Crime & Justice - Albright College
Source: https://www.albright.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/crime-justice
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:10
Crime & Justice - Albright College
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Crime & Justice
Study justice. Understand systems. Become a force for positive change.
Crime & Justice at Albright provides students with a strong foundation in the study of criminal justice systems, legal frameworks, and community responses to crime. The program emphasizes sociological understanding and real-world application.
About the Program
Transitioning to a full major has increased clarity and opportunity for students seeking careers in law enforcement, social services, legal professions, or public administration.
Hands-On Learning
Internships are central to the major, with placements in sheriff’s offices, district attorney programs, law enforcement agencies, and reentry organizations.
Program Goals
Course Requirements
Opportunities
Faculty
Advising Sheets
Examine traditional and contemporary theoretical explanations of criminal behavior.
Analyze current patterns related to the incidence and prevalence of crime and victimization in contemporary society.
Apply methodological and statistical techniques used to measure and analyze criminal deviance.
Consider the implications and ramifications of criminal deviance for society in general and for individual members.
Develop an understanding of the broader political, legal, and ethical contexts in which the criminal justice system operates.
Full Course Catalogue
Course Descriptions
Major Requirements
All of the following sociology courses
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science requirement)
SOC 210 Research Methods
SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Foundations Quantitative Reasoning requirement)
May take PSY 200 Research Methods I and PSY 201 Research Methods II in place of SOC 210 and 211
SOC 490 Senior Seminar
SOC 251 Crime and Deviance
Any two of the following specialized intermediate sociology courses:
ANT 310 Crime, Culture and Conflict Resolution
SOC 202 The Criminal Justice System
SOC 253 Criminal Investigation and SOC 254 Advanced Criminal Investigation (must take both courses)
SOC 302 Juvenile Delinquency
SOC 305 Terrorism
SOC 307 Organized Crime
SOC 311 Domestic Violence
SOC 360 Crime & the Media
SOC 385 Violence & Victims
One of the following advanced application sociology courses:
SOC 440 Ethnographies in Crime and Deviance
SOC 450 White Collar Crime
SOC 460 Serial Murder
All of the following Political Science Courses
POL 216 Law & Society
POL 231 Criminal Law
Two of the following Political Science Courses:
POL 101 American Government
POL 214 Public Policy
POL 218 Public Administration
POL 371 Constitutional Law
POL 372 Civil Liberties
POL 430 Legal Actions in the CJ System
SY 100 General Psychology
Two of the following psychology courses:
PSY 206 Social Psychology
PSY 220 Theories/Treatment of Addictive Behaviors
PSY 230 Human Development
PSY 240 Child Development
PSY 250 Theories of Personality
PSY 355 Motivation
PSY 390 Adult Psychopathology and Behavior Disorders
PSY 391 Child Psychopathology and Behavior Disorders
One of the following diversity courses:
POL 220 Urban Politics
POL 290 Diversity
SOC 262 Social Stratification
SOC 266 Sociology of Race
Legal Studies Minor Requirements
POL 216 Law and Society
Take any TWO of the following:
COM 320 System of Free Expression
POL 231 Criminal Law
POL 352 International Law & Organizations
POL 371 Constitutional Law 114 o POL 372 Civil Liberties
POL 412 Law and Public Policy
Take any TWO of the following:
BUS 250 or BUS 351 Business Law I or II
PHI 150 Critical Thinking/Legal Reasoning (It is highly recommended that this course be taken by Sophomore year for anyone considering taking the LSAT, whether or not the Legal Studies Minor is completed.)
PHI 203 Ethics
PHI 204 Public Morality
PHI 230 Philosophy and Law
MUS 345 Music Law
POL 282/399 Internship
POL 373 Environmental Law
Field Study Experiences:
The Albright College sociology and anthropology department hosts a variety of opportunities for field study within the City of Reading, and the city, in a way, becomes a socio-anthropological laboratory. Students have worked with faculty to assess local social service agencies, study changes in neighborhoods experiencing reinvestment, explore the impact of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on communities, measure gang involvement and risk factors for gang membership, interview community members on town-gown relations, and compare religious services, among others.
Some of the field studies in which students have engaged took place in:
Barber shops
Pet stores
Roller rinks
Childcare facilities
Nightclubs
Homeless shelters
Agricultural animal auctions
Abortion clinics
Internships and Career Support
Students can connect with the
Career Development Center
to find internships where they can apply language proficiency in real‑world settings, locally, nationally, or internationally, and these can count toward major requirements with faculty approval.
ACRE Undergraduate Research
Students in any major can engage in interdisciplinary undergraduate research through the
Albright Creative Research Experience (ACRE)
, partnering with faculty mentors to pursue independent research or creative projects and present their work beyond the classroom.
Carla Abodalo , M.S.
Senior Instructor of Sociology & Anthropology
Hilary Aquino , Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Michael Armato , Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Political Science/Registrar
John Bougiamas
Adjunct Faculty
Charles Brown , Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology & Anthropology
Brandon Clinton
Part-Time Faculty of Sociology & Anthropology
Alisa Hobart
Part-Time Faculty of Political Science
Kyle Hosking
Adjunct Faculty
Brian Jennings , Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology & Anthropology
Adrienne Lodge
Adjunct Faculty
Jennifer Lukach Bradley
Part-Time Faculty of Political Science
Kennon Rice , Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology & Anthropology
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2
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next page
showing 1 - 12 of 15 constituents
Curriculum Highlights
Engagement with local justice agencies
Research opportunities including violence-prevention analysis
Community partnerships and public programming
Senior seminar projects with applied sociological investigation
Skip To Main Content
Crime & Justice
Study justice. Understand systems. Become a force for positive change.
