By: Gabrielle Chaudry
A new criminal justice major is set to launch at Susquehanna later this fall.
Starting in the fall 2023 semester, students can major in criminal justice and take new criminal justice courses. These new courses include Introduction to Criminal Justice, Crime Prevention and Policy and Crime Mapping and Statistics, according to Susquehanna’s website.
The university is currently in the process of hiring a criminal justice professor who will teach the classes, according to Political Science Department Chair Nick Clark. The criminal justice professor will be someone who has a Ph.D. in the program and who will initially teach the new courses, said Clark.
Other required courses for the criminal justice major include some sociology, psychology, and political science courses already currently available such as Principles of Sociology, Introduction to Policy, Principles of Psychology and Punishment and Society.
Clark said Susquehanna decided to add the major due to high student interest, and some faculty have heard of student interest for years.
According to Clark, a number of prospective students have already applied and been admitted to the program. He said that there have been recruitment events for the major, and current students are interested in declaring a major in criminal justice as well.
Clark also said that the Innovation Center, which he leads, did an analysis and concluded that there were many jobs for people obtaining degrees in criminal justice.
The Innovation Center, which was established in August of last year, was created so the university could examine student input and make changes based on interests, such as the desire for a criminal justice major at SU, said Clark.
Students who major in criminal justice can get jobs in social work and other types of community work, as well as jobs in many other fields. Other job opportunities include positions with law enforcement and public safety, law school or legal careers, non-profit work such as with prisoners or people in the system or work for federal security agencies like the FBI, according to Clark.
“We are hoping that this program helps to sort of highlight not just the strengths but the weaknesses of the current criminal justice system and focus on ways it can be improved,” said Clark.
Students who are interested can start enrolling for courses in criminal justice during the upcoming 2023 fall semester registration in April.
Clark said that at least lower-level criminal justice courses will be available to students outside of the major who want to take them.
As for why he thinks it’s important that Susquehanna added the new major, Clark said, “I think it’s responding to student interest. I think it’s responding to current trends in terms of where there’s jobs. I think it’s building on our mission…To think about how our students can make a positive difference… It’s SU demonstrating an ability to respond to changing trends.”
Students cannot currently minor in criminal justice, but a minor will likely be launched next year, said Clark.
If you want to learn more about the criminal justice major, you can contact Dr. Clark or visit Susquehanna’s website.