1 | Page The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Proposal for a Major in Criminology, Law and Justice (BA, BS) Professor Karen Heimer, DEO, Department of Sociology October 30, 2014 OVERVIEW The Department of Sociology currently offers a track in criminology, with the track preparing students to pursue careers in criminological research, policing, probation, parole, the law, and other areas. Because of the growth of the track and student demand for this area of study, the department has decided to propose a major in this discipline titled Criminology, Law and Justice, offered both as a BA and BS degree. RATIONALE FOR THE MAJOR There are currently 294 majors in sociology with 147 of those in the criminology track. Transforming the track to a major would serve these current and future students in a number of crucial ways. The major will require a more extensive academic exploration of the area than the track, thus better preparing students for careers in law, criminal justice, social services, government, and public policy. The required courses will teach students about the important data sources on crime in the United States and internationally; the various sociological explanations for crime and criminal justice; and the operation of law and the criminal justice system and their complex interplay with other social institutions, such as the economy and politics. The major includes introductory courses on criminology, criminal justice and law and society. It also includes more advanced courses on criminology and the causes of crime, such as juvenile delinquency, interpersonal violence, white collar crime, and global criminology, among others. The major also offers courses on law and the criminal justice system, including courses on the criminal legal system, juvenile justice system, corrections and criminal punishment, comparative legal systems, and the sociology of law. Because this major is located within the Department of Sociology, many of our courses focus on social inequalities and their role is shaping criminal behavior and criminal justice system experiences. Some of our courses focus explicitly on key dimensions of social inequality, including our courses on women, crime and justice, and on race, crime and justice with the theme of inequality running through most of our courses. As such, the major will examine issues related to race and ethnic diversity, gender, and poverty, heightening awareness of these important topics. We believe that this is an important strength of our program and is key for persons working in the field of criminology, criminal justice, and related areas. The major additionally will encourage an internship related to the student’s career or a research experience with a faculty member. The department will create many of these opportunities with local and state agencies. A major in Criminology, Law and Justice will also better meet the demonstrated employment needs in this area. The major will prepare students for employment in police organizations
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The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Proposal for a Major in Criminology, Law and Justice (BA, BS) Professor Karen Heimer, DEO, Department of Sociology
October 30, 2014 OVERVIEW The Department of Sociology currently offers a track in criminology, with the track preparing students to pursue careers in criminological research, policing, probation, parole, the law, and other areas. Because of the growth of the track and student demand for this area of study, the department has decided to propose a major in this discipline titled Criminology, Law and Justice, offered both as a BA and BS degree. RATIONALE FOR THE MAJOR There are currently 294 majors in sociology with 147 of those in the criminology track. Transforming the track to a major would serve these current and future students in a number of crucial ways. The major will require a more extensive academic exploration of the area than the track, thus better preparing students for careers in law, criminal justice, social services, government, and public policy. The required courses will teach students about the important data sources on crime in the United States and internationally; the various sociological explanations for crime and criminal justice; and the operation of law and the criminal justice system and their complex interplay with other social institutions, such as the economy and politics. The major includes introductory courses on criminology, criminal justice and law and society. It also includes more advanced courses on criminology and the causes of crime, such as juvenile delinquency, interpersonal violence, white collar crime, and global criminology, among others. The major also offers courses on law and the criminal justice system, including courses on the criminal legal system, juvenile justice system, corrections and criminal punishment, comparative legal systems, and the sociology of law. Because this major is located within the Department of Sociology, many of our courses focus on social inequalities and their role is shaping criminal behavior and criminal justice system experiences. Some of our courses focus explicitly on key dimensions of social inequality, including our courses on women, crime and justice, and on race, crime and justice with the theme of inequality running through most of our courses. As such, the major will examine issues related to race and ethnic diversity, gender, and poverty, heightening awareness of these important topics. We believe that this is an important strength of our program and is key for persons working in the field of criminology, criminal justice, and related areas. The major additionally will encourage an internship related to the student’s career or a research experience with a faculty member. The department will create many of these opportunities with local and state agencies.
A major in Criminology, Law and Justice will also better meet the demonstrated employment needs in this area. The major will prepare students for employment in police organizations
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(local, state and federal), public and private investigative work, private security work, corrections and community corrections, private treatment facilities for adults and juveniles, crime and justice research, as well as in other types of human services, sales, public relations, advertising, personnel, applied social research, community organization, and teaching social science in secondary schools. Careers within the area of protection services as a group are projected to rise by around 10% through 2022 (Occupational Handbook, Employment Trends, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of police and detectives employed in the public sector is projected to increase 5% between 2012 to 2022, and importantly, jobs in policing are expected to become more competitive overall and having a B.A. degree will become increasingly important. The employment of private detectives and investigators is projected to grow 22% over the next 10 years, much faster than the average for all occupations due to an increase in security concerns and the need to protect property and confidential information, according to PoliceLink, a website for the nation’s law enforcement community.1 The same website notes that experts predict a 19% increase in opportunities for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, positions that typically require a B.A. in criminal justice or social services.
