THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Undergraduate Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Website: https://criminology.fsu.edu
Professors: Beaver, Blomberg, Copp, Hay, Kurlychek, Mears, Siennick, Warren; Associate Professors: Chouhy, Coonan, Lantz, Pesta, Piatkowska, Schwartz, Stults, Wenger, Zane; Assistant Professors: Anderson, Brancale, Close, Davidson, Fridel, Holmes, Kim, Sheppard; Professors Emeriti: Bales, Gertz, Kirkham, Kleck, Waldo
The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers undergraduate and graduate programs leading to the Bachelor of Science (BS), Bachelor of Arts (BA), Master of Science (MS), Master of Arts (MA), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. Undergraduate degree programs include criminology and cyber criminology, a joint program with the Department of Computer Science. A combined bachelor's/master's pathway is offered in criminology and criminal justice for eligible students. A distance learning certificate is available in criminology. A distance-learning Master of Science (MS) degree program in criminal justice studies is available. Also available are joint graduate pathways with the School of Public Administration and the College of Social Work. A distance-learning Bachelor of Science degree program in criminology is also available.
Refer to THE COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE for additional details on degree requirements, the college, student opportunities, and financial aid.
Academic Performance and Retention
The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice reserves the right to discontinue enrollment of any student in the College at any time if satisfactory academic progress is not being made. Specifically, students majoring in criminology must earn a “C” or better in the four core courses and maintain a major GPA of 2.0. A student who has accumulated three unsatisfactory grades, (D+, D, D–, F, U, IE) in criminology and criminal justice courses taken for college credit at Florida State University or elsewhere, whether repeated or not, will not be permitted to continue, be readmitted, or be allowed to graduate with a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Students majoring in cyber criminology must earn a “C” or better in core courses CCJ 2020, CCJ 3011, CCJ 4700 and CCJ 4746, and a “C–” or better in all other courses for the major and maintain an overall GPA of 2.0. Students with more than four grades below “C–” (D+, D, D–, F, U, IE) in criminology, criminal justice, computer science, or prerequisite coursework, whether taken at Florida State University or elsewhere, whether repeated or not, will not be permitted to continue in the major.
A student who applies for readmission to the College must meet the major and degree requirements of the General Bulletin in force on the date of readmission.
Digital Literacy Requirement
Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:
Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically
Students can search for courses that meet the digital literacy requirement at https://core.fsu.edu.
State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites for Criminology
The Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) houses the statewide, internet-based catalog of distance learning courses, degree programs, and resources offered by Florida's public colleges and universities, and they have developed operational procedures and technical guidelines for the catalog that all institutions must follow. The statute governing this policy can be reviewed by visiting https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2021/1006.73.
FLVC has identified common program prerequisites for the degree program in Criminology. To obtain the most up-to-date, state-approved prerequisites for this degree, visit: https://cpm.flvc.org/programs/23/188.
Specific prerequisites are required for admission into the upper-division program and must be completed by the student at either a community college or a state university prior to being admitted to this program. Students may be admitted into the University without completing the prerequisites but may not be admitted into the program.
Major Requirements for Criminology and Criminal Justice
To major in criminology, a student must complete 36 credit hours in criminology and criminal justice coursework, including four core courses. The four core courses are Introduction to Criminal Justice (CCJ 2020), Criminology (CCJ 3011), Introduction to Research Methods in Criminology (CCJ 4700 and Statistics in Criminology CCJ 4746. Three core courses (CCJ 3011, CCJ 4700 and CCJ 4746) are expected to be taken at Florida State University; CCJ 2020 may be taken at a community college. A minimum grade of “C” must be obtained in each core course. An optional one-term, full-time (15 credit hour) internship is available. If a student chooses to take the internship, only three of the 15 credit hours will count toward the required 36 hours in the major. Students in the major are required to complete either a full-time internship, a minor, or second major in another department or program outside the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and they must meet all requirements stipulated by that department or program.
For students transferring from another four-year university, at least 27 credit hours must be earned at Florida State University in the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice; the University requires the last 30 credit hours prior to graduation be taken at Florida State University. In addition, all University requirements must be met for either the Bachelor of Arts (BA) or the Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees.
