BROOKLYN AND PATCHOGUE, NY – JULY 11, 2006 – Beginning in Fall 2006, St. Joseph’s College will be offering a new BA degree in Criminal Justice. This original program contains a thoughtful and unique curriculum, whereby students choose one out of three available tracks of study: Juvenile Justice, Mental Health, or Law and Justice. By choosing a track, students are able to specialize in a specific field while obtaining a fundamental understanding of the nature of crime and criminal law in society and the inner workings of police, courts and corrections. Together these components make up the essential elements of the criminal justice system.

Part of the Social Science Department, this new major will be offered at both the Brooklyn and Patchogue campuses, and will allow students to pursue a BA degree; the BA requires students to acquire 90 liberal arts credits.

One significant aspect of the program is the requirement of an internship for students to attain experience in the work field and enhance their prospects for employment before graduation. Some employers with whom St. Joseph’s currently works include Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County Jail in Yaphank, Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverhead, Suffolk County Prosecutor’s Office, Suffolk County Probation Office (both Juvenile and Adult), and Long Island Women’s Coalition.

Barbara Morrell, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, who led the development of the program said, “It’s an exciting area of study and students in this field will never be bored. The program offers a lifelong learning experience and can lead to career opportunities where one can do a lot of good for people.”

The major is designed to prepare students for a broad spectrum of occupations, in particular, policing, probation, corrections and parole. In addition, it readies students for law and/or graduate school with a foundation for those who wish to teach criminal justice or go into research. The curriculum is multidisciplinary and distinct in its specialization with the three tracks. The program also offers a great base the student who is ready to devote him/herself to the criminal justice system as a practitioner or leader.

For more information, please call (631) 447-3200 or visit www.sjcny.edu. St. Joseph’s College is located at 155 W. Roe Blvd. in Patchogue, and is accessible via the South Service Road of Sunrise Highway, just east of Exit 52 (Waverly Ave.).

About St. Joseph's College

St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility, and service. With campuses located in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn and in Patchogue, Long Island, the College offers degrees in over 21 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs through its School of Arts and Sciences and its School of Professional and Graduate Studies. Graduate degrees are also offered including an Executive MBA, a Master of Science in Management, a Master of Arts in Literacy/Cognition and a Master of Arts in Infant/Toddler Early Childhood Special Education.