Minors
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The accounting minor is beneficial for anyone who wants to be involved in management, leadership, or administration in a meaningful way. The understanding of accounting assists them in fulfilling their organizational objectives, whatever those objectives may be. The emphasis of this minor is on the use of financial information rather than preparation of financial information. Students should speak with the minor coordinator about how this minor can satisfy some of the educational requirements to sit for the CPA Exam.
The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) has been authorized by the New York State Legislature to issue a Credential in Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counseling (CASAC). To qualify for the CASAC credential, candidates must pass a written and oral examination after fulfilling education, training and paid employment requirements.
The Addiction Studies Program of John Jay College is an OASAS Certified Education and Training Provider. After completing the program, students will have met the education requirement, but must still meet the work experience, testing, and other requirements as specified by OASAS before earning the CASAC. The CASAC credential is issued by OASAS, not by the college.
The Minor in Africana Studies provides students with interdisciplinary approaches to the study of the historical and contemporary experiences of peoples of African heritage. Using themes such as culture, agency, struggle and justice, students will master multidisciplinary knowledge about Africa and the African diaspora, and will explore new ways of thinking about the cultures, philosophies, history and society of African peoples and their communities throughout the diaspora.
The minor in Anthropology provides students with exposure to the range of human variation across time and space and a comprehensive background in cross-cultural studies.
A minor in Anthropology is excellent preparation for further study in any discipline that requires the ability to understand and deal with other cultures. Students are trained to integrate humanistic concerns with the cross-cultural perspective and analytic framework provided by anthropology. These skills will be particularly valuable for students planning careers in which an understanding of human behavior and cultural diversity is essential, including law enforcement, criminal justice, public policy, counseling, business, law and communications. Because of its breadth of outlook, anthropology also offers an ideal basis for those seeking a strong general education in an increasingly interdependent and multicultural world.
The Art minor provides students with the opportunity to integrate art with other academic and research pursuits. It is designed for students to pursue studies in both studio art and art history with an integrated, mixed media approach. Students selecting the minor in Art are not necessarily pursuing careers as practicing professional artists and art historians. They are seeking a unique program of study where the visual arts provide opportunities to problem–solve creatively and efficiently.
The minor in Biology is available to students of all majors. It is designed to give students an overview of the study of the most central concepts in life sciences including evolution and natural selection, cell biology, genetics, and molecular biology. Within each biology course, students will appreciate the history of the study of life on earth and how this history has shaped and continues to shape biological research. Five lecture courses and two lab courses are required for the minor and students may select courses from the list of biology offerings.
Students who minor in Chemistry will learn fundamental introductory principles in general, organic and analytical chemistry. Individual course descriptions are provided under the course listings.
The Chemistry minor is significant for students who wish to pursue the pre-health professions and major in another area. It is an important minor for students considering careers in which a full science major is not required, but college-level science experience is required.
The Community Justice minor uses interdisciplinary analyses through Africana Studies to expose students to different ways of thinking about and enacting alternative justice strategies, community-based economic development, and community wellness.
Community justice refers to resident involvement in and citizen-police partnerships in justice decision-making, oversight, and restorative justice; as well as the development of legal, economic, social, educational and health alternatives at the local level that complement and/or transform traditional public safety strategies to establish meaningful justice, peace, stability, and community wellbeing. Students will explore theories, strategies, and practices that address racial and economic inequity and place community well-being at the center, to strengthen the capacity of families, friends, neighborhood groups, civic and community organizations, and local institutions to resolve conflict and create solutions.
Computers are the future. By learning to use a computer, students are securing their tomorrows. Good computer skills will build self-confidence and increase students’ marketability and competence in their chosen fields. Computers also allow users to work quickly and efficiently with data and information in a way that no other devices do.
The Corrections minor exposes students to important concepts in corrections and promotes an understanding of the correctional environment. Minor courses also introduce students to all aspects of careers in corrections. Additionally, the minor aims to equip students with a better understanding of current social problems.
The Counseling Minor provides a valuable educational opportunity for those students interested in seeking employment or graduate school admission within the human services, social work and counseling professions. The counseling minor provides skills based training requisite to working effectively as a helping professional. Professional helpers work in a variety of settings including mental health facilities, business and industry, substance abuse clinics, health centers, educational settings, corrections facilities and in a broad range of criminal justice and public service agencies.
In the Creative Writing Minor, students will practice the craft of writing in a workshop setting. Creative writing is distinguished from academic writing in its focus on emotional experience as the foundation for expression. In the areas of fiction, poetry, personal narrative, screenwriting and autobiography, students will use the close review and critique of the workshop format to produce truer and more effective writing.
