Criminal Justice and Public Policy (CJPP)

Department of Sociology and Anthropology, and the Department of Political Science, College of Social and Applied Human Sciences

Criminal Justice and Public Policy (CJPP) is designed to provide students seeking a career in the criminal justice system, or planning to pursue an advanced degree, with a knowledge base that will enable them to pursue their career objectives. The program offers a unique blend of sociological courses dealing with the criminal justice system, as well as courses in Political Science dealing with public policy formation and implementation. It also provides students with the conceptual and methodological tools needed for further study.

Note: admission, including internal or external transfer, to the Criminal Justice and Public Policy minor has been suspended. For more information, please contact the CJPP Program.

Foundation Courses

Students who are admitted directly into the Criminal Justice & Public Policy major must meet an additional requirement to continue in the major. Students must achieve an overall average of 70% or better in the following foundation courses in order to continue in the major:

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
CJPP*1000	Introduction to Criminal Justice and Public Policy	0.50
POLS*2300	Canadian Government and Politics	0.50
POLS*2350	Law from a Political Science Perspective	0.50
SOAN*2120	Introductory Methods	0.50
SOC*1000	Current Topics in Criminology & Criminal Justice	0.50
SOC*2700	Criminological Theory	0.50
POLS*2230	Public Policy	0.50
or POLS*2250	Public Administration and Governance

Students are encouraged to complete the foundation courses in their first 10.00 credits of study.

Students with an overall GPA less than 70% after their first year of study (or 5.00 credits) will be invited to meet with a CJPP advisor for academic counselling.

Students with a minimum overall average of 70% in the foundation courses will be guaranteed continuation in this major. Students with an overall average below 70% in the foundation courses will be transferred to the BA (General) program. Students may subsequently transfer to another BA (General) Area of Concentration of their choice or the BA (Honours) program. Students are advised to meet with the BA Counselling Office for further support on transfer within the BA program.

Students who wish to declare the CJPP major may apply once after having completed the foundation courses above (excluding CJPP*1000 Introduction to Criminal Justice and Public Policy ). Students must apply directly to the program ( cjpp@uoguelph.ca) by June 1. Admission to the specialization will be based on the average in the foundation courses. Acceptance will be competitive based on available spaces, which will vary from year to year. Students with an overall average below 70% in the foundation courses will not be considered for admission to the major. All decisions will be made at the end of June.

Students from other institutions who transfer to the University of Guelph and wish to declare the CJPP major must also meet the above requirements. If external transfer students are granted credit for one or more of the foundation courses listed above, then they must attain an overall average of 70% or better in the remaining required CJPP foundation courses.

In order to be considered for the Co-op program in Criminal Justice & Public Policy, applicants and transfers must meet the requirements for the Criminal Justice & Public Policy Major (BAH.CJPP).

Students who are interested in transferring into the Co-op program in Criminal Justice & Public Policy should contact the CJPP Program to inquire.

Major Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Public Policy program will demonstrate the ability to:

Understand the development and functions of major criminal justice institutions (e.g., police, courts, corrections) and the alternatives to the formal system, the activities of actors within these institutions, and how they relate to one another within the broader social, political, and economic world.
Describe the central institutions and processes of government, the legal system, policymaking, and civic engagement in Canada.
Evaluate diverse perspectives about local, national, or transnational political issues.
Apply theories related to the practices and policies of the criminal justice system and its major institutions from multidisciplinary perspectives.
Evaluate the mechanisms, correlates, theoretical underpinnings, and situational contexts of crime, criminal behaviour and opportunity, and techniques for prevention and treatment.
Evaluate the disciplinary limits of knowledge about the causes and consequences of crime.
Conduct research in criminal justice and public policy with appropriate qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
Communicate effectively and professionally in written and oral forms using appropriate terminology and technology.

Co-op Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Public Policy Co-operative Education program will demonstrate the ability to:

Understand the development and functions of major criminal justice institutions (e.g., police, courts, corrections) and the alternatives to the formal system, the activities of actors within these institutions, and how they relate to one another within the broader social, political, and economic world.
Describe the central institutions and processes of government, the legal system, policymaking, and civic engagement in Canada.
Evaluate diverse perspectives about local, national, or transnational political issues.
Apply theories related to the practices and policies of the criminal justice system and its major institutions from multidisciplinary perspectives.
Evaluate the mechanisms, correlates, theoretical underpinnings, and situational contexts of crime, criminal behaviour and opportunity, and techniques for prevention and treatment.
Evaluate the disciplinary limits of knowledge about the causes and consequences of crime.
Conduct research in criminal justice and public policy with appropriate qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
Communicate effectively and professionally in written and oral forms using appropriate terminology and technology.
Identify and examine how criminal justice processes impact the workplace, including private sector, public sector, or non-governmental organizations, and better appreciate the roles and responsibilities of criminal justice actors.
Apply theories and concepts in criminal justice and public policy to professional experiences.
Communicate effectively to diverse audiences, in diverse formats (including written, visual, and oral communication, and using relevant technologies) within workplace settings.

