John Jay College Of Criminal Justice | The City University of New York

CUNY PORTAL & E-SIMS
What is the difference between e-Sims and Degree Audit?>
What is the CUNY Portal?
What if I don’t remember my CUNY Portal information?
Why does eSims tell me that I have a hold on my registration? What is a hold?

CREDITS
What are External/Life Experience Credits?
What are Equivalent Credits?

DEGREE
Why have I been placed in the Associates Program instead of the Baccalaureate Program?
How long is Academic Probation and how do I get out of it?

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS & GRADUATION
What are the requirements for graduation?
Other than taking the required classes, is there anything else I have to do in order to graduate from John Jay College?

E-MAIL
I do not have a John Jay e-mail address
Do I always have to check my John Jay e-mail address?
How can I forward my e-mails?

MAJOR & MINOR
How can I find out which classes I need to take and how many credits I have?
What’s the difference between a BS and BA in Criminal Justice?
How do I declare a Major and/or a Minor?
Can I create my own major?
How do I change my major?

MISCELLANEOUS
How do I meet people at John Jay College of Criminal Justice?
How do I obtain New York State residency?
What is a normal course load or workload at John Jay?
How many weeks are in a semester?
Where do I obtain a letter that proves that I am full-time student?
How can I become a Peer Counselor?

TABLING EVENTS
Where can I find information if I missed a tabling event?

TESTING, PLACEMENT EXAM, FOREIGN LANGUAGE
How do I know if I need to take a placement exam?
How can I tell if my foreign language requirement has been fulfilled?

How do I prove that I took 3 years of a language in high school and passed the Regent’s?
Is there an exam I can take to be exempt from a certain course?

TRANSFER STUDENTS
What do I have to do to transfer in to John Jay?
How can I find out what classes and credits have transferred from my previous school?
Why was I placed in/required to take a class I have already taken in my previous school?
How many credits can I transfer in?

TUTORING
Where can I go for free tutoring?

CUNY PORTAL & E-SIMS

What is the difference between e-Sims and Degree Audit?
e-Sims is the internal non-official transcript of the college. Your classes are sorted by semester and do not show how they apply to your degree. e-Sims is where you can register, change, or drop a class.
The Degree Audit tells you how your classes are applied to your major or what classes you still have left to take for your General Education Requirements or your Major Requirements. It will not tell you what classes you still have to take for your Elective Credits.

What is the CUNY Portal?
The CUNY Portal is your gateway not only to Blackboard, e-Sims, and the Degree Audit but to much more information such as e-Permit or important CPE information.

What if I don’t remember my CUNY Portal information?
You can call the DoIT Helpdesk at 212-237-8200 and follow the prompts. A technician will ask you for your name and Social Security number in order to check your account. You will be given your username over the phone, however, your password will be sent to your John Jay e-mail address.

Why does eSims tell me that I have a hold on my registration? What is a hold?
A hold will stop a student from registration until it is cleared with the appropriate office. If a stop has been placed on your record, it will be visible after logging into eSIMS, and located on the top of the page in red type. To find out the reason for this stop, click on the red type and it will be explained, along with the contact number. For a list of holds and the department to contact: http://johnjay.jjay.cuny.edu/registrar/registrar/stops.htm

CREDITS

What are External/Life Experience Credits?
External Credit is granted for non-collegiate education programs that the College has judged comparable in content and quality with specific courses or areas taught in its departments. A list of approved programs is available in the Office of the Registrar.

New York City Police Department officers may receive external credits for the following courses completed with a grade C or better at the New York Police Department Academy, provided that these courses have not previously been completed as regular college courses. Police Science 101, 4 credits; Police Science 207, 3 credits; Law 203, 4 credits; Law 204, 4 credits; Psychology 221, 4 credits; Sociology 201, 3 credits; Physical Education 103, 203, and blanket credit; 3 credits; total 28 credits.

New York City Department of Correction recruit training qualifies for external credit for: Correction Administration 101, 3 credits; Correction Administration 201, 3 credits; Correction Administration, blanket credit, 3 credits; Sociology, blanket credit, 2 credits; Physical Education, blanket credit, 2 credits; total 13 credits.

New York City Fire Department personnel completing recruit training may receive external credit for: Fire Science 101, 3 credits; Fire Science , blanket credit, 2 credits; Police Science, blanket credit, 3 credits; Physical Education, blanket credit, 2 credits; total 10 credits.

Students who have successfully completed a training program that has been evaluated by the College for the award of credit, or a program that has been recommended for the award of credit by the American Council on Education, must apply to the Office of the Registrar for the application of this credit toward the undergraduate degree. Applicants must provide documentation in support of their requests. A statement or transcript indicating subjects taken, grades received, period of attendance, and the number of hours of participation must be sent directly to the Office of the Registrar from the agency that has provided the training.

