2023-2024 Undergraduate Bulletin

International Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Arts

The major in International Criminal Justice introduces students to the nature and cause of crime at the international level and to the mechanisms for its prevention and control. Components of the criminal justice system as they apply to transnational and international crime are studied, as well as the impact of international law and human rights in addressing crimes against humanity. The major is intended to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed for careers in which the globalization of crime plays an important role. It also is designed to prepare students for advanced work in graduate or professional school.

Learning Outcomes.  Students will:

  • Define international and transnational crimes.
  • Summarize national, bilateral and multilateral responses to such crimes.
  • Describe theories for understanding crime and crime control from a global and comparative perspective.
  • Use theory to interpret and explain empirical developments in the fields of international criminal justice.
  • Critically evaluate the use of such methods by others
  • Elaborate informed opinions about issues and ideas in the fields of international criminal justice.

Credits Required.

International Criminal Justice Major 45-54
General Education 42
Electives 24-33
Total Credits Required for B.A. Degree 120

Coordinator. Professor Veronica Michel, (vmichel@jjay.cuny.edu), Department of Political Science

Advisor. Ms. Caitlin Garcia, Academic Advisement Center (cagarcia@jjay.cuny.edu)

Advising resourcesCourse Checklist.  International Criminal Justice Advising Resources

Foreign Language Requirement. Students who have expertise in other languages besides those available at John Jay College can explore taking the NYU Foreign Language Proficiency Exam or CLEP tests to demonstrate their language proficiency. Native speakers of a foreign language should see the Major Coordinator.    

Experiential Learning Opportunities. Students in the ICJ BA program can participate in a variety of experiential learning opportunities over the course of their studies. During the freshman and sophomore years, students can participate in service learning through various student activities on campus such as the International Criminal Justice Students Club, United Nations Student Association, International Student Association and Students without Borders. In the junior year, students can engage in an internship experience and are encouraged to participate in study abroad programs around the world which not only enhances their academic experience but also lets them experience the reality of what they have learned in the classroom. During the senior year, the capstone seminar provides students with extensive research experience and opportunity to present their original research at a poster session open to the public. Students are also encouraged to participate and present their research with professors in professional conferences.  In recent years, students in the ICJ program have interned with federal agencies such as Homeland Security (ICE), DEA, local criminal justice agencies and NGOs and with the United Nations and International Criminal Court. They have also undertaken independent research supervised by faculty leading to publication in academic journals. 

Dual Admission / Accelerated Program Leading to the MA in International Crime and JusticeThis program allows student an accelerated approach to earning their BS in International Criminal Justice and MA in International Crime and Justice at John Jay College..  Students complete 134 credits to earn both degrees. Contact the Coordinator for information about the requirements and application process. 

Additional information. Students who enrolled for the first time at the College or changed to this major in September 2021 or thereafter must complete the major in the form presented here. Students who enrolled prior to that date may choose either the form shown here or the earlier version of the major. A copy of the earlier version may be obtained at 2020-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin

Foundational Courses

Mathematics

May be required depending on math placement
MAT 108Social Science Math

3

OR

MAT 141Pre-Calculus

3

Total Credit Hours:0-3
Students who have taken higher level math, should see the Major Coordinator

Foreign Language

May be required depending on language placement
FLN 102 Beginning Level II Foreign Language

3

Total Credit Hours:0-3

Required
ECO 101Introduction to Economics and Global Capitalism

3

OR

ECO 120Introduction to Macroeconomics

3

OR

ECO 125Introduction to Microeconomics

3

POL 101American Government & Politics

3

SOC 101Introduction to Sociology

3

Total Credit Hours:9

Advisor recommendation
: POL 101 fulfills the Flexible Core: U.S. Experience in its Diversity area and SOC 101 fulfills the Flexible Core: Individual and Society area of the Gen Ed program. Depending on foreign language placement, students may have to take the 101-102 course sequence as prerequisites for the 200-level language requirement. For students that begin at John Jay as lower freshmen, the 101 (or 111) language course satisfies the Flexible Core: World Cultures and Global Issues category and the 102 (or 112) language course satisfies the College Option: Communications category of the Gen Ed program. MAT 108 or MAT 141 also fulfill the Required Core: Math and Quantitative Reasoning area depending on students’ placement scores.

