes (individuals, families, groups, organization, and communities)
  2. To promote a more just society

At the completion of the co-major, students will have excellent analytical and research knowledge, a deeper understanding of social problems, specifically within and related to the criminal justice systems, including a social theoretical background for policy change, and practical, licensable skills and practice experience in the field. In addition, students will be eligible to apply to most MSW problems as “advanced standing”, meaning that they will be able to complete their MSW studies on an accelerated timeline.

Requirements:

Criminal Justice (28 credits)

  • SOCI 100 Intro to Sociology (4 credits)
  • SOCI 200 Intro to Criminal Justice (4 credits)
  • SOCI 210 Research Methods in Sociology (WAC:WID) (4 credits)
  • SOCI 220 Sociological Analysis (4 credits)
  • SOCI 312 Crime & Delinquency (4 credits)
  • SOCI 480 Seminar in Criminal Justice (4 credits)

One of the following:

  • CJUS 342 Criminal Law & Criminal Procedure (4 credits)
  • Or SOCI 344 Police & Society (4 credits)
  • Or SOCI 346 Corrections in America (4 credits)

Social Work (36 credits)

  • SOWK 181 Introduction to Social Work (4 credits)
  • SOWK 240 Human Behavior and the Social Environment (4 credits)
  • SOWK 355 Communication and Interviewing Skills (4 credits)
  • SOWK 375 Junior Fieldwork (2 credits)
  • SOWK 376 Junior Fieldwork (2 credits)
  • SOWK 385 Group Work Skills (4 credits)
  • SOWK 401 Practice with Individuals and Families (4 credits)
  • SOWK 402 Practice with Organizations and Communities (4 credits)
  • SOWK 405 Senior Field Practicum & Integrated Seminar I (4 credits)
  • SOWK 406 Senior Field Practicum & Integrated Seminar II (4 credits)

Allied Requirements (12 credits)

  • BIOL 105 Human Biology or BIOL 106 Human, Medicine, and Biology (4 credits)
  • PSYC 111 General Psychology (4 credits)
  • PSYC 202 Lifespan Developmental Psychology (4 credits)