The Criminology minor focuses on the nature and cause of crime, the behavior of criminals and how society reacts to crime and criminals.
Criminals have utilized the Internet and digital technologies to attack, humiliate, bully, harass, offend, threaten, steal from, and otherwise harm victims and exploit and damage computers and other technological devices. The crimes that target digital devices and/or are committed via the Internet, computers, and related technology are known as cybercrimes. The Cybercrime minor provides students with information on the evolution of cybercrime, theories of cybercrime, cybercrime applications, best practices in conducting private and public cybercrime investigations, obstacles faced in international investigations, and the ways to overcome barriers to international investigations and enforcement of cybercrime laws.
This interdisciplinary minor engages students in the study, critique, and production of media across a variety of platforms, with a special emphasis on digital content. Students can choose a flexible path of courses related to journalism, film and video, photography, social media and other forms of communication, with digital and information literacy threaded throughout the curriculum. In today’s world, media is power. Learn how to analyze and harness that power in a manner that engages, informs, and advances justice.
The Dispute Resolution Minor and the Dispute Resolution Certificate in this bulletin provide students with an opportunity to learn about the causes, complex dynamics, escalation, de-escalation, and constructive resolution of conflicts in a variety of contexts, from the interpersonal to the international levels. Students also gain knowledge and techniques necessary to negotiate, facilitate, and mediate a wide range of situations. The Dispute Resolution coursework will be invaluable for students in their personal lives, at work, and in graduate school, especially for those students who will enter professions like law, social work, business, etc., where sorting through conflicts is essential.
Economics follows human beings as they strive to fulfill their aspirations within different social and physical environments, notably via the production of commodities, their distribution and consumption, and the elaborations of institutions to organize these three processes. Additionally, economics courses enable students to improve their writing, analytical, and research skills. John Jay economics minors will not only learn mainstream economics, but also alternative theoretical perspectives. The economics minor at John Jay will equip students to critically evaluate how society and government policies affect their daily lives.
The Environmental Justice minor educates students about the need to provide for human well-being while conserving the natural resources and ecological balance necessary to meet the needs of current and future generations. Using an interdisciplinary framework, the minor introduces students to the interdependent problems of sustainability such as climate change, social, economic and environmental inequalities, pollution and public health concerns that are affecting our city, society, and planet today. Students of the minor will learn the importance of working towards sustainable development and the equitable distribution of environmental benefits and harms that constitutes environmental justice.
Students who have found their required English and Literature courses exciting may continue their exploration of texts (including films and other genres in popular culture) and develop their voices in a variety of written forms in the English minor. The minor offers students the opportunity to broaden their experience of literary study, improve their critical thinking skills, and advance their skills in analytical, expository and/or creative writing.
The Environmental Justice minor educates students about the need to provide for human well-being while conserving the natural resources and ecological balance necessary to meet the needs of current and future generations. Using an interdisciplinary framework, the minor introduces students to the interdependent problems of sustainability such as climate change, social, economic and environmental inequalities, pollution and public health concerns that are affecting our city, society, and planet today.
Film Studies engages students in the study of film from theoretical, historical and critical perspectives. A Film Studies minor thus provides coursework exploring the history and development of film as an art form, a cultural experience, a major medium of communication and a powerful social force that both impacts and reflects social and political justice. Students develop critical skills through analyzing individual films, major film movements and genres, cinematic form and style, and the national and international cultural contexts in which films emerge and are exhibited.
The minor in Fire Science concentrates on the analysis of fire vulnerabilities to reduce losses of life and property in both the public and private sectors.
The Fraud Examination minor considers the following areas: financial transactions and fraud schemes, civil and criminal law related to fraud, investigations, and fraud prevention and deterrence. Topics such as corruption, asset misappropriation and fraudulent financial statements are central to the minor.
Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary field that explores the making and meaning of gender-femininity and masculinity-as well as sexuality across cultures and social formations, past and present. The underlying belief of Gender Studies is that gender influences human options, conditions and experiences. Legal, political, economic and cultural systems are shaped by assumptions about gender and sexuality.
The minor in Health, Wellness and Physical Education provides coursework that students may use to improve their personal health and physical fitness in conjunction with career preparation. It is designed to promote healthy lifestyle habits through the study and application of the wellness principles of nutrition, physical fitness, and stress management, as well as the acquisition of physical activity skills.