Part One. Core Courses

Required
ICJ 101Introduction to International Criminal Justice

3

ECO 231Global Economic Development and Crime

3

POL 259/LAW 259Comparative Criminal Justice Systems

3

Total Credit Hours: 9

Part Two. Foundation Courses

Select one in each category

Category A (Select one)

ANT 230Culture and Crime

3

POL 250International Law and Justice

3

Category B (Select one)

ECO 245International Economics

3

PAD 260International Public Administration

3

POL 257Comparative Politics

3

POL 260International Relations

3

Category C

Required

SOC 341International Criminology

3

Total Credit Hours: 9

Part Three. Skills Courses

Category A. Language Skills

Required

One 200-level foreign language course in any language other than English

Total Credit Hours:0-3

Students who have prior knowledge of a foreign language can take a placement exam in the Modern Language Center, (212-484-1140, languagelab@jjay.cuny.edu) to place out of this language requirement. Placement tests are available in: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. Please note: The FLN 201 courses are typically offered in the Fall semesters

Please note: SPA 207, SPA 308 and SPA 335 do NOT fulfill this language requirement. They are taught in English.

Category B. Research Methods

Required

STA 250Principles and Methods of Statistics

3

ICJ 310Foundations of Scholarship in International Criminal Justice

3

Total Credit Hours:6

Total Credit Hours: 6-9

Part Four. Specialized Areas

Students select three courses, with at least one in each category.

Category A. Global Perspectives on Crime

Select at least one

ANT 315Systems of Law, Justice and Injustice Across Cultures

3

CJBA 367Wildlife Crime: Issues and Prevention

3

COR 303Comparative Correction Systems

3

ECO 260Environmental Economics, Regulation and Policy

3

ECO 327The Political Economy of Gender

3

ECO 333Sustainability: Preserving the Earth as Human Habitat

3

EJS 240Environmental Crime

3

EJS 300Environmental Justice

3

HIS 352History & Justice in Wider World

3

HIS 383History of Terrorism

3

ICJ 205UN Sustainable Development Goals and Global Justice

3

ICJ 380Selected Topics in International Criminal Justice

3

ICJ 381Internship in International Criminal Justice

3

POL 210Comparative Urban Political Systems

3

POL 246Politics of Global Inequality

3

POL 320International Human Rights

3

POL 322International Organizations

3

POL 325Transnational Crime

3

POL 328International Security

3

POL 362Terrorism and Politics

3

PSC 309Comparative Police Systems

3

PSC 312International Police Cooperation

3

PSC 415Seminar on Terrorism

3

SOC 251Sociology of Human Rights

3

SOC 275Political Imprisonment

3

SOC 333Gender Issues in International Criminal Justice

3

SOC 335Migration and Crime

3

SSC 215Writing in Criminal Justice: Bridging Theory and Practice in Research

3

Category B. Area/Regional Studies

Select at least one

AFR 210Drugs and Crime in Africa

3

AFR 220Law and Justice in Africa

3

AFR 229Restoring Justice: Making Peace and Resolving Conflict

3

AFR 320Perspectives on Justice in the Africana World

3

HIS 325Criminal Justice in European Society, 1750 to the Present

3

HIS 359History of Islamic Law

3

LLS 220Human Rights and Law in Latin America

3

LLS 232/AFR 232Comparative Perspectives on Crime in the Caribbean

3

LLS 242/POL 242/HIS 242U.S. Foreign Policy in Latin America

3

LLS 250Drugs, Crime and Law in Latin America

3

LLS 356Terror and Transitional Justice in Latin America

3

LLS 401Seminar in Latinx Issues: Gender, Race, Ethnicity and the Legal System

3

POL 331Government and Politics in the Middle East and North Africa

3

PSC 250Criminal Justice in Eastern Europe

3

SOC 351Crime and Delinquency in Asia

3

SOC 354Gangs and Transnationalism

3

Total Credit Hours: 9

Part Five. Capstone Course

Required
ICJ 401Capstone Seminar in International Criminal Justice

3

Total Credit Hours: 3

Total Credit Hours: 45-54