International Criminal Justice Major Resources

The International Criminal Justice major introduces students to the nature and cause of crime at the international level and to the mechanisms for its prevention and control. Rather than dealing mostly with conventional crime, the ICJ major focuses more on international crimes such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, including torture and terrorism, and transnational crimes such as trafficking, money laundering that threaten the peace, wellbeing and security of the globalized world.

Here you will find:

  • Key information about your major
  • How and when to meet with your major advisor
  • Planning tools that will help you track your progress in the major
  • Ways to explore career opportunities related to the International Criminal Justice major

Take a few moments to look at the information below. It will help you plan effectively and avoid surprises during your studies at John Jay. Please visit the International Criminal Justice Program's website for information, resources, and opportunities!

ICJ Requirements

You are responsible for the major requirements that were in effect when you declared the major. To confirm the requirements you should be following, go to the Undergraduate Bulletin for that academic year. For example, if you declared the ICJ major in Fall 2020 or Spring 2021, you would click on the 2020-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin. If you declared the major and then left the College for more than one full semester, you’re responsible for the major requirements in effect when you return, if they have changed. Not sure when you declared the major? Find out here.

 

Below, find the Undergraduate Bulletin that was in effect when you declared the major.

Since the ICJ major is interdisciplinary, it allows you to take courses in a wide range of departments. A number of ICJ major course options also happen to meet general education requirements. We encourage you to be aware of this possible overlap, know that it’s ok for major courses to also meet general education requirements, but make an effort to look at interesting ways to meet requirements that don’t necessarily involve overlapping courses.

 

World Cultures: ANT 230, ARA 201, CHI 201, FRE 201, GER 201, ITA 201, JPN 201, POL 246, POR 201, SPA 201, SPA 211

U.S. Experience: POL 101 (ICJ prerequisite)

Individual & Society: SOC 101 (ICJ prerequisite)

300 level justice: AFR 320, HIS 352, HIS 359, POL 320, EJS 300

Communications: SPA 212, SPA 231

Major Advising

International Criminal Justice major advising is available year-round, including summer and winter terms.
 

Prof. James De Lorenzi will be serving as ICJ advisor for the Spring 2024 semester. You can learn more about him here: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/faculty/james-de-lorenzi 

 

Professor De Lorenzi's office hours will be Tuesdays 11am-1pm and Thursdays 4pm-5pm, and by appointment. Meetings for advising will take place via this zoom link:  https://jjay-cuny.zoom.us/j/6112252661   

For appointments or ICJ advising questions please email at: icjadvising@jjay.cuny.edu
 

If you prefer to meet with the ICJ Director, Professor Veronica Michel, her office hours will be on Wednesdays from 3-4:30pm. Please schedule your appointments with her through Navigate using this link: https://jjay-cuny.campus.eab.com/pal/enqJ3aJ0Ki. If this schedule does not work for you, please send an email to icjadvising@jjay.cuny.edu so that you can coordinate meeting another day with Prof. Michel.

International Criminal Justice majors who would like advising during Winter Session 2024 (January 2-January 24) can email Professor Veronica Michel at vmichel@jjay.cuny.edu.

 

Sophomores with 45-59 credits may have a major hold placed on their registration. The hold will be removed when they have an appointment with ICJ program director Professor Verónica Michel (vmichel@jjay.cuny.edu). This discussion will encourage wise planning and allow students to ask any questions they may have about the major. How do you know if you have a major hold? Go to CUNYfirst and complete the following steps:

 

  1. Check the Holds box of your CUNYfirst Student Center. If "Advisement Required" appears, click on “details.”

cunyfirst major hold Step 1

 

 

  1. Click on “Advisement Required.”

Step 2 Registration and Major Holds

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  1. See which type of advisement you need. If you must see a major advisor, then make a major advising appointment following the steps preferred by this department.

Step 3 Registration and Major Holds

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Plan Ahead: Graduate on Time

The ICJ major has several prerequisites and course sequences, so it is important to be aware of this and plan accordingly

Final ICJ Course Sequence

 

 

  • There are three prerequisite courses to the major: ECO 101, POL 101, SOC 101. Take these prerequisites early, since many major courses require them as a foundation.