All external credit applications are processed in accordance with the deadlines indicated in the Undergraduate calendar. Seniors must submit credit requests no later than one semester before graduation. For further information, communicate with the Office of the Registrar, Rm 1280 North Hall (212) 237-8878.

What are Equivalent Credits?
Equivalent credit is granted for knowledge gained from either work-related or other qualifying experience. It is the learning and not the experience itself that must be documented to prove that it is at the college level and serves as a valid substitution for the content of a specific course as outlined in the Undergraduate Bulletin. Students must file a formal application for credit and follow the guidelines established by the Equivalent Credit Committee of the College.
All external credit applications are processed in accordance with the deadlines indicated in the Undergraduate calendar. Seniors must submit credit requests no later than one semester before graduation. For further information, communicate with the Office of the Registrar, Rm 1280 North Hall (212) 237-8878.

DEGREE

Why have I been placed in the Associates Program instead of the Baccalaureate Program?
This is done when a student falls below a 2.0 GPA and has been placed on Academic Probation.

How long is Academic Probation and how do I get out of it?
Academic Probation is a full academic year. Even if a student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) has been brought back above a 2.0, the probation remains for the year. If the student’s GPA does not improve to the required 2.0 in the year, the student will be released from the college.


EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS & GRADUATION

What are the requirements for graduation?
You must fulfill all General Education Requirements, the requirements of your major, and electives credits. The total of these three fields must be a minimum of 120 credits. You can find the General Education Requirements by clicking on the link above, or by reading John Jay College’s Undergraduate Bulletin, which can be obtained in the Office of Admissions (Rm 4205 North Hall; 212-237-8865).

Other than taking the required classes, is there anything else I have to do in order to graduate from John Jay College?
There is a general exam that is REQUIRED of all undergraduate students prior to their Junior year called the CUNY Proficiency Exam (CPE). When a student completes 45 credits, and before completing 60 credits, s/he will be sent a letter about the CPE. Students MUST go to the Testing Office (Rm. 3314 North Hall) to register for the exam. CPE Preparation Workshops are conducted at the Writing Center (Rm. 2450 North Hall) throughout the semester. There are CPE practice tests on the Writing Center’s web page.

E-MAIL

I do not have a John Jay e-mail address
Every matriculated student is automatically signed up for an e-mail account. On the John Jay homepage (http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/) you will see on the right hand side a link to the Webmail. Click on “Student Email”
Your username is: Firstname dot Lastname @jjay.cuny.edu (firstname.lastname@jjay.cuny.edu)
Your password is: jjxxxx (jj followed by the last 4 digits of your social security number)

Do I always have to check my John Jay e-mail address?
It is advisable because your professors may want to get in touch with you to share information. You can, however, forward your e-mails to a different account but you have to make sure to go into your John Jay e-mail account and clean it up frequently as your storage space is limited.

How can I forward my e-mails?
Yes! Once you are signed in your e-mail account, you can Create a Rule in MS Outlook:
Go to “Options” → click on “Rules” → click on “New Rule” → “Create a new rule for arriving messages”
A new window will open up → look on the right side where it says “Do the following” → choose “Forward or Redirect” → click on the option you prefer
a) forward message to people or distribution list
b) redirect message
c) forward message as attachment
click under “Rule Description” (upper left side) and from there go to the middle of the screen where it says “Apply this rule after the message arrives, forward it to people or distribution list”
Again, a new window opens up → go to the bottom to “Message recipients” and you’ll see a box
To: ….. [type in your e-mail into the box} → click “OK”
The window closes and brings you back to the prior window
Click “Save” and “OK”

MAJOR & MINOR

How can I find out which classes I need to take and how many credits I have?
You can check on the CUNY Portal under Student Advisement/Degree Audit to check your credits. If you would like to speak to a peer counselor, you can either go to room 3134N or call at 212-237-8271.

What’s the difference between a BS and BA in Criminal Justice?
The emphasis of the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Criminal Justice is on the institutions of criminal justice, particularly the courts, police, and corrections. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree focuses on different aspects of the criminal justice system, and for those pursuing a career in criminal justice or other forms of public service. To locate faculty with whom you can speak about these majors, see the Criminal Justice Department’s web page http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~law-pol/lpcj_majors.html

How do I declare a Major and/or a Minor?
To declare a major, go to One Stop to fill out a Declaration of Major Form.
To declare a minor, check with the department in which the minor is sought. The requirement for a minor is 18 credits.