Major Requirements for Cyber Criminology
To major in cyber criminology, a student must complete 52 credit hours in criminology and criminal justice, computer science, and mathematics courses. Students will complete 24 hours in criminology and criminal justice and 25 hours in computer science coursework that includes eight core courses. Students must complete 13 hours of prerequisite coursework with a C- or higher prior to adding the major: MAC 1105, MAC 1140, MAC 1114, and MAC 2311. The required core courses from criminology and criminal justice are: CCJ 2020, CCJ 3011, CCJ 4700, CCJ 4746, and CJE 3110. The required computer science core courses are: CIS 4360, COP 3014, COP 3330, and COP 3353. A total of six hours of capstone coursework representing criminology and criminal justice and computer science is required. The capstone course for criminology is CCJ 4938r must be taken with the topic cyber criminology capstone and the capstone course for computer science is CIS 4385. Students must complete all core courses prior to taking either capstone course. Students must also complete three hours of Discrete Math, MAD 2104. From an approved list, students will choose six additional hours in criminology and criminal justice as well as twelve additional hours in computer science coursework. Computer science electives may be chosen from: CDA 3100, CDA 3101, CIS 4361, CNT 4406, CNT 4504, CNT 4603, COP 4342, COP 4530, COP 4610, CDA 3101, and COP 4710, CEN 4020, CIS 3250, COP 3252, COP 4020. Students must earn a “C” or better in CCJ 2020, CCJ 3011, CCJ 4700 and CCJ 4746 and a “C–” or better in all other courses for the major and maintain an overall GPA of 2.0. Students with more than four grades below “C–” in criminology, criminal justice, computer science, or prerequisite coursework, whether taken at Florida State University or elsewhere, whether repeated or not, will not be permitted to continue in the major. A minor is not required.
For students transferring from another four-year university, transfer courses within the major are evaluated on an individual basis. The University requires that the last 30 credit hours prior to graduation be taken at Florida State University. In addition, all University requirements must be met for either the Bachelor of Arts (BA) or the Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees.
Approved criminology and criminal justice elective courses include: CCJ 3644, CCJ 3666, CCJ 4497, CCJ 4614, CJC 3010, CJJ 4010, CJL 3510, and CJL 4064.
Minor Requirements
A minor in criminology may be obtained upon completion of four classes. Introduction to Criminal Justice (CCJ 2020) and nine additional credit hours in criminology and criminal justice are required for a total of 12 hours. CCJ 2020 may be taken at the community college level prior to admission to Florida State University. Students cannot take CCJ 4905r (Directed Individual Study), CCJ 4933r (Seminar in Criminology), or CCJ 4938r (Special Topics in Criminology) to fulfill the minor. Grades of “C–” or better are required for all coursework in the minor.
Internships
A variety of internships are available at the local, state, and federal levels. Students can choose from the fields of law enforcement, courts, corrections, criminal justice planning, criminological research, and private sector opportunities. The internship is available for juniors and seniors who have completed the core courses (CCJ 2020, 3011, 4700 and CCJ 4746). The intern receives a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) grade, and full credit is given upon successful completion of both the academic component and work hours.
Students are advised that information pertaining to all matters of public record, such as arrests and convictions, may be required by the agencies accepting interns. Although a reasonable effort is made to place a student in an internship, Florida State University will not be liable if a student cannot be placed. Students are responsible for all living and transportation expenses during field experiences.
Certificates
The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers a distance learning certificate program in criminology and Crime and Intelligence Analysis.
Honors in the Major
The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice encourages eligible students to participate in the honors in the major program. For requirements and other information, see the “University Honors Office and Honor Societies” chapter of this General Bulletin.
Definition of Prefixes
CCJ—Criminology and Criminal Justice
CJC—Corrections
CJE—Law Enforcement
CJJ—Juvenile Justice
CJL—Law and Process
IDS—Interdisciplinary Studies
SCC—Security
Undergraduate Courses
CCJ 1005. Criminology Freshman Seminar (3). This course introduces criminology students to pivotal readings and philosophies of the criminal justice system and exposes students to a variety of speakers and opinions related to criminal justice.
CCJ 2020. Introduction to Criminal Justice (3). In this course, students will gain an understanding of basic social and behavioral concepts and principles through the study of the criminal justice system.
CCJ 3011. Criminology (3). This course offers an examination of the field of criminology, including its theories, basic assumptions, and definitions.