Generally, a more deeply educated workforce with a stronger research and theoretical background in criminology and criminal justice will enhance performance in the field and profession, a benefit to Iowa’s communities. According to the Director of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), who was consulted about this proposal, a four-year degree means that students can take a ‘fast-track’ to become certified as a police officer for any organization in the state. In other words, most officers are hired, and they must complete a 14-week “police academy” before they can begin on-the-job training. The title of the new major would clearly indicate for the employer the student’s area of training while track titles are only printed on the transcript but not on the degree award. Students value having the title of their major stated on the credential, with the student’s academic focus clearer to graduate programs or to future employers. The program of study additionally will provide a foundation for graduate or professional study in criminology, criminal justice, sociology, psychology, law, social work, urban planning, education, social policy, and similar areas. Indeed, the major will pair well with majors in other disciplines, such as psychology and social work, and afford students a competitive edge when applying to graduate school in forensic psychology or social work with a corrections emphasis. A bachelor's degree with a major in Criminology, Law and Justice also will provide a strong liberal arts and sciences education for any student, helping students to enhance their ability to think critically, to communicate orally, and to write. For example, every time a police officer has an encounter with a citizen, the officer needs excellent communication skills to interact with the citizen, not to mention writing reports.
With a major in place, a stronger student community and outreach program can be built, with a better focus on student success and engagement and with a higher profile of the program from the recruitment perspective. Admissions reports that future student interest in the area is high but students have asked for a major in the area and find the track more difficult to understand. Admissions will be able to commit more resources and time to a conversation about a major. This new major will attract not only first-year students but also students earning the AA degree from Iowa community colleges, such as at Eastern Iowa Community College, Kirkwood, Des Moines Area Community College, and Western Tech. If these colleges do not offer a program in criminal justice, they offer advising in the criminal justice area to help students to complete the prerequisites for transfer to a criminal justice program at a Regents’ university. The major will thus be suggested for the 2+2 Plan, a UI and Iowa community college agreement to insure a smooth transfer of credits and the completion of a baccalaureate degree. The Department of Sociology has been participating in bi-annual articulation meetings between the Regents’ universities and the community colleges for more than two years with regard to the track in Criminology, and the community colleges have been pressing for the University of Iowa to develop a separate major in criminology and criminal justice to help meet the 2+2 plan and accommodate student interest. ADMINISTRATIVE HOME The administrative home will remain the Department of Sociology, currently the home of the track. The major in Criminology, Law and Justice will be the second major offered by the Department of Sociology. The department has a demonstrated expertise in this area, with faculty specializing in research related to criminology and with a long history of teaching courses in the field. Dr. Karen Heimer, DEO of Sociology, will serve as the program coordinator and as the director of undergraduate studies for the major. There is no plan to change the name of the department to include the title of the proposed major. However, if this proposal is approved, the Registrar will be asked to create a particular course subject code for courses related to Criminology, Law and Justice (such as CRIM) to help students find these courses on ISIS and to better track credit hours and enrollments in the program. ADVISING Entering students with 24 s.h. or fewer will be advised at the Academic Advising Center. Students with more than 24 s.h. will be advised within the program by the professional advisor who now advises students in the Sociology major and in the current criminology track. The professional advisor will help students to choose the best degree (BA or BA) for their interests, to stay on track toward graduation, and to explore related internships as well as courses and programs of study outside of the department, such as in in social work, psychology, political science, economics, and history. DUPLICATION OF CREDENTIALS AND OF CREDIT HOURS Students earning the major in Sociology will be allowed to earn the major in Criminology, Law
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and Justice and vice versa as long as no more than 9 s.h. overlapping between each major, with General Education courses excluded from this count since the College allows those to be counted multiple times. Students in Sociology may earn a minor in Criminology, Law and Justice and those in Criminology, Law and Justice may earn a Sociology minor but only as long as no more than 3 s.h. is double-counted for both credentials. Students earning a double major in both Sociology and in Criminology, Law and Justice may not complete a minor in either area. REQUIRED RESOURCES The department currently has the faculty and other instructors needed to offer the major. Growth in the major might necessitate a reexamination of the advisor’s case load since the sociology advisor also works with pre-social work students and anthropology majors. The College is aware of this situation and understands that additional resources may be needed in the future if this should become an issue. We hope such an addition, if ever needed, would also help another department which might benefit from sharing the expertise of any new advisor hired. CURRICULUM OF THE MAJOR AND SEQUENCE OF COURSES The Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Sciences with a major in Criminology, Law and Justice will require a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 36 s.h. of work for the major. The Bachelor of Science degree requires an additional 14 s.h. of course work. For either degree, students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program. Transfer students must earn at least 24 s.h. in Criminology, Law and Justice course work at The University of Iowa; transfer courses must be approved by the program coordinator.
