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CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Why Choose Criminal Justice?

Crime is not simple. The criminal justice program at Elmira College aspires to cultivate creative and original thinking about one of the most challenging social problems of our time. Students are challenged from day-one to understand and cultivate criminological theory, learn criminal law and procedure, study the behaviors of victims and offenders, and even how to process a homicide scene.

What Criminal Justice Will Teach You!

Criminal justice is a discipline that explores both theory and practical application of the many sub-disciplines it encompasses. Core classes provide a mastery of the major works and theories of criminology, policing, corrections, judicial studies, quantitative analysis, and behavioral analysis. Students are then able to select from numerous electives to make their experience unique to their career goals.

Where Criminal Justice Can Take You!

Students with a major in criminal justice have gone on to federal, state, and local law enforcement, graduate school, law school, social work, and a host of other related professions. Students often double major in criminal justice and another major in the social sciences (i.e. psychology, social work, etc.). Recently, some students interested in attending law school have triple majored in criminal justice, legal studies, and political science – while still graduating early!

Why Choose Criminal Justice?

Crime is not simple. The criminal justice program at Elmira College aspires to cultivate creative and original thinking about one of the most challenging social problems of our time. Students are challenged from day-one to understand and cultivate criminological theory, learn criminal law and procedure, study the behaviors of victims and offenders, and even how to process a homicide scene.

What Criminal Justice Will Teach You!

Criminal justice is a discipline that explores both theory and practical application of the many sub-disciplines it encompasses. Core classes provide a mastery of the major works and theories of criminology, policing, corrections, judicial studies, quantitative analysis, and behavioral analysis. Students are then able to select from numerous electives to make their experience unique to their career goals.

Where Criminal Justice Can Take You!

Students with a major in criminal justice have gone on to federal, state, and local law enforcement, graduate school, law school, social work, and a host of other related professions. Students often double major in criminal justice and another major in the social sciences (i.e. psychology, social work, etc.). Recently, some students interested in attending law school have triple majored in criminal justice, legal studies, and political science – while still graduating early!

The below links provide a helpful guide to the most current major/minor core courses and electives. Full program requirements and course descriptions are located in the Elmira College Bulletin.

Criminal Justice Major

Criminal Justice Minor

Learning Outcomes

Contacts:

  • Dr. Daniel N. Clay, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice | dclay@elmira.edu

Full-time Faculty:

Honor Societies:

  • Alpha Phi Sigma - Alpha Phi Sigma is the National Honor Society for outstanding criminal justice majors and minors. The mission and purpose of the honor society include: "the promotion of critical thinking, academic excellence, rigorous scholarship and life-long learning." This organization is extremely important at Elmira College, not only because of its job offerings in the field, but because we expect the highest standards of police officers, corrections officers, judges, prosecutors, and others in the field.

Prizes/Scholarships:

  • Provost's Prize - Every year the criminal justice faculty select one outstanding senior to receive the "Provost's Prize" at graduation, which comes with recognition and a cash award. While a student's GPA in the major is the primary consideration, faculty also take into account service to the community, the school, and the major, as well as the difficulty of a student's course load, and post-graduation plans for entering the field.

Internships:

Students must complete an internship in their field of study while attending Elmira College. The Criminal Justice Department offers CRJ 4999: Internship in Criminal Justice that may be taken for 3.00-6.00 credits in order for students to work with local, state, and national organizations during normal working hours. A recent Elmira College student was selected out of a field of 13,000 students to complete the FBI's summer internship program and invited to stay on after the internship ended. This speaks to the credibility of the EC Criminal Justice Program and the types of internship that students may complete.

Career Opportunities:

Elmira College is pleased to have an articulation agreement with Keiser University in which matriculating students enrolled in this course may earn graduate school credit from Keiser University. If a student obtains a criminal justice degree AND a cumulative grade point average of 3.00/4.00 or better, Keiser University will waive their application fee and automatically admit the EC student into their online Master of Arts in Criminal Justice, OR its online Master of Arts in Homeland Security Programs – at the student's choice. Students are encouraged to speak with the course professor or their advisor about which program they would like to enter. Students obtaining a B- or better in CRJ 4590: "Senior Seminar" and who matriculate will have the pre-requisite course in both programs, "MACJ 501: Seminar in Criminal Justice" and waived. To learn more, please consult with Dr. Daniel N. Clay.