Crime & Justice at Albright provides students with a strong foundation in the study of criminal justice systems, legal frameworks, and community responses to crime. The program emphasizes sociological understanding and real-world application.
About the Program
Transitioning to a full major has increased clarity and opportunity for students seeking careers in law enforcement, social services, legal professions, or public administration.
Hands-On Learning
Internships are central to the major, with placements in sheriff’s offices, district attorney programs, law enforcement agencies, and reentry organizations.
Program Goals
Course Requirements
Opportunities
Faculty
Advising Sheets
Examine traditional and contemporary theoretical explanations of criminal behavior.
Analyze current patterns related to the incidence and prevalence of crime and victimization in contemporary society.
Apply methodological and statistical techniques used to measure and analyze criminal deviance.
Consider the implications and ramifications of criminal deviance for society in general and for individual members.
Develop an understanding of the broader political, legal, and ethical contexts in which the criminal justice system operates.
Full Course Catalogue
Course Descriptions
Major Requirements
All of the following sociology courses
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science requirement)
SOC 210 Research Methods
SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Foundations Quantitative Reasoning requirement)
May take PSY 200 Research Methods I and PSY 201 Research Methods II in place of SOC 210 and 211
SOC 490 Senior Seminar
SOC 251 Crime and Deviance
Any two of the following specialized intermediate sociology courses:
ANT 310 Crime, Culture and Conflict Resolution
SOC 202 The Criminal Justice System
SOC 253 Criminal Investigation and SOC 254 Advanced Criminal Investigation (must take both courses)
SOC 302 Juvenile Delinquency
SOC 305 Terrorism
SOC 307 Organized Crime
SOC 311 Domestic Violence
SOC 360 Crime & the Media
SOC 385 Violence & Victims
One of the following advanced application sociology courses:
SOC 440 Ethnographies in Crime and Deviance
SOC 450 White Collar Crime
SOC 460 Serial Murder
All of the following Political Science Courses
POL 216 Law & Society
POL 231 Criminal Law
Two of the following Political Science Courses:
POL 101 American Government
POL 214 Public Policy
POL 218 Public Administration
POL 371 Constitutional Law
POL 372 Civil Liberties
POL 430 Legal Actions in the CJ System
SY 100 General Psychology
Two of the following psychology courses:
PSY 206 Social Psychology
PSY 220 Theories/Treatment of Addictive Behaviors
PSY 230 Human Development
PSY 240 Child Development
PSY 250 Theories of Personality
PSY 355 Motivation
PSY 390 Adult Psychopathology and Behavior Disorders
PSY 391 Child Psychopathology and Behavior Disorders
One of the following diversity courses:
POL 220 Urban Politics
POL 290 Diversity
SOC 262 Social Stratification
SOC 266 Sociology of Race
Legal Studies Minor Requirements
POL 216 Law and Society
Take any TWO of the following:
COM 320 System of Free Expression
POL 231 Criminal Law
POL 352 International Law & Organizations
POL 371 Constitutional Law 114 o POL 372 Civil Liberties
POL 412 Law and Public Policy
Take any TWO of the following:
BUS 250 or BUS 351 Business Law I or II
PHI 150 Critical Thinking/Legal Reasoning (It is highly recommended that this course be taken by Sophomore year for anyone considering taking the LSAT, whether or not the Legal Studies Minor is completed.)
PHI 203 Ethics
PHI 204 Public Morality
PHI 230 Philosophy and Law
MUS 345 Music Law
POL 282/399 Internship
POL 373 Environmental Law
Field Study Experiences:
The Albright College sociology and anthropology department hosts a variety of opportunities for field study within the City of Reading, and the city, in a way, becomes a socio-anthropological laboratory. Students have worked with faculty to assess local social service agencies, study changes in neighborhoods experiencing reinvestment, explore the impact of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on communities, measure gang involvement and risk factors for gang membership, interview community members on town-gown relations, and compare religious services, among others.
Some of the field studies in which students have engaged took place in:
Barber shops
Pet stores
Roller rinks
Childcare facilities
Nightclubs
Homeless shelters
Agricultural animal auctions
Abortion clinics
Internships and Career Support
Students can connect with the
Career Development Center
to find internships where they can apply language proficiency in real‑world settings, locally, nationally, or internationally, and these can count toward major requirements with faculty approval.
ACRE Undergraduate Research
Students in any major can engage in interdisciplinary undergraduate research through the
Albright Creative Research Experience (ACRE)
, partnering with faculty mentors to pursue independent research or creative projects and present their work beyond the classroom.
Carla Abodalo , M.S.
Senior Instructor of Sociology & Anthropology
Hilary Aquino , Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Michael Armato , Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Political Science/Registrar
John Bougiamas
Adjunct Faculty
Charles Brown , Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology & Anthropology
Brandon Clinton
Part-Time Faculty of Sociology & Anthropology
Alisa Hobart
Part-Time Faculty of Political Science
Kyle Hosking
Adjunct Faculty
Brian Jennings , Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology & Anthropology
Adrienne Lodge
Adjunct Faculty
Jennifer Lukach Bradley
Part-Time Faculty of Political Science
Kennon Rice , Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology & Anthropology
1
2
>
next page
showing 1 - 12 of 15 constituents
Curriculum Highlights
Engagement with local justice agencies
Research opportunities including violence-prevention analysis
Community partnerships and public programming
Senior seminar projects with applied sociological investigation