CCJ 3068. The Social Reality of Black Males (3). This course critically examines different viewpoints and non-reconciled positions about the current economic, social, and political status of Black males in America. The relationship between stereotypical images and the complicated search among Black males for identity and manhood is also explored.
CCJ 3286. Psychology and Law (3). This course explores the intersection of criminal and civil law with psychology. It covers psychological principles in investigations, police interrogations, eyewitness testimony, and jury selection and dynamics.
CCJ 3604. Forensic Psychology (3). This course introduces the basics of forensic psychology, its application to specific crime types, and its relevance to various stages of criminal justice system processing.
CCJ 3644. White Collar Crime (3). This course provides an overview of major issues in the study of white-collar crime. Topics covered include conceptual and definitional debates; forms of white-collar crime; theories and causes; offenders, victims, and costs; as well as investigation, prosecution, and sentencing.
CCJ 3658. War on Drugs (3). This course analyzes the origins, escalation, and current status of the U.S. war on illegal drugs. Police, court, correctional, and community responses to drug use and drug crime are examined.
CCJ 3666. Victimology (3). This course examines the role of victims in crimes, their treatment by the criminal justice system, their decisions to report crimes and help prosecute offenders, victim assistance, and victim compensation. Special focus is placed on sexual battery and domestic violence.
CCJ 3677. Crimes Against Humanity (3). This course is a multi-disciplinary examination of the emergence and impact of modern conceptions of human rights, including inquiry into the nature and sources of rights and of institutions for their enforcement, such as international war tribunals and peace and reconciliation commissions. Particular attention focuses on case studies of the violation or abrogation of human rights doctrines, drawing on literature, law, philosophy, history, religion, and the social sciences to explain and respond to the phenomena of crimes against humanity.
CCJ 3688. Religion and Crime (3). This course examines the influence of religion on crime from historical, sociological, and criminological perspectives. Students learn how religion operates both as a protection against crime and as a motivation for crime.
CCJ 3713. Crime Prevention (3). This course provides an overview of issues related to crime prevention, both from criminological and criminal justice points of view. Students examine crime prevention programs that encompass both the individual and community levels, as well as the integration of such levels.
CCJ 4004. Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice (3). This course introduces students to a global, comparative approach to the study of crime and criminal justice systems, beginning with the discussion of transnational crime and issues related to its measurement and continuing with the study of the four major legal traditions (common law, civil law, socialist law, and Islamic law) and the analysis of specific components of the criminal justice system across the world, including the police, courts, and corrections.
CCJ 4031. The Individual and Society (3). This course introduces an understanding of normal human behavior and development in social context.
CCJ 4036. Communities and Crime (3). This course provides an overview of the study of communities and crime. Existing criminological theories, and how they can be applied to the study of community crime levels will be discussed. Attention will be given to the factors that influence community-level crime rates, as well as the ways in which community characteristics influence the behavior and outcomes of individuals.
CCJ 4037. Crime Victimization and Media (3). This course examines the role news media often plays in advancing public safety and crime control. In this course students analyze how the news media covers crime and victimization and how this impacts the criminal justice system and crime victims.
CCJ 4062. Hate and Bias Crime (3). This course examines the causes and consequences of prejudice, hate groups, and hate crimes, as well as the social contexts within which they occur.
CCJ 4070. Crime Hotspots (3). This course addresses the characteristics of places that promote criminal activity and those features of places that increase or decrease crime. The course considers principal theoretical perspectives that link crime to place.
CCJ 4075. Cybercrime (3). This course focuses on the ever evolving effects of cybercrime in today’s society. The course explores various aspects of cybercrime and the linkages of traditional crime to cybercrime and mainstream society at large.
CCJ 4344. Punishment and Punitiveness (3). This course addresses different perspectives regarding punishment in contemporary societies. Particular attention will be given to contemporary discussions about punitiveness, its causes, consequences, and alternatives.
CCJ 4450. Criminal Justice Administration (3). This course is an application of organization and administration theories to the criminal justice system.
CCJ 4497. Criminal Justice and Public Policy (3). This course examines historically significant and recent crime and criminal justice policies in terms of their antecedent factors, their impact on measurable outcomes, and their unintended consequences.
CCJ 4505. Juvenile Delinquency (3). This course focuses on sociological theory and research on juvenile delinquency in the United States. Basic concepts and principles taught in the major theoretical traditions in sociology are explored.