The Department of History offers students the opportunity to earn a minor in History by completing 18 credits (six courses) in the department. One course is required, HIS 210 Doing History. After completing HIS 210, students are invited to select from the electives offered by the Department of History to complete the minor. At least one elective must be at the 300-level or above to earn a History minor.
Students in this minor will explore legal history, a vital and exciting field that historicizes the study of law while using legal sources to enrich our understanding of the past. The minor acquaints students with key arguments and concepts in the field as well as major personalities, institutions, and debates in the legal histories of the United States, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. It also introduces students to international topics such as slavery, genocide, human rights, and legal pluralism, and to international institutions like the United Nations War Crimes Commission (UNWCC) and International Criminal Court (ICC) in a historical context.
Homeland security professionals deal with a wide variety human-made and natural disasters. Using a multidisciplinary lens, the Homeland Security minor introduces students to the field of homeland security, looking in particular at essential homeland security functions (e.g., intelligence and counterintelligence activities) and objectives (e.g., securing the nation’s borders), threats to homeland security (e.g., terrorism and human trafficking), assessment of the risk of these threats, the social, political, ethical, and legal implications of homeland security, and the ways to mitigate, respond to, prepare for, and recover from homeland security threats.
The Human Rights Studies minor will introduce students to some of the key conceptual, ethical and methodological approaches to the study and practice of human rights. In particular, it will address key concepts, principles and norms, such as human dignity, non-discrimination, equality, due process, empowerment, human security, human development, and accountability.
Please note: The College is no longer admitting new students to this minor.
The Humanities and Justice Minor offers students the opportunity to explore fundamental questions about justice from a humanistic and interdisciplinary perspective. Embedded in history, literature, and philosophy, the minor engages students in the study of constructions of justice that underlie social policy and criminal justice as well as in broader issues of morality and equity.
The field of Interdisciplinary Studies recognizes that we live in a complex and interrelated world. This minor introduces students to the practices of interdisciplinarity: using critical methods and bodies of knowledge from multiple disciplines to understand real-world issues and problems.
This interdisciplinary minor engages students in the study, critique, and production of media across a variety of platforms, with a special emphasis on digital content. Students can choose a flexible path of courses related to journalism, film and video, photography, social media and other forms of communication, with digital and information literacy threaded throughout the curriculum. In today’s world, media is power. Learn how to analyze and harness that power in a manner that engages, informs, and advances justice.
The Department of Latin American and Latinx Studies offers a minor that engages students in the study of Latin America and the study of persons of Latin American descent (Latinx people) in the United States. The minor exposes students to the political, historical, socioeconomic, and cultural possibilities and obstacles for achieving social justice and equity; cross-cultural and intercultural understanding; respect for human integrity and dignity; and awareness of political and human rights.
This minor examines U.S. Latinx authors writing in English and focuses on the four major U.S. Latinx groups – Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican – as well as other significant U.S. Latinx populations – Colombian, Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Salvadoran, and Guatemalan. While applying literary criticism and taking an interdisciplinary approach, which may also include the study of music, religion, politics, film, and the visual arts, this minor provides a well–rounded understanding of the cultural elements that contribute to U.S. Latinx Literature.
The law minor provides a thorough introduction to the legal system including lawmaking, litigation, basic legal research and legal interpretation and analysis. Students are encouraged to “think as lawyers do” in fact finding, analyzing and devising solutions to legal issues and in resolution of conflicts. Emphasis is placed on the ethical and practical considerations that influence the work of lawyers, prosecutors, judges and legislators, and on issues of constitutional law and criminal procedure.
Mathematics provides excellent preparation for entrance into many quantitative and high–technology careers. Some of these include the actuarial field, financial analysis and work in cryptography. The Mathematics minor will enhance the understanding of quantitative disciplines such as the social sciences, physics, chemistry and biology. Strong math skills also increase a student’s ability to manage life in this increasingly quantitative world.
The interdisciplinary Middle East Studies minor allows students to explore the history, politics, religions, and cultures of the Middle East, broadly conceived. As the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and the center of political and economic dynamics that have profoundly shaped the contemporary world, the Middle East is vital to understanding the global past and present. In this minor, students will examine themes that are central to understanding the region and its peoples, including gender, religion, kinship, ethnicity, and landscape, as well as key topics such as colonialism, nationalism, diaspora, and the nation state. Students will develop critical perspectives on the dominant narratives of the region, and will also have the opportunity to acquire language skills that will enable them to explore its rich literary heritage.
