COURSE CURRICULUM

The Justice Studies, Criminology Concentration program at San José State University offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary education focused on understanding crime, justice systems, and societal impacts. The degree requires a total of 120 units, including 25 units of lower division general education, 3 units of upper division GE (with additional GE areas satisfied through major coursework), 2 units of physical education, and 33 units of university electives or a recommended minor. Students begin with 6 units of major preparation, selecting an introductory justice or forensic science course along with a statistics course to build foundational analytical skills. The core of the program (24 units) emphasizes critical thinking, research, and writing through courses such as justice theory, research methods, criminological theory, human rights, and inequality in the legal system, along with experiential learning through internships or community-based projects and a senior seminar. The criminology concentration (12 units) focuses specifically on crime-related topics, including policing, penal systems, juvenile justice, and victimology, giving students a deep understanding of criminal behavior and institutional responses. Additionally, students complete 9 units of electives across diverse areas such as theory, methodology, critical inquiry, global and historical perspectives, and experiential learning, allowing them to tailor their studies to interests like cybercrime, terrorism, forensic psychology, or social justice issues. The program requires all major-related courses to be completed with a grade of “C or better,” ensuring academic rigor. Overall, this concentration prepares students for careers in law enforcement, corrections, legal services, policy analysis, and social justice advocacy, as well as for advanced study in criminology, law, or related fields, by combining theoretical knowledge, practical experience, and flexible academic pathways.