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Criminal Justice Major

The criminal justice major at Springfield College prepares students to carefully analyze criminal justice processes, with an emphasis on community-based, state, and federal responses to social control. Students learn not only how criminal justice agencies work, but why and with what consequences. The major emphasizes the development of communication and reasoning skills and fosters an understanding of the relationship between criminal justice and race, class, gender, and social institutions.

The criminal justice major prepares students to make civic contributions as thoughtful, informed citizens and to engage in lifelong learning. The major also prepares students for a variety of entry-level employment opportunities in law enforcement, court personnel, corrections, community mediation, and social justice organizing efforts. This combination leads to work supporting healthy alternatives to the currently dominant approaches to controlling crime.

Effective fall of 2006: Qualified juniors at Springfield College who are majoring in Criminal Justice, Applied Sociology, and Youth Development may file a letter of interest in the BS/MSW Program with the Department of Social Sciences Admissions Advisement Committee. Students, in consultation with their undergraduate advisor, will structure their coursework early in their undergraduate career so that a required 17 semester hours of Social Work foundation coursework may be taken in the senior year. This program is a five-year dual degree program.

For more information about the criminal justice major, contact Dr. Gordon Robinson of the Social Science Department at (413) 748-3256 or the Admissions Office at (800) 343-1257. Click here to learn more about the program.

Criminal Justice Majors in the News

Babson Park, Mass. - November 11, 2009 - Senior criminal justice major Kerry Haugh was one of six Springfield College members selected to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference Field Hockey Academic All-Conference Team.

Honorees must have met the following criteria: earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0 scale or 4.35/5.0 scale after the 2009 spring semester, achieved second year academic status at her institution, and been a member of the varsity team for the entire season.