The Justice Studies major at UNH offers a comprehensive understanding of U.S. and international justice systems, incorporating social sciences, humanities, and psychology. Students explore diverse topics like racial justice, cybercrime, and counterterrorism. The program features internships in New England and Washington, D.C., and a study abroad opportunity in Budapest. Graduates are prepared for careers in the justice system or further studies in law and related fields. As a major research university, UNH emphasizes research experience through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program and offers extracurricular activities like the Mock Trial Program.
What is justice studies?
Whether you’re interested in working in law enforcement, the court system, as a U.S. Marshal or a victim’s advocate, our justice studies degree will give you a fundamental understanding of justice and legal systems in the U.S. and abroad. You’ll draw on disciplines such as social sciences, humanities and psychology while examining topics that range from racial justice and immigration law to juvenile delinquency, intimate partner violence, cybercrime and counterterrorism. Students with an interest in forensics may also consider the forensics minor. As a graduate of this program, you’ll be prepared for a career in the justice system or graduate study in law and related fields.
Why study justice studies at UNH?
As a justice studies major at UNH, you’ll have exceptional opportunities to take your learning beyond the classroom. The program offers internships in New England and Washington, D.C., as well as a study abroad program in Budapest, Hungary, through which students learn about European justice systems. A major public research university, UNH also encourages students to engage in research projects with faculty through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Additionally, you’ll have the chance to hone your debating skills through the UNH Mock Trial Program.
Potential careers
- Community organizer
- Criminal investigator
- District attorney
- Drug court director
- Human rights advocate
- Lawyer
- Police officer
- Private investigator
- Probation officer
- Profiler
- Security personnel
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The nervous excitement was fizzing in Hamilton Smith Hall this past weekend, October 12th and 13th, as the UNH Justice Studies Annual Invitational Mock Trial Tournament was held. Ten teams, including two from UNH, battled it out, each appearing in four competitive rounds over two days. Other schools represented were Colby College, West Point,…Learn More -
Sociology and Justice Studies MajorsMaybe it was because of COVID restrictions. Or maybe she would have come to the same conclusion anyway: Aashaya Rajbhandari ‘23 cites learning to make the most of the time she has as the most valuable lesson she’ll take away from UNH. It’s a lesson that she’s good at. Here’s proof: Rajbhandari is graduating after only three years. She chose to study both sociology and justice…Learn More -
Homeland Security and Justice Studies MajorsAdam Kania ’23 came to UNH for its homeland security program. It is unique, he says, because students must add a dual major or two minors. So, Kania opted for a homeland security and justice studies dual major with a minor in forensics. His majors fall into the New England Regional Student Program, which afforded him reduced tuition as an out-of-state student. “There are so many…Learn More -
Political Science and Justice Studies MajorsI’m currently a senior, class of 2023, at the University of New Hampshire who is double majoring in political science and justice studies. I am working on my applications for law school right now, having taken the LSAT already. For students taking the LSAT, I have some recommendations for studying.Learn More -
Political Science and Justice Studies MajorsMany COLA students are appreciative that they can explore a variety of subjects as liberal arts majors. Riley Espat took that one step further and pursued three minors in addition to her dual major in political science and justice studies. “The (justice studies) professors were so passionate about their work and their students’ educations,” says Espat. “I have amazing professors who influenced…Learn More
Curriculum & Requirements
The justice studies dual major is an interdisciplinary area that blends topics from humanities departments (e.g., philosophy), social science departments (e.g., psychology, sociology, women's and gender studies), departments that include both humanities and social science faculty (history, political science), and professionally oriented departments (education, family studies, social work). Topics studied include courts, family violence, rights, substance abuse, juvenile justice, school law, children as witnesses, hate crimes and community policing. Students will be required to choose a first major before they will be able to declare justice studies as a second major. The goal is to produce graduates who have a higher level of knowledge about law and justice in American society and in the world so that they will mature into more knowledgeable and effective citizens. The justice studies dual major is intended for students who are looking for careers in the justice system or who seek graduate training in law or social sciences and humanities related to the law.
Students are strongly encouraged to contact the Justice Studies Office and to declare the dual major as soon as they develop an interest in majoring. Once a student has been accepted to the JS dual major, they will be assigned an advisor.
Degree Requirements
All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.
Justice Studies Dual Major Requirements
The dual major in justice studies requires students to take a minimum of eight courses (32 credits), each completed with a grade of a C- or better. Students are required to have a grade-point average of a 2.5 or better before they can be accepted into the program. The dual major cannot be declared until after a first major has been declared. Students can count no more than two courses for both the first major and dual major, and students are not allowed to take more than two courses from any one department (except for JUST). An unlimited number of dual major courses can be used to satisfy Discovery requirements.
The required minimum overall GPA in major coursework is 2.5.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| JUST 401 | Introduction to Justice Studies | 4 |
| JUST 501 | Research Methods | 4 |
| JUST 601 | Internship (seniors only ) | 4 |
| JUST 701 | Senior Seminar 1 | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
POLT 507 | Politics of Crime and Justice | |
POLT 508 | Supreme Court and the Constitution | |
SOC 515 | Introductory Criminology | |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Select three elective courses from the justice studies approved course list | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 32 | |
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This course fulfills the program capstone requirement.
