Arial photo of campus

About Us

Our Mission Statement

The Mission of the Department of Justice Studies at Montclair State University is to advance research and offer a rigorous course of study examining the intersection of justice, law, policy and social change. We analyze the conception and practice of justice through sociological, philosophical, criminological, legal and political lenses. We also seek to bridge the gap between the various social science and legal disciplines in order to gain new insights on a wide range of issues concerning social justice. For this reason, the Justice Studies major is uniquely interdisciplinary. Drawing on the expertise of its faculty from the fields of criminology, sociology, political theory and law, the Justice Studies major explores justice in its broadest conception. Through the unifying core classes, students gain a mastery of justice theories from multidisciplinary and intersectional perspectives.  In sum, our mission is to teach students to think critically and become productive members of the community who recognize and respond to injustice in its many manifestations.