The
Department of History and Political Science offers a rich variety of first- and second-year courses that satisfy general education, diversity, and elective requirements for the Liberal Arts degree and other degree programs across the College’s curricula. The Department believes that emphasis on student participation, as well as on written expression, promotes comprehension and lasting appreciation of key course concepts and values.
Students have a choice of
History courses—from ones that provide surveys of broad historical epochs to others that detail shorter eras of time and place. Departmental courses focus on the evolution of European, American and non-western societies and traditions, and on an understanding of the development of social, political, religious, and economic institutions. For example, students may choose to study European history from its ancient beginnings to the modern era or American history from discovery to the twenty-first century. Students may wish to enroll in discrete courses that detail the histories of Russia, Modern Africa, Modern Middle East, or the history of New Jersey or Latin America.
The Department offers more than a half-dozen different courses in
Political Science that provide an overview of American government and its institutions, a survey of state and local governments, and an introduction to the nature and problems of international politics. Courses are also offered that examine government systems comparatively and provide an analysis of civil liberties and basic rights and freedoms.
The
Program in Criminal Justice is a course of study focused on career-development designed specifically for those students who seek to enter the field, as well as for those practicing professionals who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills.
The Program in
Criminal Justice provides students with a host of pre-professional courses that form a core of study, along with selected courses in the Liberal Arts. Students may choose to study the history and legal basis of security; engage in an investigation into the nature of crime and theories of crime causation; explore the principles upon which American law is based; gain an understanding of the fundamentals and practices of probation, institutional treatment, parole and community-based correctional programs; analyze the role of police operations; and review the historical development of Juvenile Courts in the United States. The Program in Criminal Justice also offers certification in
Information Security.
The Department also offers a specialty in
Public Administration. This curriculum has been created for students who wish to enter careers in federal, state, county, municipal government, as well as in profit and non-profit organizations that serve the public interest. The curriculum is also appropriate for students who eventually want to study law in professional school.
Students enrolled in the Program in Public Administration may take a specialized course in Public Administration, which surveys the practices and political relationship in public administration or participate in a specially-developed field placement or examine selected topics of issues in the field.
For further information, visit the office [DeMare Hall/C-330] or call the Department of History, Political Science, and Criminal Justice at 973.328.5641. If you wish, you may contact the Department Chair, Dr. Michael Parrella at 973.328.6540 or
mparrella@ccm.edu; Dr. Craig Pilant, Assistant Chair at 973.328.5605 or
cpilant@ccm.edu; or Dr. Jack Bernardo, Coordinator/Program in Public Administration at 997.328.5649 or
jbernardo@ccm.edu.