CCJ 4507. Networks and Crime: Peers, Groups, and Gangs (3). This course explores how peers influence offending behavior, both directly and indirectly. The course examines the role of peers in criminal behavior, beginning with an overview of theories and knowledge on peer influence and crime.
CCJ 4601. Human Behavior (3). This course studies the origins of human and deviant behavior from a multidisciplinary approach (biological, psychological, sociological, criminological); addresses major theories and research, including case studies illustrative of deviant behavior such as drug abuse, suicide, mental illness, and sexual deviance.
CCJ 4614. Criminal and Delinquent Behavior (3). This course is an examination of patterns of criminal and delinquent behaviors in the light of theories and classification concepts.
CCJ 4622. Developmental and Life-Course Criminology (3). This course provides an overview of the major issues in life-course criminology. Students explore theoretical approaches to the topic, original research in the area, and apply knowledge to real-life scenarios.
CCJ 4623. Violence in America (3). This course explores definitions, patterns, and theoretical explanations of aggression and violence in the United States. Issues related to violent offending are discussed as well as the main issues associated with violence in America.
CCJ 4633. Gun Violence and Crime (3). This course introduces students to the gun violence debate in the United States.
CCJ 4662. Minorities, Crime, and Social Policy (3). This course examines the involvement of minorities, especially African-Americans, in crime and in the criminal justice system. Special attention is paid to the role of racism in theories of crime and in American law and to the treatment of minorities by the various components of the criminal justice system. May require community service hours.
CCJ 4663. Women, Crime, and Justice (3). This course provides a flexible forum for the study and discussion of female crime and delinquency and gender issues in the criminal justice system.
CCJ 4667. Crime Victimization and Victim Services (3). This course introduces students to the various entities that provide assistance to victims of crime and examines the critical role of victim service providers in advocating for crime victims. In addition, students consider the responsibilities of the criminal justice system to crime victims and the impact of the justice system’s involvement.
CCJ 4684. Family Violence (3). This course introduces the concept of family violence and the issues that surround criminal justice responses, protections, and policy in the United States.
CCJ 4687. Evaluation and Assessment of Victim Services (3). This course offers a comprehensive overview of current research in the field and evidence based practices as well as explores the gaps and areas of needed research in victim service program evaluation and assessment.
CCJ 4700. Introduction to Research Methods in Criminology (3). This course covers basic methodological and statistical issues in criminology.
CCJ 4724. Geographic Information System Applications in Criminology (3). This course prepares students to become proficient interactive users of a GIS. This course covers basic geographic, cartographic, and GIS concepts as well as more advanced geospatial analysis techniques.
CCJ 4746. Statistics in Criminology (3). This course introduces the fundamentals of statistics in criminology, criminal justice, and social science. Connecting abstract statistical concepts with real data is used to illustrate real life applications.
CCJ 4751. Data Management and Crime Analysis (3). Students work with data and information sources that are regularly used for crime and intelligence analysis in law enforcement agencies. Students learn how to use software tools and techniques used by crime analysts to gather, combine, analyze, and summarize data in support of criminal investigations and other responses to crime.
CCJ 4800. Mental Illness and Crime (3). This course provides an overview of the major issues related to mental illness and crime. Relevant research and interviews with people with mental illness and with mentally ill offenders are reviewed to propose changes to criminal justice practices.
CCJ 4905r. Directed Individual Study (1-4). Prerequisites: Instructor permission and dean permission. In this course, a student registered for an individual-study course must submit a prospectus, outline, and bibliography and schedule at least one conference a week on campus. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 credit hours.
CCJ 4909r. Honors in the Major Research (1-6). In this course, students accepted into the Honors in the Major program complete an original research or creative project in their major area of study. This course must be repeated at least twice to complete a minimum of six credit hours total but may be repeated up to a maximum of nine credit hours in total.
CCJ 4933r. Seminar in Criminology (3). This course introduces varying topics of selected interest and contemporary significance, discussed in a seminar format. May be repeated to a maximum of six credit hours.
CCJ 4938r. Special Topics in Criminology (3). This course content varies as instructors present different developments, problems, and controversies. May be repeated to a maximum of 15 credit hours; repeatable within the same term.
CCJ 4940. Internship in Criminology (15). (S/U grade only.) This internship facilitates field placement in an approved criminal justice agency for integration of theory and practice through participant observation study.
