
Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies
DURATION
1 up to 4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Request earliest startdate
TUITION FEES
CAD 44,125 *
STUDY FORMAT
Blended
* for international students, $17,234 for domestic students
Introduction
Positive social change requires practical justice service capabilities, and your ability to use alternative dispute resolution techniques. The BA in Justice Study’s program at Royal Roads University provides you with the theoretical and real-world foundations necessary to use effective critical thinking skills to assess issues related to justice. Upon graduation from your program, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the justice system, including criminal justice, social justice, human rights, advocacy, conflict resolution, and mediation.
This program is designed to prepare you for a career in a justice-related institution or agency, including government, for-profit/non-profit, and international organizations.
There are two ways to complete the degree:
- As a 4-year undergraduate degree for students typically entering from high school (or equivalent).
- As a degree completion option, comprising years three and four of your BA degree, in a 12 month on-campus or 24 month blended program.
Students may be eligible for a $10,000 entrance award/bursary towards their tuition.
Program Description
Understand the Canadian Justice System
Whether you’re considering a career in law enforcement, victim services, or the legal department of corporations or governments, or you’re interested in using your degree as a stepping stone towards further education within the legal field, our program lets you use real-world experience to gain a practical understanding of today’s justice issues. Your program will be intense, whether you choose the blended learning track or the on-campus option, but you will have a solid foundation upon which to enhance your personal development and propel your career.
A Learning Model that Fits Your Life
The BA in Justice Studies at Royal Roads University is available in two formats; a one-year, on-campus option, or a blended learning model of online study and on-campus residencies. There’s no difference in content between the different delivery methods, so choose the format that works for your current situation. Our blended online bachelor’s degree allows you to continue working while you complete your program, and our on-campus option accelerates your learning to complete your third and fourth years of study in just one year.
What to Expect
One-year, On-campus Experience – This fulltime program begins in September and finishes the following August, where you will work on five classes at a time over a 12-month period with short breaks between four terms.
Two-Year, Blended Learning – Expect to engage with instructors and classmates while completing lessons, case studies, and discussions through our online learning platform. Two mandatory, on-campus residencies (3-week residency in year 1 and 2-week residency in year 2) allow you to work face-to-face with your classmates in an intense learning environment.
Creating Connections for Your Career
Your future classmates are interested in beginning a career within the justice-related field or furthering their current role within their organization. You will work together in small groups, using your diverse experiences to complete your individual and group assignments, and the connections you create in your program help form a network of support you can turn to for the rest of your career. Upon completion of the BA in Justice Studies, one of the many options you will have is to apply directly to the Master of Laws (LLM) program at the University of London.
Demonstrate Your Ability to Get Results
Upon graduation you will be able to demonstrate your ability to critically assess issues related to justice studies based on the theoretical and practical skills you have developed in your program. You will have a solid understanding of the Canadian legal system, effective conflict management skills, and hands-on training in alternative dispute resolution practices, enabling you to use your degree to pursue a career within the realms of criminal justice, social justice human rights, advocacy, conflict resolution, and mediation.
Curriculum
Courses
Year 1
- ECOL110 Ecology (3)
- ENGL110-A Academic Writing: Part A (1.5)
- ENGL110-B Academic Writing: Part B (1.5)
- GEOG110 Human Geography (3)
- HIST160 History of Human Rights (3)
- ICBL (P/F) Introduction to Challenge-based Learning
- INDS110-A Theories of Interdisciplinarity: Part A (1.5)
- INDS110-B Theories of Interdisciplinarity: Part B (1.5)
- ITAI: Introduction to Academic Integrity (P/F)
- LEAD110-A Leading self and others: Part A (1.5)
- LEAD110-B Leading self and others: Part B (1.5)
- MATH160 Statistics for Social Science (3)
- SOSC160A Applied Research I (A) – Literature review (1.5)
- SOSC160B Applied Research I (B) Empathic and Ethnographic Research (1.5)
Year 2
- ECON260 Ecological Economics (3)
- ECON265Welfare Economics and Development (3)
- ENGL210-A Communication and Persuasion: Part A (1.5)
- ENGL210-B Communication and Persuasion: Part B (1.5)
- ENGL260Literature of the Anthropocene (3)
- ENGL265 Women and Literature (3)
- HLSC260 Determinants of Health (3)
- INDS210-A Systems Thinking: Part A (1.5)
- INDS210-B Systems Thinking: Part B (1.5)
- LEAD210-A Leading for change: Part A (1.5)
- LEAD210-B Leading for change: Part B (1.5)
- POLI260 Development and Political Change (3)
- PSYC260 Psychology of Well-being (3)
- SOCI260 Human Interaction (3)
- SOSC260A Applied Research II (A) Advanced Qualitative Methods (1.5)
- SOSC260B Applied Research II (B) Advanced Quantitative Methods (1.5)
Admissions
Gallery
Program Outcome
BA Justice Studies Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates will develop the theoretical and practical foundations to critically assess issues related to justice studies. Additionally, they will have in-depth knowledge of the justice system including criminal justice, human rights, advocacy, conflict resolution, and mediation.