The music minor offers students the opportunity to explore music through a comprehensive and multifaceted approach and encourages them to follow their various musical interests. Through the study of Western art music, comparative music studies such as Caribbean music, world music, and pop, rock, and jazz, the student can examine and contextualize the art form. The study of areas such as voice, piano, songwriting, composition, and music technology encourages the student to explore their inherent creative potential by directly engaging in the creation of music, while also developing a foundation in the basic skills of music making. The minor combines an initial core requirement, as well as distribution requirements.
The Philosophy minor is designed to give students interested in philosophy the opportunity to do intensive work in the field and have that work recognized. Philosophy — a term derived from the ancient Greek philosophia — means "love of wisdom." As a discipline, philosophy strives to seek thoughtful and rigorous responses to the most fundamental "Why?" questions about ourselves, the universe and our place in the universe. Areas of study include being or existence, knowledge, ethics, political philosophy and various "philosophy of . . ." issues (e.g., philosophy of law, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, etc.).
The minor in Police Studies is designed for students with professional interests in law enforcement and policing. The minor is also appropriate for students who plan to attend graduate or professional school.
The Political Science minor provides students with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of the political processes, institutions, and ideas that serve as foundations for the quest for justice. The minor also provides additional preparation for careers in a variety of fields, including public service, law, community affairs, international relations and politics.
The Psychology minor provides students with the opportunity to think and write critically about the mind and human behavior. Students are introduced to basic psychological theory and research as well as several core areas in the discipline of psychology. The minor prepares students to become informed, life–long consumers of psychology. It also provides some background in psychology that can help build a foundation for many fields of graduate or professional study and careers.
The minor in Public Administration examines decision–making, leadership and management in public agencies and non–profit organizations. It introduces students to the field of Public Administration, including its scope, content, literature and relationship to other disciplines. The supervision, planning and budgeting skills students acquire in the Public Administration minor will prove valuable as they advance towards a leadership role in any organization that helps carry out the business of government.
The minor in Security Management targets the analysis of security risks and vulnerabilities, along with the administration of programs designed to reduce loss-in public and private institutions and corporations. The minor helps prepare students for careers as managers, consultants and entrepreneurs.
The Minor in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation provides an interdisciplinary field of inquiry to study social enterprises, which work to build commercial organizations that have specific social objectives, maximizing benefits to society and the environment, and reinvesting profits in social programs. This minor is unique because it is being offered by John Jay College, which has an established tradition of social justice in innovating and constantly evolving ways.
The Sociology minor considers the following areas in the study of modern society: social groups, social organization, the sociology of institutions such as law, the courts, the family, the process of interaction, social disorganization and change. Topics such as violence, delinquency, deviant behavior, social control, and ethnic, race and class relations are central to the minor concentration. Issues of culture, personality and urbanization are also covered.
The status of Spanish as the second most spoken language on earth, together with the impact of globalization on the career opportunity landscape, argues strongly for the potential value of the study of Spanish as a second field of specialization. The Spanish Minor is primarily designed to develop linguistic, cultural and literary competence in Spanish by exploring literary texts, films, and cultural productions in Spain and Latin America through reading, writing, and research conducted in Spanish.
The Department of Communication and Theatre Arts offers minors in Speech, Media, and a combined minor in Speech and Media. The minors in Speech and Media are designed to help students gain confidence and power through enhancing the effectiveness of their communication performance and analysis. The combined minor helps to develop communication skills and analysis as a speaker, a performer and a critic of communication while focusing students’ course selection on their interests.
The Theatre Arts minor is structured to give students an overview of drama and theatre, in terms of history, performance and criticism. The curriculum involves the student in both the practical and theoretical aspects of the theatre process. The minor offers ample opportunities for students to apply their skills on stage and/or backstage.
In the Creative Writing Minor, students will practice the craft of writing in a workshop setting. Creative writing is distinguished from academic writing in its focus on emotional experience as the foundation for expression. In the areas of fiction, poetry, personal narrative, screenwriting and autobiography, students will use the close review and critique of the workshop format to produce truer and more effective writing.
The minor in Writing and Rhetoric provides students with a theoretical understanding of rhetorical principles as they apply them to academic, public, and professional writing situations. Students learn to write for diverse audiences and purposes, and across multiple genres, styles, and designs. The minor teaches students to meet the expectations and requirements for producing texts with impact across varied writing contexts, including creative non-fiction, law, business, and discipline-specific academic writing; as such, the minor prepares students for the advanced writing required in upper-level college courses and in their professional careers beyond graduation.