Justice Studies

Northeastern Illinois University

NEIU.edu ↗
For prospective & current students

Major & Minors

Learn about the Justice Studies major and minors — what's required, what courses look like, and how internships work.

Watch the intro video
Major & Minors
4 programs — pick the one(s) that apply to you
Justice Studies Major 39 credits

Required: JUST 101 202 348 301 345 350 plus 6 Justice Studies electives (any JUST course not listed here).

Course sequence
OrderCourseCredits
1stJUST-101 Intro to Social Justice3 cr
2ndJUST-202 WIP: Justice & Inequality3 cr
2ndJUST-348 Research Methods3 cr
3rdJUST-301 Theories of Justice3 cr
4thJUST-345 Practicum3 cr
5thJUST-350 Field Work Seminar6 cr
Anytime6 electives18 cr

JUST-202 fulfills WIP. JUST-350 fulfills 1 of your 3 ELE courses.

Do I need to take these in order?

Yes — take them in the order above. Each course is a prerequisite for the ones that come after it, so working through the sequence in order means you'll always meet prerequisites automatically.

Transfer credits

Max 9 transfer credits (about 3 courses), subject to advisor approval.

JUST-350 internship, explained

Alongside weekly class meetings, JUST-350 students complete 180 hours interning at a social-justice-focused organization. Monthly time sheets are signed by your supervisor, who also completes an end-of-term evaluation.

In the preceding semester (JUST-345 Practicum), you'll apply to internships under your professor's guidance — the goal is to be accepted before JUST-350 begins. See the list of recommended internships ↗, or ask your professor about one not listed (it should be social-justice focused, 180 hours, and a true internship rather than a volunteer role).

Social Justice Minor 18 credits

Required: JUST 101 202 348 301 plus 2 electives (any JUST course not listed here).

Order, overlap & transfer credits

1st: JUST-101 · 2nd: JUST-202 & 348 · 3rd: JUST-301. Electives anytime. Max 3 transfer credits.

Can't be combined with the Justice Studies Major — too much overlap in required courses.

Criminology Minor 18 credits

Required: JUST 201 202 348 312 plus 2 electives (any JUST course not listed here).

Order, overlap & transfer credits

1st: JUST-201 · 2nd: JUST-202, 348, 312. Electives anytime. Max 3 transfer credits.

Can be combined with the Justice Studies Major — but only JUST 202 & 348 can double-count; everything else must be separate courses.

Pre-Law Minor 18 credits

Required: JUST-205 Law & Society, PHIL-201 Logic 1, PSCI-320 Constitutional Law, plus 3 electives in 2+ departments.

Which courses count as electives

See the visual overview ↗, spanning Business Law, Communication/Media, English, History, Justice Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology. Full official list: Pre-Law Minor requirements ↗ · Pre-Law Minor site ↗.

Max 3 transfer credits, subject to advisor approval.

Justice Studies courses. Electives for the Justice Studies Major, Social Justice Minor, and Criminology Minor are simply any Justice Studies (JUST) course not already listed above. See the full course catalog ↗ for descriptions — not every course is offered each semester. This catalog doesn't apply to Pre-Law Minor electives, which span several departments — see the Pre-Law Minor above.
Ready to make it official? Head to Declare & Register to declare your major or minor and sign up for classes.
Have a question? Schedule a meeting with the Department Chair