PDF version - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Social Science
Social Science
David Lynch, Ph.D., Chair
The social science department houses the following programs: criminal justice, human services, mass
communication, political science, and sociology. The department’s programs examine various elements
of society, as described in the major descriptions below. All departmental programs include a mixture of
theory and practice, and stress clarity in written communication, oral communication, and critical thinking.
Majors Offered:
Criminal Justice Program
Criminal Justice (either a Corrections or Law Enforcement track)
Human Services Program
Human Services
Mass Communication Program
Electronic Publishing
Journalism
Public Relations
Political Science Program
Global Studies
Political Science (either an American/International Politics or Public Administration/Policy track)
Sociology Program
Social Science
Sociology
Minors Offered:
Criminal Justice
Electronic Publishing
Global Studies
Journalism
Political Science
Public Relations
Sociology
Criminal Justice Program
Tricia Klosky, Ph.D., Coordinator
The criminal justice program is an applied interdisciplinary program in the social sciences emphasizing a
liberal arts approach to the administration and understanding of and the practice in the criminal justice
system. The program is designed to prepare students for a variety of entry-level positions in criminal
justice and to provide them with knowledge of the causes of crime, as well as the workings of the
criminal justice system (police, courts, and corrections) and law in society.
General Goals for Learning
Students:
• Have an understanding of the principles underlying the functions of the criminal justice system and
its relationship to society at large;
• Have a thorough understanding of the role of criminal justice professional in the fields of law
enforcement, corrections, and the courts;
• Possess the skills necessary to think clearly, independently, and critically about the fundamental
issues in criminal justice; and
• Possess the foundations necessary for professional careers in the criminal justice fields, successful
graduate study, or law school.
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