INTRODUCTORY COURSES One of the following introductory sociology courses:
SOC:1010 (034:001) Introduction to Sociology Principles 3-4 s.h. SOC:1020 (034:002) Social Problems 3 s.h. SOC:2810 (034:066) Social Inequality 3 s.h.
Two of the following introductory Criminology, Law and Justice courses:
SOC:1410 (034:040) Introduction to Criminology 3 s.h. SOC:1420 (034:042) Law and Society 3 s.h. SOC:1425 (034:055) Introduction to the Criminal Justice System 3 s.h. One of the following statistics courses: SOC: 2160 (Applied Statistics for Social Sciences 3 s.h. STAT:1020 Elementary Statistics and Inference 3 s.h.
STAT:1030 Statistics for Business 3 s.h. STAT:2010 Statistical Methods and Computing 3 s.h. STAT:3510 Biostatistics 3 s.h. STAT:4143 Introduction to Statistical Methods 3 s.h. ECON:2800 Statistics for Strategy Problems 3 s.h.
THEORY AND METHODS The following two courses are required, and should be completed as soon as possible.
SOC:2130 (034:009) Sociological Theory 3 s.h.
SOC:2170 (034:011) Research Methods 3 s.h.
ELECTIVES 12 s.h. from these:
SOC:1200 (034:046) Crime and Modern Society 3 s.h. SOC:2325 (034:025) Women, Crime, and Justice 3 s.h. SOC:2430 (034:080) Comparative Criminal Justice Systems 3 s.h. SOC:3415 (034:045) Global Criminology 3 s.h. SOC:3416 (034:115) Race, Crime and Justice 3 s.h. SOC:3171 (034:171) Drugs and Society 3 s.h. SOC:3420 (034:141) Juvenile Delinquency 3 s.h. SOC:3425 (034:146) Deviance and Control 3 s.h. SOC:3450 (034:186) Criminal Legal System 3 s.h. SOC:4420 (034:149) Corrections and Criminal Punishment 3 s.h. SOC:4430 (034:142) Interpersonal Violence in Society 3 s.h. SOC:4440 (034:144) Sociology of White-Collar Crime 3 s.h. SOC:4450 (034:184) Juvenile Justice: A Socio-legal Perspective 3 s.h. SOC:4460 (034:182) Sociology of Law 3 s.h. SOC:4461 (034:143) Gender and Violence 3 s.h. SOC:4400 (034:148) Internship in Criminal Justice and Corrections 1-5 s.h.
UPPER LEVEL SOCIOLOGY REQUIREMENT 3 s.h. from these:
SOC:2510 (034:050) Medical Sociology 3 s.h. SOC:3220 (034:128) Sociology of Mental Illness 3 s.h. SOC:3520 (034:150) Political Sociology and Social Movements 3 s.h SOC:3610 (034:164) Organizations and Modern Society 3 s.h. SOC:3650 (034:178) Education, Schools and Society 3 s.h. SOC:3830 (034:155) Race and Ethnicity 3 s.h. SOC:3840 (034:175) Community and Urban Sociology 3 s.h. SOC:3850 (034:158) Economy and Society 3 s.h.
SOC:3880 (034:170) Social Networks 3 s.h. SOC:4820 (034:135) Sociology of Sexuality 3 s.h. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BS In addition to all of the above courses and requirements, the following are required for the Bachelor of Science degree with the major in Criminology, Law and Justice.
INTRODUCTORY CALCULUS (BS) B.S. students complete one of these sequences:
MATH:1850 (22M:025) & MATH:1860 (22M:026) Calculus I-II 8 s.h. THEORY AND METHOD (BS) Students choose one (in addition to statistics course required above; courses may not be double counted.) SOC:2160 (034:010) Applied Statistics for Social Scientists 3 s.h. STAT:3120 (22S:120) Probability and Statistics 4 s.h. One of these: PHIL:2603 (026:103) Introduction to Symbolic Logic 3 s.h. PHIL:3604 (026:104) Introduction to Philosophy of Science 3 s.h. OUTCOMES OF THE MAJOR The following outcomes have been adapted from the American Sociological Association.