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  • ICJ 101 is the first course in the major, and is also a prerequisite for several higher level major courses. Freshmen should focus on the major's prerequisites (ECO 101, SOC 101, POL 101) and delay ICJ 101 until the first semester of their sophomore year.

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  • ICJ requires STA 250, which has a  MAT 108 or MAT 141 prerequisite. Complete the necessary math foundation early, preferably in your freshman year, and then take STA 250 right away.

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  • ICJ has a 200 level language requirement, and many students will need to take the 100 level language foundation courses (101-102 or 111-112). Take your language courses early, in consecutive semesters, and remember that they can count towards general education requirements as well. See the Language Requirement section below for important planning information.

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  • Plan carefully for the required course sequences shown in the chart above. For example, POL 101 → POL 259 → ICJ 310 → ICJ 401.

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  • 300-level courses will often require that you have junior standing (at least 60 credits earned).
     
  • For detailed information about prerequisites for your Part Four Specialized Areas course options, click here!

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  • If you are interested in pursuing the optional internship (ICJ 381) in the major, speak with Professor Michel about this early so you can work it into your academic plan​. Both POL 259 and SOC 341 are required prerequisites for this course, along with permission from the ICJ coordinator. See the Internships section of the ICJ major resource page for more information.

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  • Remember that you will need at least a 2.0 GPA in the major and at least a 2.0 overall GPA to graduate.

 

 

ICJ majors must complete a 200-level course in a foreign language (usually the course number is 201), and these courses have 100-level prerequisites. Keep the following important information in mind:

 

  • The foreign language 201 courses are typically offered only in the fall semesters.

 

  • SPA 207, SPA 308 and SPA 335 (and any other courses taught in English) do NOT fulfill the ICJ language requirement.

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  • The ICJ language requirement can be waived for students who show the ICJ program director their high school diploma from a non-English speaking country. As an alternative, the ICJ language requirement can be waived if students choose to take a Foreign Language Proficiency exam (such as CLEP or the NYU Foreign Language Proficiency Exam) and submit a passing score to the Office of Academic Credit Evaluation. For more information, please speak with the ICJ major advisor.

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  • If you have prior knowledge of a foreign language, you can take a placement exam in the Modern Language Center to place out of prerequisites and possibly the 200 level requirement. You can drop by 7.64 New Building on M-F to take a placement test; no advance appointment is necessary. Note that placement tests at John Jay are only available in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. If you have background in a language that is not on this list, ask the Modern Language Center about the NYU proficiency exam, which will determine your language proficiency and may allow you to earn credits towards your John Jay degree (be sure to find out what this NYU option would cost)​.

The John Jay College Office of International Studies and Programs and many other CUNY Study Abroad Offices  offer our students a wide range of short-term, semester, and year-long programs that lead to significant cultural and academic experiences.
 

The ICJ BA program honors study abroad course credits. To use study abroad credits towards the ICJ major, students must get approval from the ICJ BA program director Professor Verónica Michel (vmichel@jjay.cuny.edu) before registering for the study abroad course. No approval will be given retroactively for study abroad courses that you’ve already taken.
  • DegreeWorks degree audit - Use this online planning tool to track your overall progress toward graduation. You will see which of your general education and major requirements are completed, in progress, or still needed.  Refer to the DegreeWorks FAQs to better understand how to use this helpful tool. Note: be sure to confirm the accuracy of your degree audit with a general advisor and major advisor.

     

  • ICJ Major Checklist - Fill out this printable worksheet to keep track of which major requirements you have completed and which ones you still need.​ For detailed information about prerequisites for your Part Four Specialized Areas course options, click here!

     

  • Sample Four Year Plan - See an example of how you could complete all your degree requirements (major, general education, electives) and graduate in four years! Remember that this sample plan shows just one possible way to combine your requirements. Transfer students in particular should work with advisors to determine a plan that works best for them.

