Major - Criminal Justice and Security Studies
COORDINATOR: Julia Beeman
Belmont Abbey College offers professional studies that enable its graduates to face successfully the challenges of a changing society. The value of community is present throughout an education at Belmont Abbey and informs its educational programs and services.
The rapidly evolving field of criminal justice/criminology addresses both the issues that threaten community viability and the principles that ensure community growth and stability. This field of study is interdisciplinary, drawing from a broad range of academic disciplines: sociology, psychology, Constitutional and international law, statistics, data analysis, demographics, and ethics.
The new realities of the post-911 era demand more than the traditional approach to criminal justice studies. Public safety and security issues go beyond the traditional confines of criminal justice to include preparedness for a whole range of contingencies. With this in mind the degree in Criminal Justice and Security Studies will include not only the following:
- Explanations of crime and criminality prevention
- Control and treatment of crime and delinquency
- Theoretical examination of criminal justice subsystems – law enforcement, courts and corrections
- Facilitation of the growth and development of stable communities
- Criminal justice policies and their implications
- Role of public and private protective services
- Policing policies, organization and leadership
- International and domestic terrorism
- Security related to global commerce and supply line security
- Federal compliance programs for homeland security and emergency preparedness procedures (these include coordinated programs developed by Police, Fire and Public Health Departments)
- US intelligence system interfaces with local law enforcement
The major will be ideal for students who want to pursue careers in law, law enforcement, justice, social work, mediation, and community development. Some of these career choices would require additional postgraduate preparation but the degree would be excellent for a wide range of entry positions in probation and parole, some social work positions and community development agencies. Increasingly, one finds that a Bachelors degree is required of employees in local law enforcement agencies.
Criminal Justice and Security Studies – Program of Study
To be accepted as a major in the CJSS program, students must successfully complete CJ 201 and two other CJ courses, having earned a minimum grade of C in each. Students may submit an "Intent to Declare" after completing CJ 201 and may be accepted into the major after successful completion of their first nine (9) hours of CJ coursework.
Requirements: Within the general requirements of the College for graduation, the following are particular requirements for the major: Social Science 300, Criminal Justice 200, 201 300, 304, 305, 360, 309, 403, 408, 414, 453 and six (6) credit hours of Criminal Justice and Security Studies electives.
Additionally, students must take nine (9) credit hours of related Social Science coursework (Sociology, Psychology and/or Political Science).
Criminal Justice and Security Studies – Faculty
Julia Foster Beeman – Program Coordinator of Criminal Justice and Security Studies
B.S. University of North Carolina Charlotte, M.S. University of North Carolina Charlotte
James Giermanski - Chair and Professor of International Business
B.A. Belmont Abbey College, M.Ed. University of North Carolina-Charlotte,
Ed.D. University of Miami, M.A. Florida International University
Peter Lodge - Chair and Professor of Sociology
B.A. Metropolitan University of Manchester, Ph.D. University of Keele
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