Majors
With 31 undergraduate majors, we are a community of motivated & intellectually committed individuals who explore justice in its many dimensions. Our curriculum equips you to pursue advanced study & meaningful, rewarding careers.
Scroll to see our majors or click here to find our course catalog.
The major in Anthropology provides students with a strong foundation in Cultural Anthropology and the perspectives and expertise it offers: knowledge of regions, peoples, cultures, international/global issues; skills to research, analyze, communicate, work and use information in global, cross-cultural settings; and the values of respect and concern for other cultures and peoples. The major also provides students experience in applying that knowledge to social problems that affect their own communities.
The Applied Mathematics major has two concentrations, Data Science and Cryptography. The Data Science concentration presents the principles of data representation, big data management, and statistical modeling. Students learn to use modern computing techniques to reveal hidden causal and temporal relationships within large data sets.
The Cell and Molecular Biology major is an in-depth exploration of the underlying chemistry and molecular biology in living cells. The cell is the basic unit of living things and so it is impossible to understand life without understanding cells. The major begins with the foundational science courses common to any degree in the chemical or life sciences: chemistry, biology, organic chemistry, calculus, and physics, with required laboratory work throughout.
The major in Computer Science and Information Security offers the computing, quantitative and analytical expertise public and private organizations need to advance the practice of digital forensics and cybersecurity. The program provides the broad background in computing that is needed to thwart the abuse and misuse of computers, data networks, information systems and information infrastructures, in the environment of ever advancing digital technology.
The BA program in Criminal Justice views crime as a social problem and seeks to develop in its students the capacity to critically assess the normative structure of the existing criminal justice system with an aim to improving its condition and function. The emphasis of the major is on developing analytical skills, ethical reasoning, and a capacity for solving problems.
The major is intended for students who seek a career in criminal justice and would like to explore the field from a broad perspective. It is devoted to understanding criminal justice institutional theory and practice in the context of diverse multicultural societies. The major underscores the rule of law as the glue which holds together the arenas of police, courts, and corrections that along with other social institutions and the public, are the co–producers of justice.
Criminal Justice Management is an interdisciplinary major that focuses on the development of leadership, supervision, and analytic skills of students who aspire to supervisory and executive positions in the criminal justice system including law enforcement agencies, federal and state agencies, correctional facilities, and courts. The major exposes students to management concepts content and methods that are grounded in ethical principles and considerations and provides students with the academic and practical management skills necessary to succeed in supervisory and executive positions.
Criminology is the study of crimes, criminals, crime victims, theories explaining illegal and deviant behavior, the social reaction to crime and criminals, the effectiveness of anti-crime policies and the broader political terrain of social control. The major contains courses in sociology, other social science disciplines and the humanities. Students who are planning to attend graduate or professional schools and students who are currently working in criminal justice or other public service fields as well as those planning to do so in the future will find this major of interest.
The major in Deviance, Crime and Culture uses an interdisciplinary and ethnographic approach to train students to research, analyze and understand deviance and crime in the context of culture. With a focus on experiential learning through ethnographic fieldwork, core requirements include first-hand study of social problems, theoretical training in cross-cultural analysis, in social, political and structural inequality and in historical and contemporary interventions aimed at achieving social justice. Students learn qualitative research and writing skills including observation, participant-observation, interviewing, mapping, case studies and archival research as well as quantitative literacy.
Economics is the study of how people and societies make choices to accomplish individual and social purposes. In this major, students learn about individual, national and global economic behavior, and then apply various theoretical insights and methods of analysis to the contemporary challenges involving social and economic justice, discrimination, immigration, markets, and crime, among other topics.
The major in Emergency Services Administration (ESA) provides a foundation in fire and emergency services, with related courses in management and administration. The major prepares students for careers in leadership in fire services, emergency management, and administration aspects of emergency medical services.
English majors read, discuss, and write about literature, film, popular culture and the law from a variety of perspectives. In doing so, they build skills in critical reading and analysis, verbal presentation, argumentation, and persuasive writing. In John Jay’s unique English curriculum, students acquire a comprehensive and varied foundation in literary study, and then choose to pursue either the field of Literature in greater depth or an optional concentration in Literature and the Law. The major prepares students for a variety of careers and graduate work in law, public policy, business, education, writing, and government.
The major in Fire and Emergency Service provides a foundation in fire and emergency services, with related courses in management and administration. Students begin with an understanding of the history of fire protection in the U.S. and exploration of current and future problems in fire protection. They will also study fire insurance and risk, and look at the roles of government and private enterprise in managing the fire problem.
The major in Fire Science prepares students for careers in fire protection and for graduate-level protection studies. Using math and physics as a foundation, students will explore problems in fire protection and study laws that ensure fire safety. The Fire Science major focuses closely on building construction and the work environment, allowing students to explore hazard control, the laws of error, monitoring systems, accident analysis, and safety promotion.
The Forensic Psychology major is designed for students who are interested in the relationship between psychology and the criminal justice system. The mission of the Forensic Psychology major is to enhance students’ understanding of individual behavior, in terms of its biological, cognitive, social and emotional components and their interaction, and its effects on the broader community.
The major in Forensic Science is designed to provide academic and professional training for students seeking to work in forensic science laboratories, or who are planning to pursue careers as research scientists, teachers or medical professionals. The major draws primarily from chemistry (organic, analytical and physical) with courses in biology, physics and law. Students may specialize in one of three tracks: Criminalistics, Molecular Biology, or Toxicology.