Elective Courses
This list is approved and published yearly by the Justice Studies Executive Committee.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Elective Courses | ||
| ACC 747 | Business Law | 4 |
| ANTH 550 | Introduction to Forensic Anthropology | 4 |
| ANTH 697 | Special Topics (must be approved by Justice Studies) | 4 |
| BIOL 420 | Introduction to Forensic Sciences | 4 |
| CMN 637 | Controversy and Reasoning in Law | 4 |
| HDFS 776 | Children, Adolescents and the Law | 4 |
| HDFS 794 | Families and the Law | 4 |
| HIST 440A | Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Struggle for Racial Justice | 4 |
| HIST 440D | Honors/Citizens and Persons | 4 |
| HIST 498 | Explorations of Historical Perspectives (must be approved by Justice Studies) | 4 |
| HIST 509 | Law in American Life | 4 |
| HIST 609 | Special Topics in American Legal History (must be approved by Justice Studies) | 4 |
| HIST 632 | Latin American History: Topics (Human Rights and Social Justice in Latin America) | 4 |
| HIST 797 | Colloquium (must be approved by Justice Studies ) | 4 |
| HLS 410 | Introduction to Homeland Security | 4 |
| HLS 415 | Fundamentals of Corporate Security | 4 |
| HLS 580 | Environmental and Human Security | 4 |
| HLS 760 | Strategic Planning and Decision Making | 4 |
| HUMA 444E | What is a Criminal? | 4 |
| HUMA 525 | Humanities and the Law | 4 |
| HUMA 550 | Budapest Spring Semester: Special Studies in Comparative Ideas | 4 |
| HUMA 551 | Budapest Spring Semester: Field Studies in Art and Culture | 6 |
| JUST 405 | Technology, Crime, and Society: A Forensic Exploration of High-Tech and Digital Crime | 4 |
| JUST 410 | Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention (SHARPP) Peer Advocacy | 4 |
| JUST 505 | Breaking Down Breaking Bad: The Analysis of Hollywood Crime and Justice | 4 |
| JUST 520 | Girls Gone Bad: Delinquent Girls in Cultural Context | 4 |
| JUST 535 | Homicide | 4 |
| JUST 550 & JUST 551 | Mock Trial and Mock Trial (must take 2 semesters to count as a JS elective) | 4 |
| JUST 591 | Forensic Psychology | 4 |
| JUST 595 | Special Topics (no more than two courses) 2 | 4 |
| JUST 795 | Reading and Research (variable credit/permission required) | 1-4 |
| LLC 540 | Film History (Terrorism(s) A Humanistic and Cinematic Outlook) | 4 |
| LAW #460 | Sports Law & Current Controversies | 4 |
| PHIL 420 | Introduction to Philosophy of Law and Justice | 4 |
| PHIL 436 | Social and Political Philosophy | 4 |
| PHIL 660 | Law, Medicine, and Ethics | 4 |
| PHIL #701 | Topics in Value Theory | 4 |
| POLT 440A | Honors/Global Justice (Global Justice) | 4 |
| POLT 444B | Cruel and Unusual in a Federal System | 4 |
| POLT 507 | Politics of Crime and Justice | 4 |
| POLT 508 | Supreme Court and the Constitution | 4 |
| POLT #513 | Civil Rights and Liberties | 4 |
| POLT 548 | Drug Wars | 4 |
| POLT 568 | International Security | 4 |
| POLT 797B | Seminar in American Politics (Courts and Public Policy) | 4 |
| PSYC 755 | Psychology and Law | 4 |
| PSYC 756 | Psychology of Crime and Justice | 4 |
| POLT 798B | Seminar in American Politics | 4 |
| PSYC 791W | Special Topics (Psychology of Delinquency) | 4 |
| RMP 772 | Law and Public Policy in Leisure Services (must have junior/senior status) | 4 |
| SOC 515 | Introductory Criminology | 4 |
| SOC 450 | Contemporary Social Problems (only when taught by Professor Abbott) | 4 |
| SOC 525 | Juvenile Crime and Delinquency | 4 |
| SOC 535 | Homicide | 4 |
| SOC 620 | Drugs and Society | 4 |
| SOC 636 | Sociology of Justice | 4 |
| SOC 697 | Special Topics (Social Psychology of Justice) | 4 |
| SW 525 | Social Welfare Policy: History of Social and Economic Justice | 4 |
| SW 705 | Child and Adolescent Risks and Resiliency: Program, Policy and Practice | 4 |
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Bill of Rights, The First Amendment, and Law & Society are allowed to count as the JS SOC/POLT requirement.
Candidates for a degree must satisfy all of the University Discovery Program requirements in addition to satisfying the requirements of each individual major program. Bachelor of arts candidates must also satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement.
Students who are interested in a dual major in justice studies will need to officially declare in Webcat (my.unh.edu).
- Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental theoretical approaches and key disciplinary concepts of Justice Studies.
- Demonstrate understanding of justice studies methods of research design, data gathering, and analysis.
- Exhibit critical thinking skills in evaluating justice studies research, including the background assumptions, appropriateness of methods used and the strength of explanatory evidence.
- Communicate justice studies knowledge in appropriate oral, written and graphic forms.
- Experience justice studies either in the real world through an internship or in a research lab through a research internship.
