Students majoring in Criminology and Justice Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt find an active and supportive department culture with a dynamic curriculum intentionally focused on analyzing systems of power from a justice studies perspective. Critical criminology challenges traditional understandings of harm and seeks to unearth the social and historical processes that constitute ‘crime’. Coursework addresses law, policy, social justice and how systems of oppression are produced and reproduced by the criminal punishment system. Faculty members teaching in this major come from multiple disciplines including sociology, ethnic studies, political science, gender & sexuality studies, anthropology, and Native American studies. The program’s core courses are primarily taught through a sociological perspective, which allows students to develop critical thinking about systems-structures and research skills.
The program prepares students to be transformative leaders in a variety of locations, from community activism and policy research to legal advocacy and law enforcement. Above all students will have a solid foundation to work and effect social change.
Students pursuing law enforcement careers should know that agencies have extensive training programs on the specifics of work in their organization (investigation procedures, safety protocols). Our program does not provide that training. Our CJS program provides a liberal arts degree with breadth, adaptability and practical application. Graduates choose to work in many different sectors: non-profit, private sector, social services, education, health services, public relations, and government. Many of our graduates go on to pursue graduate degrees.
Community engagement and social action are important values of the Department of Sociology. Internships and faculty supervised original research are encouraged for the capstone experience. The sociology/CJS community advisory board assists with developing and maintaining internships and community action research opportunities.
In high school take math, writing, and social science courses (history, psychology, sociology).
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