Major Requirements (Honours)

This is a major within the degree: Bachelor of Arts.

A minimum of 9.50 credits is required, including:

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
CJPP*1000	Introduction to Criminal Justice and Public Policy	0.50
PHIL*1010	Social and Political Issues	0.50
POLS*2230	Public Policy	0.50
or POLS*2250	Public Administration and Governance
POLS*2300	Canadian Government and Politics	0.50
POLS*2350	Law from a Political Science Perspective	0.50
POLS*3300	Governing Criminal Justice	0.50
POLS*3650	Quantitative Methods of Data Analysis	0.50
or SOAN*3120	Quantitative Methods
SOAN*2120	Introductory Methods	0.50
SOC*1000	Current Topics in Criminology & Criminal Justice	0.50
SOC*2700	Criminological Theory	0.50
Select 1.50 credits from the following:
SOC*2070	Social Deviance	0.50
SOC*2760	Homicide	0.50
SOC*3490	Law and Society	0.50
SOC*3710	Youth Justice	0.50
SOC*3730	Courts and Society	0.50
SOC*3740	Corrections and Penology	0.50
SOC*3750	Police in Society	0.50
Select 1.00 credits from the following:
POLS*3020	International Law and Organizations	0.50
POLS*3130	Law, Politics and Judicial Process	0.50
POLS*3140	Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms	0.50
POLS*3210	The Constitution and Canadian Federalism	0.50
POLS*3250	Public Policy: Challenges and Prospects	0.50
POLS*3340	Indigenous Politics in Canada	0.50
POLS*3360	Transitional Justice	0.50
POLS*3670	Comparative Public Policy	0.50
POLS*3710	Sex and the Law	0.50
Select 0.50 credits from the following:
HIST*3130	Popular Culture and Punishment, 1700-1900	0.50
HIST*3160	Canada: Political & Policy History	0.50
PHIL*3040	Philosophy of Law	0.50
PHIL*3230	Theories of Justice	0.50
PSYC*3020	Psychology of Law	0.50
Select 1.50 credits from the following: ¹
POLS*4020	Global Law and Courts	1.00
POLS*4040	Advanced Lecture in Global Law and Courts	0.50
POLS*4050	Advanced Topics in Law and Politics	1.00
POLS*4060	Advanced Topics Lecture in Law and Politics	0.50
POLS*4070	Courts and Parliament	1.00
POLS*4100	Women, Justice and Public Policy	1.00
POLS*4110	Criminal Justice Policy and Law	1.00
POLS*4130	Advanced Lecture in Criminal Justice Policy	0.50
POLS*4160	Multi-Level Governance in Canada	1.00
POLS*4250	Topics in Public Management	1.00
POLS*4260	Topics in Public Policy	1.00
POLS*4270	Advanced Lecture in Public Management	0.50
POLS*4280	Advanced Lecture in Public Policy	0.50
POLS*4310	Advanced Lecture in Women, Justice and Public Policy	0.50
POLS*4740	Advanced Topics in Rights and Liberties	1.00
POLS*4780	Advanced Lecture in Rights and Liberties	0.50
POLS*4970	Honours Political Science Research I	0.50
POLS*4980	Honours Political Science Research II	0.50
SOC*4010	Violence and Society	0.50
SOC*4030	Advanced Topics in Criminology	0.50
SOC*4130	Advanced Seminar in Violence and Society	1.00
SOC*4140	Victimology	1.00
SOC*4150	Youth and Violence	1.00
SOC*4170	Violence Against Women and Gendered Violence	1.00
SOC*4200	Advanced Topics in Criminal Justice	0.50
SOC*4320	Advanced Seminar in Criminal Justice	1.00
SOC*4330	Miscarriages of Justice	1.00
SOC*4340	Women and the Criminal Justice System	1.00
SOC*4350	Drugs and Society	1.00
SOC*4460	Advanced Seminar in Criminology	1.00
SOC*4470	Youth in Conflict with the Law	1.00
SOC*4480	Moral Regulation	1.00
SOC*4490	Advanced Theory and Methods in Criminology	1.00
SOC*4500	Crime and Social Exclusion	1.00
SOC*4900	Honours Sociology Thesis I	0.50
SOC*4910	Honours Sociology Thesis II	0.50

¹: Students are restricted from registering in more than 3.00 credits of the 4000-level courses listed.

