Part-time Study
Criminal Justice
Program Overview
RIT's approach to the study of criminal justice combines theoretical perspectives with practical experience. As students study in the areas of crime, criminal behavior, social control mechanisms, administration, planning, and management, the emphasis is on problem-solving techniques based on the rapidly growing body of research in the field, as well as students' own guided research.
RIT offers a broad curriculum designed to prepare students for this exciting, challenging, and vital field. The program also provides a strong academic foundation for graduate school. Our approach to the study of criminal justice combines theoretical perspectives in the classroom with practical experience in the field, as students delve into the study of crime, criminal behavior, and social control mechanisms.
The criminal justice program can be pursued on a part-time basis by taking day, evening, and Saturday courses.
Career planning
Criminal justice graduates pursue careers in areas such as law
enforcement (e.g., FBI, U.S. Deputy Marshal, U.S. Secret
Service, police officer, and administrators on the state, county,
and local levels); corrections (probation and parole officers,
institutional correctional officers, counselors, and administrators,
adult and juvenile); industrial and retail security; court administration;
law attorneys (in private practice; district attorneys and public defenders offices; and in other federal, state, and local
governments and private agencies); counselors and administrators
in youth and adult service agencies; academic and training
education; and crime control planning, program evaluation,
and research.
After acceptance into RIT’s criminal justice program, students are assigned a faculty adviser to help define career goals and plan a program of study. Through core courses students are exposed to a wide range of perspectives on law, crime, and the nature of the justice system, services, and administration. During the junior and senior years, students select professional electives in a specific area of interest. There is a variety of opportunities available in the expanding field of criminal justice which is reflected in the broad selection of professional electives allowed.
Field experience
During their senior year, students have the opportunity to
choose an internship in an area that compliments their career
objectives. Placements are selected from a number of agencies
and organizations. Students work under an agency field supervisor
for one quarter (10 weeks), 30 hours per week.
Some part-time students have had sufficient related employment experience to qualify for a waiver of the internship requirement. Application forms are available from the department office. If a waiver is granted, the student completes two electives in lieu of Field Experience and Field Seminar.
Cooperative education opportunities
Any student can participate in co-op as part of their undergraduate
program. In general, you may apply for co-op employment after
three quarters of full-time study in criminal justice at RIT.
Cooperative education provides a working experience in a criminal
justice-related field, but does not carry academic credit hours.
Transfer credit
Transfer credit for courses completed in the first two years of
an associate degree program will be transferred into the RIT
curriculum on a course-by-course basis. An individual evaluation
of each student’s transcript(s) will determine the balance of the
third and fourth year course requirements. RIT’s criminal justice
curriculum provides maximum flexibility in awarding transfer
credit for previously completed freshman and sophomore level
courses where the grade was “C” or higher. The chart shows
an example of what a typical transferring junior would take to
complete the bachelor’s degree in three years at RIT.
Curriculum Review
Part-time students can complete their junior and senior level requirements over a three to four year period. Field experience may be waived if student has sufficient related employment experience
Courses include:
0501-456 Courts
0501-406 Technology in Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Professional Electives
0501-510 Interview/ Counseling in Criminal Justice
0501-441 Corrections
0501-403
Field Experience OR two (2) Criminal Justice Professional Electives
0501-528 Etiology of Crime
0501-526 Seminar in Criminal Justice/ Public Policy
Career Outcomes
Job TitlesFBI Special Agent, Parole Officer, Probation Officer, Border Patrol Agent, Correctional Officer, Counselor, U.S. Marshall, Criminologist, Court Clerk
Functions
Law Enforcement, Court Administration, Security, Forensics, Social Services, Criminology, Government Agencies, Corrections
Recent Employers
Monroe County Sheriff, Rochester Police Department, District Attorney's Office, Pinkerton Security, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, U.S. Secret Service