A General Academic Advisor will confirm what general academic requirements you still need, make suggestions about smart course planning that will help you graduate without delays, discuss your interest in adding a minor or second major, inform you about opportunities such as study abroad, discuss general questions and concerns, and make helpful referrals. Visit the Academic Advisement Center's webpage for more information.

 ICJ and Careers

ICJ majors are not required to pursue an internship, but we strongly recommend it. Internships provide valuable perspective as well as practical work experience, helping you shape career goals and showing potential employers a willingness to take initiative.

 

If you are interested in finding out about ICJ internships, the first step is to talk with Professor Verónica Michel (vmichel@jjay.cuny.edu). She can answer your preliminary questions and give you general information about ICJ 381, the 3-credit course connected with any ICJ internship. This course runs in both the fall and spring terms. Please note that POL 259 and SOC 341 are prerequisites for this course.

 

The second step is to find an internship. Be aware that you will need to find an internship before registering for the course.  For help in your internship search, you can consult with Professor Verónica Michel (vmichel@jjay.cuny.edu). She can offer helpful guidance and provide a list of agencies where students have been placed for an ICJ internship. The Center for Career and Professional Development is also available to answer your questions about any procedures necessary to set up your internship and register for ICJ 381.

ICJ provides a strong foundation for graduate work in many fields, including Criminal Justice, Criminology, Public Management/Administration, International Criminal Justice, Comparative Criminology/Criminal Justice, International Affairs, International Business Management, International Human Rights, International Law, International Relations, International Politics, and Gender Studies.

 

If you are interested in pursuing graduate work, please consult with the ICJ program director, Professor Verónica Michel (vmichel@jjay.cuny.edu), for guidance.

 

 

ICJ Dual Admission Accelerated Program (DAAP)
Admission to the ICJ DAAP is paused until further notice. For questions or concerns please contact the Director of the ICJ BA, Dr. Veronica Michel (vmichel@jjay.cuny.edu).

 

 

 

We encourage students to participate in the job fairs that are held at the college every semester. See the Center for Career and Professional Development for job fair information.
 

The CUNY Edge Program helps students navigate successfully through college and obtain employment.
 

The CUNY Counseling Assistantship Program (CUNYCAP) affords recent CUNY graduates the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in various student service-oriented positions throughout CUNY.

 

The ICJ major prepares students for jobs in Federal, State, or Local Government; Security & Investigations; Law Enforcement; and International Agencies. Research the agencies below as you consider your professional path. Please note that jobs in these organizations are competitive. They emphasize required skills and competencies including GPA, employment/internship experience, language proficiency, computer and personal skills. Our ICJ graduates have obtained jobs in these agencies over the years.  A Master’s degree with our ICJ is highly recommended for anyone seeking jobs in these agencies/organizations:

 

Amnesty International/International Secretariat

Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations

Women’s organizations dealing with human trafficking

United Nations (translation/interpretation, security, research assistance, drug control program)

UN AIDS

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

International Labor Organization (ILO)

International Criminal Court

INTERPOL

World Customs Organization (WCO)

World Health Organization (WHO)

European Institutions (EU)

 

The lists below show a range of careers that ICJ majors can pursue. Research the ones that interest you to learn about the field and any particular qualifications required:

 

Federal, State, or Local Government

U.S State Department-Administrative Officer

Diplomat

Foreign Service Officer

Management Analyst or Trainee

Project Director

Homeland Security - entry level employee

Coast Guard employee

Fire and emergency services

Research Assistant/Analyst

 

Security & Investigations

International Criminal Investigator

Security Specialist

Private Security Guard

International Banking Security Clerk

 

Law Enforcement

Air Marshal

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Agent

Counter Narcotics Policy Oversight Officer

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Agent

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Intelligence Officer

Police Officer

Secret Service Agent

Special Agent

State Trooper

U.S. Marshal

Border Patrol agent

 

Federal Courts and Corrections

Court Clerk

Court Officer

Court Security Specialist

 

Psychology & Social Services

Advocacy Associate

Case Planner

Criminologist

Domestic Violence Against Immigrant Women Counselor

Family Support Worker

Juvenile Counselor

Mediation Counselor

Victim Assistance Counselor

Youth Services Coordinator.