Co-op Requirements (Honours)

This is a major within the degree: Bachelor of Arts.

The Co-op program in Criminal Justice & Public Policy is a four and a half year program, including three required work terms, with an optional fourth work term. Students must complete a Fall, Winter and Summer work term and must follow the academic work schedule as outlined below (also found on the Co-operative Education website: https://www.recruitguelph.ca/cecs/). Please refer to the Co-operative Education program policy with respect to adjusting this schedule.

Academic and Co-op Work Term Schedule

Co-op Information
Year	Fall	Winter	Summer
1	Academic Semester 1	Academic Semester 2	Off
2	Academic Semester 3, COOP*1100	Academic Semester 4	COOP*1000 Work Term I
3	COOP*2000 Work Term II	Academic Semester 5	Academic Semester 6
4	Academic Semester 7	COOP*3000 Work Term III	COOP*4000 Work Term IV
5	Academic Semester 8	N/A	N/A

Please refer to the Co-operative Education program policy with respect to work term performance grading, work term report grading and program completion requirements.

For additional program information students should consult with their Co-op Co-ordinator and Co-op Faculty Advisor, listed on the Co-operative Education web site.

Credit Summary

(21.50 Total Credits)¹

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Core Courses (including restricted electives)		9.50
Humanities ²		1.00
Natural Sciences		1.00
Elective Courses		8.50
Co-op Work Terms		1.50
Total Credits		21.5

¹: A fourth Co-op work term is optional and if completed, the total number credits will equal 22.00.
²: BA Distribution Requirement; only an additional 0.50 can be taken in PHIL courses

Note: A minimum of three Co-op work terms including a Summer, Fall and Winter are necessary to complete the Co-op requirement.

Recommended Program Sequence

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Semester 1 - Fall
CJPP*1000	Introduction to Criminal Justice and Public Policy	0.50
PHIL*1010	Social and Political Issues	0.50
SOC*1000	Current Topics in Criminology & Criminal Justice	0.50
1.00 electives or restricted electives		1.00
Semester 2 - Winter
SOC*2700	Criminological Theory	0.50
SOAN*2120	Introductory Methods	0.50
POLS*2350	Law from a Political Science Perspective	0.50
1.00 electives or restricted electives		1.00
Summer Semester
No academic semester or work term
Semester 3 - Fall
COOP*1100	Introduction to Co-operative Education	0.00
POLS*2300	Canadian Government and Politics	0.50
POLS*3300	Governing Criminal Justice	0.50
0.50 restricted electives or POLS*2230 ³		0.50
0.50 restricted electives at the 3000 level in SOC and/or POLS		0.50
0.50 electives		0.50
Semester 4 - Winter
0.50 restricted electives or POLS*2250 ⁴		0.50
1.50 restricted electives at the 3000 level in SOC and/or POLS		1.50
0.50 electives		0.50
Summer Semester
COOP*1000	Co-op Work Term I	0.50
Fall Semester
COOP*2000	Co-op Work Term II	0.50
Semester 5 - Winter
2.00 electives		2.00
0.50 restricted electives or POLS*3650 ⁵		0.50
Semester 6 - Summer
2.50 electives or restricted electives		2.50
Semester 7 - Fall
1.00 restricted electives at the 4000 level in SOC and/or POLS		1.00
1.00 electives		1.00
0.50 restricted electives or SOAN*3120 ⁶		0.50
Winter Semester
COOP*3000	Co-op Work Term III	0.50
Summer Semester
COOP*4000	Co-op Work Term IV	0.50
Semester 8 - Fall
0.50 restricted electives at the 4000 level in SOC and/or POLS		0.50
2.00 electives		2.00

³: Not required if POLS*2250 will be completed in Semester 4 – Winter
⁴: Not required if POLS*2230 will be completed in Semester 3 – Fall
⁵: Not required if SOAN*3120 will be completed in Semester 7 – Fall
⁶: Not required if POLS*3650 will be completed in Semester 5 – Winter

