Justice Studies BA

Course Requirements 

Course Descriptions

Did You Know?

Our accelerated BA-to-MA in justice studies program allows students to complete both degrees in as little as five years.

Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

• understand basic criminal and social justice concepts and theories
• demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between criminological and sociological theories, research design and interpretation, and engage in work developing research literacy
• understand and engage in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analytical processes
• communicate, in written and oral form, criminological, sociological and other social justice arguments
• develop a sociological perspective on the justice system
• demonstrate a scholarly understanding of crime, its causes and social consequences
• become familiar with debates and guidelines about ethical, professional and moral standards involved in criminal justice activities
• become familiar with global and comparative-historical perspectives on justice systems
• become familiar with issues of social justice both within and beyond the criminal justice system.

Declaring a minor allows you to explore other areas of interest and make interdisciplinary connections. Minor areas at RIC complement and reinforce all major areas of study. By declaring a minor, you can set yourself apart as a candidate for job, internship and volunteer opportunities.

Justice Studies Minor Course Requirements

Sociology Minor Course Requirements

Aging Studies Minor Course Requirements

If you are thinking about coming to Rhode Island College as a transfer student from another college, including the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) or Bristol Community College (BCC), or if you have transferred already, you will find information here to help you navigate the transition. Many students transfer into our program, and if you have taken sociology courses elsewhere, you should be off to a great start in completing your degree here. 

Please Note: You still need to complete all the general education requirements, along with your major requirements, and earn a total of 120 credits to graduate from Rhode Island College.

RIC has a 2+2 Justice Studies plan with CCRI. If you follow the plan, you can take two years of full-time classes at CCRI and two years of full-time classes at RIC and complete a BA in justice studies with an optional minor in sociology or political science. You can even choose to complete a double major in sociology or apply after you have 75 credits for RIC's BA-to-MA program in justice studies, enabling you to complete a master's degree in as little as one additional year.

If you are a CCRI student with less than 30 credits, you can apply for the Joint Admissions Agreement (JAA) plan in justice studies, which will enable you to leave CCRI having made the most progress toward your degree. Even if you don’t qualify for the JAA plan, you can use the JAA degree requirements to select the most appropriate CCRI courses.

You are strongly encouraged to complete your math course prior to transferring or in your first semester at RIC. At CCRI, you should select Math 0600 and Math 1139, Math 1175, or another Math class that transfers to meet RIC's general education Math requirement. At BCC, Math 119 or 209 or higher and at Quinebaug, Math 146 or higher (note these equivalencies are subject to change, so be sure to verify the most up-to-date transfer guides below).

Accepted Courses to Transfer

The following is a list of courses that RIC accepts toward the justice studies major from local community colleges. If you transfer from another institution, you will have your transfer credits evaluated when you apply for admission. Once you enter the degree program, you should contact the director of the Justice Studies Program or the chair of the relevant department to see if any additional credits might be awarded toward courses in the major (for example, if you are looking for credit for a political science course, see the chair of the Department of Political Science).