Critical thinking
- Apply a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to the field of study and practice.
- Examine and situate one’s own personal beliefs.
- Demonstrate openness to ideas and actions.
- Evaluate evidence, its sources, meanings and intentions.
- Identify, select, and sort relevant information in order to be able to describe, draw inferences, synthesize and validate that information.
- Identify and explain the ethical dimensions of professional conduct and practice.
- Critically reflect on the impacts and consequences of decisions and resulting actions.
Communication
- Articulate ideas and arguments effectively in oral and written formats.
- Demonstrate competence in interpersonal and intercultural communication skills.
- Select and employ different communication media based on assessment of situation and context.
Research
- Identify and explain the core concepts and constructs of research.
- Contribute to knowledge in the field of study or practice using systematic and recognized research design and methods.
Knowledge
- Analyze and explain the Canadian legal system, its structures, processes, operational environment and its major regiments such as constitutional law, criminal law, civil law, administrative law and international law.
- Differentiate the attributes of comparative legal systems from a Canadian perspective, and in a global context.
- Critique Canadian identity emerging from sources such as federalism, multiculturalism and aboriginal self-government in reference to developed/established conceptions of justice.
- Analyze and explain public policy analysis and participate in the public policy-making process in the justice context.
- Explain the breadth and scope of complexities in the Canadian legal environment and emerging alternatives to traditional approaches to dispute resolution such as the use of technology or alternative dispute resolution.
- Identify conflict resolution perspectives based on theories of culture, identity and communication.
- Apply legal philosophy to the historical development of Canadian law, legal system and public policy.
Professional skills and practices
- Produce and facilitate third party conflict intervention processes including mediation, facilitation and negotiation.
- Demonstrate the ability to learn in a team environment.
- Demonstrate leadership in a team context.
- Generate a research objective and produce an outcomes-based research project related to the justice, legal or public administration contexts.
- Demonstrate professional conduct in the research and/or professional work environment based on sound legal and ethical reasoning.
Scholarships and Funding
Financial Aid & Awards
The Financial Aid & Awards team is here to provide information and support on a variety of funding sources and award opportunities, starting with a video that introduces the comprehensive details you’ll find on this website and in our blog.
View a summary of government assistance programs for those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
Financial planning is a crucial component of early educational planning. Please review funding opportunities well before your program begins to help build a reasonable budget.
Loans
Explore the various types of loans available to help fund your studies.
Awards
Explore a variety of competitively-awarded scholarships, awards, and bursaries available from RRU and other funding agencies.
Research Scholarships
RRU manages the scholarship administration for select funding agencies. These are some of the more substantial awards.
Other Funding
Discover alternate funding opportunities like Highbred Points.
Career Opportunities
Graduates may pursue careers in many areas of the public sector as well as non-profit agencies and other non-government organizations. Additionally, a variety of opportunities exist in criminal justice agencies and other organizations dealing with justice-related issues. Graduates have gone on to work in alternative dispute resolution, community development, probation, policy analysis, advocacy, and the like. Some graduates are continuing their education at law school, while others are pursuing graduate degrees.
Related Career Titles
- Paralegal
- Legal Research
- Diversion Counsellor
- Court Reporter
- Probation Officer
- Forensics/Crime Lab Officer
- Private Investigator
- Internet Security Manager
- Loss and Prevention Consultant
- Immigration Officer
- Insurance Investigator
- Policy Analyst
- Volunteer Coordinator
- Law Enforcement Officer
- Corrections Officer
Potential Employers
- Provincial and Federal Corrections
- Youth Correction Centres
- Government
- Victim Services
- Non-profit Organizations
- Pre-release and Half-way Houses
- Group Homes
- Legal Firms
- Women and Family Shelters
- Corporate/Government Legal Departments
- Law Enforcement
- Insurance Companies
- Alternative Dispute Resolution Centres
Occupational Information
- BC Work Futures
- Career Directions
- Career Pro News
- Job Futures 2000
- National Occupational Classification
- Work Destinations
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Canadian Criminal Justice Association
- Canadian Council on International Law
- International Police Association (Canada)
- Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
- Canadian Professional Police Association
- Police Sector Council
Related Web Sites (Canadian Sources)
- Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
- RCMP Recruiting
- Conflict Resolution Network Canada
- The John Howard Society of Canada
- Canadian Associations of Elizabeth Fry Societies
- Access to Justice Network
- Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic
- YOUCAN Youth Canada Association