Restricted Electives

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Select 1.50 credits from the following:
SOC*2070	Social Deviance	0.50
SOC*2760	Homicide	0.50
SOC*3490	Law and Society	0.50
SOC*3710	Youth Justice	0.50
SOC*3730	Courts and Society	0.50
SOC*3740	Corrections and Penology	0.50
SOC*3750	Police in Society	0.50
Select 1.00 credits from the following:
POLS*3020	International Law and Organizations	0.50
POLS*3130	Law, Politics and Judicial Process	0.50
POLS*3140	Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms	0.50
POLS*3210	The Constitution and Canadian Federalism	0.50
POLS*3250	Public Policy: Challenges and Prospects	0.50
POLS*3340	Indigenous Politics in Canada	0.50
POLS*3360	Transitional Justice	0.50
POLS*3670	Comparative Public Policy	0.50
POLS*3710	Sex and the Law	0.50
Select 0.50 credits from the following:
HIST*3130	Popular Culture and Punishment, 1700-1900	0.50
HIST*3160	Canada: Political & Policy History	0.50
PHIL*3040	Philosophy of Law	0.50
PHIL*3230	Theories of Justice	0.50
PSYC*3020	Psychology of Law	0.50
Select 1.50 credits from the following: ⁷
POLS*4020	Global Law and Courts	1.00
POLS*4040	Advanced Lecture in Global Law and Courts	0.50
POLS*4050	Advanced Topics in Law and Politics	1.00
POLS*4060	Advanced Topics Lecture in Law and Politics	0.50
POLS*4070	Courts and Parliament	1.00
POLS*4100	Women, Justice and Public Policy	1.00
POLS*4110	Criminal Justice Policy and Law	1.00
POLS*4130	Advanced Lecture in Criminal Justice Policy	0.50
POLS*4160	Multi-Level Governance in Canada	1.00
POLS*4250	Topics in Public Management	1.00
POLS*4260	Topics in Public Policy	1.00
POLS*4270	Advanced Lecture in Public Management	0.50
POLS*4280	Advanced Lecture in Public Policy	0.50
POLS*4310	Advanced Lecture in Women, Justice and Public Policy	0.50
POLS*4740	Advanced Topics in Rights and Liberties	1.00
POLS*4780	Advanced Lecture in Rights and Liberties	0.50
POLS*4970	Honours Political Science Research I	0.50
POLS*4980	Honours Political Science Research II	0.50
SOC*4010	Violence and Society	0.50
SOC*4030	Advanced Topics in Criminology	0.50
SOC*4130	Advanced Seminar in Violence and Society	1.00
SOC*4140	Victimology	1.00
SOC*4150	Youth and Violence	1.00
SOC*4170	Violence Against Women and Gendered Violence	1.00
SOC*4200	Advanced Topics in Criminal Justice	0.50
SOC*4320	Advanced Seminar in Criminal Justice	1.00
SOC*4330	Miscarriages of Justice	1.00
SOC*4340	Women and the Criminal Justice System	1.00
SOC*4350	Drugs and Society	1.00
SOC*4460	Advanced Seminar in Criminology	1.00
SOC*4470	Youth in Conflict with the Law	1.00
SOC*4480	Moral Regulation	1.00
SOC*4490	Advanced Theory and Methods in Criminology	1.00
SOC*4500	Crime and Social Exclusion	1.00
SOC*4900	Honours Sociology Thesis I	0.50
SOC*4910	Honours Sociology Thesis II	0.50

⁷: Students are restricted from registering in more than 3.00 credits of 4000-level courses listed.

Please Note:

The CJPP minor is currently suspended. For more information, please contact the CJPP Program.

Minor Requirements (Honours)

This minor cannot be combined with a major in Criminal Justice and Public Policy.

A minimum of 5.00 credits is required, including:

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
PHIL*1010	Social and Political Issues	0.50
POLS*2230	Public Policy	0.50
or POLS*2250	Public Administration and Governance
POLS*2300	Canadian Government and Politics	0.50
POLS*2350	Law from a Political Science Perspective	0.50
SOAN*2120	Introductory Methods	0.50
SOC*1000	Current Topics in Criminology & Criminal Justice	0.50
SOC*2700	Criminological Theory	0.50
Select 1.50 credits from the following, including 0.50 SOC and 0.50 POLS:
POLS*3130	Law, Politics and Judicial Process	0.50
POLS*3210	The Constitution and Canadian Federalism	0.50
POLS*3300	Governing Criminal Justice	0.50
POLS*3250	Public Policy: Challenges and Prospects	0.50
POLS*3670	Comparative Public Policy	0.50
SOC*2070	Social Deviance	0.50
SOC*2760	Homicide	0.50
SOC*3490	Law and Society	0.50
SOC*3710	Youth Justice	0.50
SOC*3730	Courts and Society	0.50
SOC*3740	Corrections and Penology	0.50
SOC*3750	Police in Society	0.50

2025-2026 Academic Calendar