Can I create my own major?
Yes…The CUNY Baccalaureate Program. The Program is offered under the support of The CUNY Graduate School and University Center. Working one-on-one with CUNY faculty mentors, students create their own “areas of concentration” (majors), many of which are interdisciplinary. Examples include Disability Studies, Psychology of Consumer Behavior, Artistic Traditions in Religion, Afro-Caribbean Urban Studies, and Environmental Biology. Students may take courses at any CUNY college, including The CUNY Graduate Center, The CUNY School of Professional Studies, and the City College Center for Worker Education and are encouraged to pursue independent research, fieldwork, study abroad, and other academic opportunities. For further information on this program go to www.cunyba.cuny.edu

How do I change my major?
Fill out a change of major form at One Stop in the North Hall.


MISCELLANEOUS

How do I meet people at John Jay College of Criminal Justice?
John Jay offers a variety of activities ranging from social groups to academic alliances. For a complete listing of such groups, check with student activities (Rm. 1521 North Hall; (212) 237-8698)

How do I obtain New York State residency?
A student who wishes to obtain residency must have lived in the State of New York for 12 consecutive months preceding the first day of classes. Documentation must be shown to the Office of Admissions (Rm. 1100 North Hall; 212-237-8869). Check with the Office of Admissions for a current list of appropriate documentation.

What is a normal course load or workload at John Jay?
In order to graduate in 8 semesters with a bachelor’s degree, a student has to take an average of 15 credits per semester. As a transfer student, it is recommended that you take 15 credits or less during your first semester while you are adjusting to your new school. The classes are run as periods, the schedule for these periods are located here.

How many weeks are in a semester?
There are 15 weeks in a semester.

Where do I obtain a letter that proves that I am full-time student?
The Registrar’s Office (Rm. 1281 North Hall; 212-237-8986).

How can I become a Peer Counselor?
Please click here.


TABLING EVENTS

Where can I find information if I missed a tabling event?
Please click here or go to the “Brochures” Link on the right hand side of this screen


TESTING, PLACEMENT EXAM, FOREIGN LANGUAGE

How do I know if I need to take a placement exam?
You will be contacted by the Testing Office and/or a hold will be placed on your registration if you need to take a placement exam. If this is the case, you must contact the Testing Office (Rm. 3314 North Hall) to resolve the matter and/or schedule a date to take the exam.

How can I tell if my foreign language requirement has been fulfilled?
The first semester of a foreign language can be exempted if you have taken the course previously and can prove comprehension of the subject matter. This test is taken on the first day of the semester in the 101 course.

You may also be exempt from any foreign language requirement if you have taken 3 years of a foreign language in high school and have taken and passed the Level III New York State Regent’s Exam for that language. This would be noted on your high school transcript.

A third way to become exempt from a foreign language requirement is to take the CLEP exam and the Departmental exam. Check with the Testing Office for locations and subjects of the CLEP exam.

How do I prove that I took 3 years of a language in high school and passed the Regent’s?
This would be notated on your high school transcript. If the Registrar’s Office does not have this on record, contact you high school to have it sent.

Is there an exam I can take to be exempt from a certain course?
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is for students who wish to challenge a course by exam. These exams are offered off-campus for a nominal fee. Check with the Testing Office for locations of the CLEP exam.


TRANSFER STUDENTS

What do I have to do to transfer in to John Jay?
Your first step should be to contact our Admissions office:
In Person: Room 1100N
By Phone: 212-237-8869 or 212-237-8873
By E-mail: admiss@jjay.cuny.edu
Once you have been accepted and your credits evaluated, we can help you get started, i.e. sign up for classes, familiarize you with the CUNY Portal, go through a degree audit with you in order for you to know what classes you have to take, how your classes transferred in etc.

How can I find out what classes and credits have transferred from my previous school?
You should receive a course evaluation sheet as well as a John Jay Transcript from the Admissions Office (Rm 1100, North Hall; 212-237-8869). This will tell you what classes you have received credit for. You can also check your records through eSims. This is a great tool for keeping track of what classes you have taken and what remaining requirements you need to fulfill in order to graduate from John Jay.

Why was I placed in/required to take a class I have already taken in my previous school?
The class at your previous school may not have been the equivalent to the required course at John Jay College. If you feel that perhaps there was an oversight in this matter, take a copy of the course description from your previous school to the Office of Admissions for consideration (Rm. 1100 North Hall; 212-237-8869).

How many credits can I transfer in?
A maximum of 68 credits may be transferred from an accredited community college or combination of accredited community colleges. A maximum of 90 credits may be transferred from accredited four-year colleges or a combination of two and four-year accredited colleges, and acceptable forms of external credits (CLEP, Equivalent Credit, Military Credit, etc)
Please Note: To receive a degree from John Jay College, a student must take a minimum of 30 credits at the College including at least half the credits required in am approved major or specialization.

TUTORING

Where can I go for free tutoring?
Tutoring is available to John Jay College students in a variety of subjects. The Learning Center Website has a complete list of subjects and departments in which tutoring is available, as well as times and locations for tutoring.