CCJ 4942. Part Time Internship in Criminology (8). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisites: CCJ 2020, CCJ 3011, and CCJ 4700. This course facilitates part time field placement in an approved criminal justice agency for integration of theory and practice through participant oberservation study.
CJC 3010. Corrections (3). This course provides an overview of correctional philosophies, practices, and procedures.
CJC 4410. Theories and Methods of Offender Treatment (3). CJC4410,P,Y,** This course introduces theories and techniques that may be employed within the boundaries of probation, parole, or prison to influence and alter the attitudes, values, and behaviors of persons adjudicated guilty by the criminal justice system.
CJE 3110. Law Enforcement (3). This course provides an advanced survey of law enforcement concentrating on the police, and places emphasis on functions (law enforcement, order maintenance, public service) and responsibilities (e.g., preservation of constitutional rights, community relations), including organizational and management aspects.
CJE 4114. Police Problems and Practices (3). This course provides an analysis of both the traditional and contemporary issues and problems existing in the law enforcement community. Topics represent a wide variety of concerns, including such areas as corruption, police use of deadly force, and the utilization of law enforcement to combat corporate crime, computer crime, and terrorism.
CJE 4339. Law and Ethics in Victim Services (3). This course provides an overview of ethical standards within the criminal justice profession in general and specifically analyzes ethical issues as they relate to crime victim advocacy. The course also explores common ethical conflicts and how to apply ethical and legal standards and decision making to resolve them as well as multi-cultural competency and ethical responsibilities.
CJE 4732. Introduction to Crime and Intelligence Analysis (3). This course provides an introduction to crime and intelligence analysis in law enforcement agencies. Theoretical backgrounds of crime analysis and analytical crime prevention techniques from strategic, tactical, and administrative perspectives are explored.
CJJ 4010. Juvenile Justice (3). This course provides an examination of juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice, including legal and social history, definition and explanation of delinquency, and assessment of delinquency prevention and correctional programs, with emphasis on application of philosophical, legal, and procedural principles to problems and cases of juvenile justice.
CJL 3410. Procedural Criminal Law (3). This course examines criminal procedure law in the United States, which consists of the principles and rules that the government must followed in its attempt to enforce criminal laws. Major procedural protections for suspects and criminal defendants provided by the United States Constitution are explored.
CJL 3510. The Courts (3). This course examines the jurisdiction, policies, and procedures of courts in the administration of criminal justice.
CJL 4038. Law, Society, and the Administration of Justice (3). This course examines how law shapes and is shaped by economic relations, morality, social solidarity, state institutions, political domination, democratic governance, and legal consciousness, and how low impacts and is influenced by race, gender, and class relations. The course explores how social groups use law and legal ideology to press their rights to remedy social inequalities and to what extent these groups are successful. Students become familiar with major theoretical traditions in law and society as well as sociological issues such as civil rights, the legislation of morality, and the administration of justice.
CJL 4064. Individual Rights and the Criminal Justice System (3). This course offers an examination of the full range of rights in criminal justice, dealing with them not only in broad philosophical and social terms but also in terms of specific instances, including the rights of the accused and extending to the rights of convicts, witnesses, victims, probationers, ex-convicts, officials, journalists, and the more generalized rights of participation by interest group advocates, taxpayers, and citizens in criminal justice policy and administration.
CJL 4110. Substantive Criminal Law (3). This course offers an examination of the central principles of criminal law, which includes the substantive elements defining criminal conduct for specific crimes and the various exculpatory conditions for criminal liability.
CJL 4565. Courts and Social Policy (3). This course examines the role of courts in determining social policy as it relates to criminology. Emphasis is directed toward the political and social inputs that influence judicial decision making and the role of democracy and punishment in the courts. These topics are examined using current social policy. The course satisfies oral competency requirements.
IDS 2104. Foundations of Research and Inquiry (3). The purpose of this seminar is to advance library research, writing skills, and critical thinking skills among lower division students. Through participation in the seminar and research activities, students learn to develop and improve their capacity to communicate complex ideas about a topic of their choosing in speech and in writing.
SCC 4004. Public and Private Security (3). This course offers an overview of the major topics of public and private security. The topics represent a variety of concerns, including areas such as historical development, the role of security in society, and current practices and standards.