At a Glance

(BS) Bachelor of Science
120 Total Credits
General Education Credits 39
Program Credits 81
Elective Credits 3

A dual major in Psychology & Criminal Justice and Homeland Security Studies is designed for students who are interested specifically in forensic psychology, or students who want an enhanced educational background in psychology and criminal justice. The field of forensic psychology involves the application of psychology to the legal system. Forensic psychologists can work in a variety of capacities, providing counseling to or evaluation of individuals in the legal system. They can provide expert testimony and consult with legal professionals including lawyers and judges. Forensic psychologists also study the psychological and behavioral aspects of criminal offenders.

The dual major in Psychology & Criminal Justice and Homeland Security Studies also provides an enhanced curriculum for students interested in careers in psychology or criminal justice. The dual major is excellent preparation for graduate programs, including law school and clinical psychology programs. Additionally, the dual major is an excellent choice for those pursuing careers in law enforcement and human service fields.

At Cazenovia College, we have tailored the dual major to meet the needs of motivated students looking for a competitive degree. The program is designed to be completed in four years, and requires the same number of courses as traditional single major degrees.

  • Students will describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes in psychology: development, social, abnormal, personality, biopsychology
  • Students will pursue specific interests through available open electives available within major
  • Students will demonstrate ability to apply the scientific method in a psychological context 
  • Students will be able to develop a thesis and support it with empirical literature
  • All students will have mentorship in developing interests/goals and choosing courses to support interests/goals
  • Flexible curriculum allows student the opportunities to pursue multiple minors. Popular minors for psychology majors include Human Services, Pre-Law, Criminal Justice, Pre-Art Therapy, and Sociology.
  • Over half of Cazenovia College psychology seniors present their senior capstone research at a regional academic conference.
  • Cazenovia College has an active Psychology Club, which organizes events and volunteer experiences on and off campus, including an annual trip to the Eastern Psychological Association Conference.
  • Cazenovia College offers students the opportunity to earn a dual degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice.
Psychology is a diverse field. Our students find employment after graduation in a wide range of careers including case workers, youth support professionals, in-patient cognitive or behavioral disability support service providers, domestic violence advocates, law enforcement agents, and AmeriCorp community support workers. Additionally, our students are accepted to graduate programs in areas such as, Mental Health Counseling, Social Work, School Psychology, Art Therapy, Clinical Psychology, and Law School.
All students in the Psychology Program can participate in supervised internships. These internships provide students with valuable hands-on experience working in their chosen fields. Students can work at a variety of locations, depending on their specific goals. Students who are interested in internships should contact their advisors for help with placement.
Steps to internship placement:
During the semester BEFORE you plan to do your internship
·      Contact the program director and indicate your interest in doing an in internship
·      Indicate your areas of interest (populations, age groups, future career plans)
·      Indicate the semester you plan to complete the internship
·      Provide program director with your resume
o  If you do not have a resume, contact Career Services to create one. You will need a resume to apply to internship sites.
·      Meet with the program director to select potential sites
·      Program director contacts site
·      Student schedules an interview
·      Student contacts program director regarding outcome of interview
·      In not placed, begin process with another choice
Interview
You will be interviewed by your potential site for your internship placement. Please take this interview seriously and dress as if you were applying for a job. Please bring your resume to give to your interviewer and bring your information about the internship including the hours needed and the timeframe so that you can answer questions with accurate information.
Timeline
You must meet with your advisor and/or the program director to discuss your internship BEFORE you register. Because the Psychology program does not require an internship there is no Psychology Internship course. If you enroll in another program’s internship without permission from the Psychology program director, you will be dropped from the course. The majority of your internship hours must be completed during the semester you are register for the internship course. Plan to complete your internship by the end of the semester, although alternative arrangements can be made.
Internship Hours
You must complete at least 150 hours over the semester for a 6 credit internship, 75 hours for a 3 credit internship. These hours do not include travel time or breaks.
Summer Internships
Summer internships are available and recommended. This can allow you to pursue an internship in a different area. Keep in mind that summer tuition is not part of the financial aid package and Office of Extended Learning rates apply to summer internships.
Internship Course
Because our internship class typically runs as an independent study, the meeting times will be determined by the instructor when you sign up for the class. There are assignments that must be completed outside of your internship hours. Contact the program director for a sample syllabus.

   Course (Credits)        
   See Degree Requirements: General Education requirements (33)
   Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Information Literacy: 
      PS 377 Research Methods: Psychology (3)
   Senior Capstone: CJ 499/PS 499 Senior Capstone (3)
TOTAL GENERAL EDUCATION CREDITS - 39

Arts & Sciences Courses   
Course (Credits)
   HG 131 Microeconomics or HG 132 Macroeconomics (3)
   HG 141 Government& Politics of US or HG 143 State & Local Government (3)
   HU 465 Ethical Issues in Organizations (3)
   PS 120 Introduction to Psychology (3)
   PS 225 Lifespan Developmental Psychology (3)
   PS 234 Social Psychology (3)
   PS 323 Abnormal Psychology (3)
   PS 326 Theories of Personality (3)
   PS 327 Biopsychology (3)
   PS 498 History and Systems (3)
   PS 300/400 Psychology Elective 300/400 level (3)
   PS 300/400 Psychology Elective 300/400 level (3)  
   SB 110 Introduction to Anthropology or SB 130 Introduction to Sociology (3)
   SM 261 Statistics (3)
   Choose One of the Following: (3)
   SB 231 Social Problems
   SB 250 Cultural Geography
   SB 335 Comparative Social Institutions
   SB 301 Models of Society
   SB 333 Human Rights and Genocide
   SB 380 Contemporary Slavery in World
   SB 401 World Cultures and Societies    
Total Arts and Sciences Program Credits - 45
   
Career Studies Courses   
Course (Credits)
   CJ 151 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)
   CJ 152 Juvenile Delinquency or CJ 251 Corrections and Alternatives (3)
   CJ 252 Crime Scene Investigation or CJ 360 Financing Terrorism
     Investigation (3)
   CJ 253 Criminal Law and Procedure (3)
   CJ 351  Criminal Justice Process (3)
   CJ 354 Policing in America (3)
   CJ 357 Constitutional Law,  BU 363 Business Law and Ethics, or HG 358
     International Law (3)
   CJ 255 Terrorism and Homeland Security (3)
   CJ 341/SB 344 Criminology (3)
   CJ 358 Ethical Issues in CJHS (3)
   CJ 398 Criminal Justice Internship (3)
Total Career Studies Courses- 33
TOTAL PROGRAM CREDITS - 81  

Open Electives
   Course (Credits) 
   100-400 level (3)
Total Open Elective Credits - 3