Social Work
- Angela Curl: curla@MiamiOH.edu
- Carolyn Slotten: slottect@MiamiOH.edu
Double Major in Criminal Justice and Social Work
Today's employers need professionals who understand both the criminal justice system and the social issues that affect individuals, families, and communities. A double major in Criminal Justice and Social Work equips students with the knowledge and practical skills to work across courts, corrections, community services, victim advocacy, youth programs, and social service organizations.
By combining these two fields, graduates gain a broader perspective and expanded career opportunities in public service, community support, and justice-focused professions.
Jobs include:
- Probation officer
- Parole officer
- Correctional treatment specialists
- Juvenile justice counselor
- Family court social worker
- Forensic social worker
- Law enforcement
Core competencies and skills for social workers in criminal justice and legal settings:
- Knowledge of the legal system and terminology
- Strong assessment and interviewing skills
- Ability to advocate for needs of clients, including advocating for community resources
- Work successfully as part of an interdisciplinary team
- Understanding of human development and its interaction with societal factors that increase the likelihood of interacting with the criminal justice (e.g., substance abuse, racism, poverty).
Students are advised to follow the suggested curriculum plan closely.
- FSW 201 Introduction to Social Work & Family Life Education
- FSW 206 Social Welfare Policies & Programs
- FSW 245 Children & Families: Ages 0-12
- FSW 261 Diverse Families Systems Across Life Cycle
- FSW 295 Research and Evaluative Methods OR CJS 461 Applied Research Methods
- FSW 304 Professionalism & Ethics for Practice
- FSW 306 Trauma Responsive Assessment & Intervention (only offered in Fall)
- FSW 312 Human Behavior in the Social Environment counts as CJS elective
- FSW 365 Family Life Sexuality Education Across Cultures
- FSW 406 Group Theory & Practice (only offered in Spring)
- FSW 411 Senior Field Experience I
- FSW 412 Senior Seminar in Social Work I
- FSW 413 Senior Seminar in Social Work II
- FSW 414 Senior Field Experience II
- FSW 415 Culturally-Informed Practice
- FSW 418 Program Development & Evaluation
- FSW 442 Family Resource Management
- FSW 451 Interpersonal Violence
- FSW 466 Interpersonal Perspective on Adulthood & Aging
- FSW 475 Family Theories
- FSW 481 Adolescence Development: Ages 13-25
- PSY 242 Abnormal Psychology also counts as a CJS elective(PSY 111 & PSY 112 are prerequisites for PSY 242)
- STA 261 Statistics required for CJS as well
- CJS 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice Studies
- CJS 125 Law and the Courts
- CJS 211 Policing in America
- CJS 231 Criminal Procedure
- CJS 271 Introduction to Criminal Behavior
- CJS 281 Corrections in America
- CJS 282 Writing in Criminal Justice
- CJS 451 Comparative Justice Systems
- CJS 245 Human Trafficking and Contemporary Slavery
- CJS 312 Community Corrections
- CJS 461 Applied Research Methods OR FSW 295 Research and Evaluation
- One more 3 credit hour CJS elective (in addition to FSW 312, PSY 242, CJS 245 and CJS 312)
- FSW 411 Social Work Field I
- FSW 412 Senior Seminar I (Concurrent with 411)
- FSW 418 Program Development and Education
- FSW 442 Family Resource Management
- FSW 451 Interpersonal Violence
- FSW 475 Family Theories
(Note: take a 1 credit hour elective from a Regional campus to be a Regional campus student)
- FSW 413 Senior Seminar II (Concurrent with 414)
- FSW 414 Social Work Field II
- CJS 485 Seminar in Criminal Justice
- Fine Arts
124 Credit Hours
| Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|
| ENG 111 English Composition | 3 |
| CJS 101 Intro to Criminal Justice Studies | 3 |
| FSW 201 Introduction to Social Work and Family Life Education | 3 |
| Humanities (GMP IIB - choose from approved list) | 3 |
| FSW 261 Diverse Family Systems Across the Life Cycle | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
| Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|
| PSY 111 Introduction to Psychology (counts for GMP IIC) | 3 |
| PSY 112 Foundational Experiences in Psychology; concurrent with PSY 111 | 1 |
| CJS 125 Law and the Courts | 3 |
| CJS 211 Policing in America | 3 |
| FSW 206 Social Welfare Policies & Programs (counts as inter-cultural perspectives) | 4 |
| FSW 245 Children and Families: Ages 0-12 | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 17 |
| Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|
| CJS 245 Human Trafficking & Slavery (counts as GMP III) | 3 |
| FSW 304 Professionalism & Ethics in Practice | 3 |
| Biology w/Lab – choose from approved list (GMP IVA) | 4 |
| CJS Elective | 3 |
| FSW 312 Human Behavior and the Social Environment | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours, partial relocation to Oxford for FSW 304 & FSW 312 | 16 |
| Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|
| CJS 281 Corrections in America | 3 |
| STA 261 Statistics (counts for GMP V) | 4 |
| CJS 231 Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| FSW 365 Family Life Sexuality Education Across Cultures | 3 |
| FSW 415 Culturally-Informed Practice | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours, partial relocation to Oxford for FSW 365 & FSW 415 | 16 |
| Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|
| Physical science class (GMP IVB - choose from approved list) | 3 |
| FSW 306 Trauma Responsive Assessment & Intervention | 3 |
| CJS 461 Applied Research Methods in Criminal Justice or FSW 295 Research and Evaluation | 3 |
| CJS 271 Introduction to Criminal Behavior | 3 |
| FSW 481 Adolescent Development: Ages 13-25 | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
| Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|
| CJS 451 Comparative Justice Systems (counts as GMP III) | 3 |
| FSW 406 Group Theory & Practice | 3 |
| FSW 466 Interpersonal Perspectives on Adulthood & Aging | 3 |
| PSY 242 Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| CJS 312 Community Corrections | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours, partial relocation to Oxford for FSW 406 & FSW 466 | 15 |
| Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|
| FSW 411 Senior Field Experience I (concurrent with FSW 412) (counts as experiential learning) | 4 |
| FSW 412 Senior Seminar in Social Work I (concurrent with FSW 411) | 2 |
| FSW 418 Program Development & Evaluation | 3 |
| FSW 442 Family Resource Management | 3 |
| FSW 451 Interpersonal Violence | 3 |
| FSW 475 Family Theories | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 18 |
| Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|
| Fine Arts – choose from approved list (GMP IIA) | 3 |
| CJS 485 Capstone: Seminar in Criminal Justice | 4 |
| FSW 413 Senior Seminar in Social Work II (concurrent with FSW 414) | 2 |
| FSW 414 Senior Field Experience II (concurrent with FSW 413) | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 12 |
"I am glad that I double majored in Social Work and Criminal Justice at Miami University because I feel that this combination prepared me well to work with both people and systems. I am currently in an MSW program at Washington University in St. Louis, where I will soon begin a field practicum at a shelter for women impacted by domestic violence. I believe that having knowledge in both fields will inform my future practice and aid me in serving clients who are navigating social and legal institutions that have not historically been designed to empower them."
Taylor Bridgett
Contact for More Information
Criminal Justice
- John Forren: forrenjp@MiamiOH.edu
Department of Social Sciences and Education
Hamilton Campus, Phelps Hall 103
1601 University Blvd.
Hamilton, OH 45011