Conduct Research and Analyze Data: Learn both qualitative and quantitative research methods; recognize trends and patterns and produce social statistics such as those used in criminal justice organizations and government, market research, opinion polling, sales, and countless other applications.
Communicate Skillfully: Learn how to convey ideas effectively in writing and presentations.
Practice Critical Thinking: Learn to look beyond the surface of issues to discover the "why.´ Build analytical skills. Solve problems and identify opportunities.
Gain a Global Perspective: Learn about different cultures and how to analyze the interactions of groups and societies through a global and historical perspective.
Prepare for Graduate School or for a First Career Step: Prepare for employment and for graduate study in a wide range of fields including criminology, criminal justice, sociology, law, business, social work, medicine, public health, and public administration.
ASSESSMENT PLAN Sociology assesses the accomplishment of the goals for its majors via a capstone course requirement, as described below.
CAPSTONE COURSE All Criminology, Law and Justice majors will complete the capstone course, which illustrates their accomplishments; it is usually taken during the student's last two semesters of course work for the major and includes assembling a portfolio. Before they enroll in the capstone course, students must complete the statistics requirement, SOC:2170 (034:011) Research Methods; one of the required lower-level courses in Criminology, Law and Justice; at least 6 semester hours of electives in Criminology, Law and Justice; and must have a GPA of at least 2.00 in work for the major.
SOC:4910 (034:195) Capstone Course in Sociology 3 s.h.
GRADUATION PORTFOLIO During their last semester, all students enroll in the following course, in which they submit the portfolio assembled in the capstone course.
SOC:4909 (034:194) Graduation Portfolio 0 s.h.
FOUR-YEAR PLAN
Before the fifth semester begins: SOC:1010 (034:001) Introduction to Sociology Principles or equivalent; three additional introductory courses
Before the seventh semester begins: the statistics course, two of the three theory and methods courses, two electives, and at least 90 s.h. earned toward the degree
Before the eighth semester begins: the remaining theory and methods course and one more elective
During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major; all remaining General Education courses; and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate
HONORS IN THE MAJOR Students majoring in Criminology, Law and Justice have the opportunity to graduate with honors in the major. Departmental honors students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.33 in all University of Iowa courses and in all Sociology and Criminology, and Law and Justice courses. In order to graduate with honors in Sociology, students must complete the following course work.
SOC:4997 (034:100) Honors Seminar (taken spring of junior year) 2 s.h. SOC:4998 (034:199) Honors Research (honors thesis) arr.
The honors thesis will be prepared under faculty supervision, giving the student the opportunity to conduct research in close consultation with a faculty member of the student's choice.
In addition to honors in their majors, undergraduate students will have a variety of opportunities for honors study and activities through membership in the University of Iowa Honors Program; visit Honors at Iowa to learn about the University Honors Program. Membership in the UI Honors Program is encouraged by not required for honors in the Criminology, Law and Justice major.
MINOR The minor in Criminology, Law and Justice requires a minimum of 15 s.h. in courses as designated for the Criminology, Law and Justice major, including 12 s.h. in courses taken at the University of Iowa. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 in all courses for the minor (including transfer credit) and in all UI courses.
Appendix A
INTRODUCTORY COURSES
SOC:1010 (034:001) Introduction to Sociology Principles 3-4 s.h.
How individuals are organized into social groups, ranging from intimate groups to
bureaucracies, and how these influence individual behavior; nature and
interrelationships of basic social institutions, such as family, education, religion,
economy.
SOC:1020 (034:002) Social Problems 3 s.h.
Emergence and distribution of selected social problems; alternative solutions;
may include population, inequality, female-male relationships, racism, crime.
SOC:2810 (034:066) Social Inequality 3 s.h.
Major theoretical perspectives for understanding inequality in economics, power,
prestige; the magnitude of social inequality in the United States; sex and race
inequality; trends in and causes of social mobility; selected consequences of
social inequality.
SOC:1410 (034:040) Introduction to Criminology 3 s.h.
Nature and causes of crime; the criminal justice process, correctional treatment,
crime prevention.
SOC:1420 (034:042) Law and Society 3 s.h.
Exploration of how society shapes the law and how law shapes the society;
definitions and conceptualizations of law; social origins of law; roots of
compliance with or deviance from law; legal consciousness and uses of law in