The Fraud Examination and Financial Forensics major provides an interdisciplinary program of study that integrates knowledge of accounting principles and techniques with intellectual tools supplied from social science and other disciplines. The aim is to present a more comprehensive view of fraud that extends beyond the limited framework of any single disciplinary framework.
The Gender Studies major explores how gender and sexuality influence constructions of human identity historically and culturally, and how these in turn shape human development, behavior, and the processes of justice. Students in the major will learn to examine gender and sexuality from a broad variety of academic perspectives. As such, they become versatile thinkers with strong skills in critical problem solving, research, data collection, and writing.
The Global History major is derived from the discipline of global history, which emphasizes interactions and collisions between and among cultures. This program provides undergraduates with the knowledge and research skills to better understand the world, to think critically about the past, present, and future problems facing different peoples and communities.
The Human Services and Community Justice (HSCJ) major examines issues of social, racial, and economic injustice, and the challenges encountered by diverse and underserved populations in society. Through its multi-disciplinary course work and experiential learning opportunities, students become self-reflective, competent and compassionate counselors, human services professionals, advocates, community leaders, and change makers.
The Humanities and Justice major offers students the opportunity to explore fundamental questions about justice from a humanistic, interdisciplinary perspective. Rooted in history, literature and philosophy, Humanities and Justice prepares students for basic inquiry and advanced research into issues of justice that lie behind social policy and criminal justice as well as broader problems of social morality and equity.
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 Latin American and Latinx Studies major draws on various social science disciplines, such as sociology, political science, anthropology and economics, as well as on disciplines in the humanities, including history, literature and the arts. By integrating these varied disciplines in the LLS courses, this major is designed to ensure that students will have both a comprehensive foundational and interdisciplinary knowledge of Latin American and Latinx Studies and a specialization in either Latin American Studies or Latinx Studies.
The Law and Society major offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of law and legal institutions, their impact on society, and society’s impact on them. The major is organized around the central theme of understanding law as an instrument of political and social change and examines questions concerning how law matters in people’s lives; how law and law–like systems of rules empower and constrain individuals, groups, organizations and communities; and how the structures and values in social institutions shape and are shaped by law.
Philosophy involves a critical examination of our most fundamental beliefs about truth and reality, right and wrong. In this major, students study the traditional answers to the basic questions in Western philosophy and also the important critiques of that dominant tradition. They will explore ethical and justice issues which are crucial to contemporary legal, political, and public policy debates. Philosophy majors learn sophisticated forms of reasoning and textual analysis, and deepen their understanding of basic human problems and possibilities.
The Police Studies major provides a comprehensive understanding of the police in the American criminal justice system. It is a dynamic curriculum that responds to issues of diversity as well as innovations and changes in the social and technological arenas that inform police professionals. The Police Studies major focuses on the police as an institution with concentrations on management and administration, crime analysis and investigations.
The major in Political Science introduces students to the principal fields of inquiry in political science. This major provides a program of study for students considering careers in a variety of fields, including public service, law, community affairs, international relations and politics. In the major’s advanced course offerings, students may select courses from any of the four subfields presented: Law, Courts and Politics which explores the intersection of the legal system and the broader political system; Justice and Politics, which examines the political philosophy and various societal values that underlie contemporary views of justice; American and Urban Politics and Policy, which emphasizes the role of political institutions in shaping solutions to contemporary urban problems; and Comparative/International Politics and Human Rights, which explores the global dimensions of politics and governance.
The major in Public Administration prepares students for leadership and management roles in public agencies. The major empowers students to analyze, understand and solve problems using the tools of public administration. The major is grounded in our commitment to a broad definition of justice, including equity, diversity, inclusion, ethics, effectiveness, and accountability.
- Public Administration (BS)
- Public Administration (Inspection and Oversight) (BS/MPA)
- Public Administration (Public Policy and Administration) (BS/MPA)
- Department of Public Management
- Public Administration Major Advising Resources
The major in Security Management concentrates on the analysis of security vulnerabilities and the administration of programs designed to reduce losses in public institutions and private corporations. The program prepares students for careers as managers, consultants and entrepreneurs.
- Security Management (BS)
- Department of Public Management
- Security Management Major Advising Resources
The major in Sociology will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of sociological theories and methodologies, as well as the research and analytical skills they need to work in and contribute to today’s globally interconnected world. The major focuses on the globalized nature of our society and the intensification of inequalities and related demands for social justice.
The Spanish Major is designed to be flexible, creative, and meet a host of different goals, allowing students to develop the advanced linguistic skills and forms of cultural competence so frequently sought in today’s globally competitive and interconnected world. Students will choose between two concentrations. Concentration A. Translation and Interpretation - equips students with the necessary knowledge, tools and abilities to become competent interpreters and translators. Concentration B. Spanish and Latin American Literatures and Cultures - is designed for students who wish to pursue a more general course of study of the varied cultural and literary histories of the Spanish speaking world. Graduates will be prepared for a number of jobs in government, nonprofit agencies, and the private sector, as well as entry into graduate and professional schools.
Toxicology is an interdisciplinary science that addresses the adverse effects of substances on living organisms caused by chemical, physical or biological agents. The field includes exposure assessment, hazard identification, dose-response analysis, risk characterization and risk management. Toxicologists have the critical responsibility of understanding the effect of exposure to harmful substances found in food, the environment, medicines, licit and illicit drugs and other sources, as well as that of publicizing information of relevance to the public. Through research and education, toxicologists can improve the health and safety of humans and other living organisms and protect the environment in which we live.