CRLS Minor Frequently Asked Questions

Why become a CRLS minor?
What are the requirements to complete a minor in Crime, Law, and Society?
What course electives can I take to complete a minor in Crime, Law, and Society?
When can I complete the internship for the Crime, Law, and Society minor?
When should I arrange for my internship?
How do I go about arranging for my internship?
What do I do if I'm not hearing back from the organizations where I want to intern?
What do I need to do to prepare for my internship?
How do I register for the internship (CRLS 400)?
How many hours are required for the internship?
Will I have to complete assignments for the internship?

 

Why become a CRLS minor?
By taking courses in sociology, political science, psychology, anthropology, and history, among others, this interdisciplinary minor provides students with the knowledge and experiences they need to understand the origins of criminal behavior, the consequences of crime for society, and the legal responses that societies develop to combat crime. A CRLS minor will help provide you with critical thinking skills and important knowledge about crime, law, government, and social policy and help prepare you for a future in these fields.

What are the requirements to complete a minor in Crime, Law and Society?
You'll need 18 hours of credit for the minor: two required courses (POLI 203 Criminal Justice and SOCY 341 Criminology), three electives, and an internship that serves as a capstone for the minor that you'll take during your junior or senior year.

What course electives can I take to complete a minor in Crime, Law and Society?
You'll need to complete three electives as part of your CRLS minor. It's an interdisciplinary minor where most of the courses are taught in sociology, political science, psychology, anthropology, history, and philosophy, although there are plenty of other courses that can count toward the minor in other departments. The course catalog and our program website provide the list of potential electives for the minor. Additionally, if you encounter a special topics course or a course not on our approved electives list that is related to crime or the law that you would like to count as an elective, just reach out to the CRLS program director, Prof. David Morris (morrisds@cofc.edu), to discuss having the course count as one of your electives.

When can I complete the internship for the Crime, Law, and Society minor?
The internship is the capstone for the minor and should be one of the last classes you complete for the minor. Students usually complete the internship during their junior or senior year at the College.  Before students complete their internship, we recommend completing POLI 203 Criminal Justice, SOCY 341 Criminology, and at least one of your three electives for the minor.

When should I arrange for my internship?
You should set up the internship the semester before you plan on completing it. So if you plan to complete the internship in the fall, you should begin setting it up about halfway through the previous spring semester around mid-March. If you plan on completing the internship in the spring, you should begin setting it up in the fall around mid-October. Summer internships are harder to come by, but if you want to do a summer internship you should begin setting it up in mid-February. Keep in mind that if you complete the internship during the summer, you will have to pay tuition for three credit hours during the summer term.  You should have an internship secured at least a month in advance of the start of the semester you plan on doing the internship.  If you don't have an internship by that point, email Program Director David Morris immediately so that we can widen your search for an internship.  

How do I go about arranging for my internship?
You'll do most of the legwork to set up your internship to help prepare you for your job search following graduation from the College. First, take a look at the CRLS program website and look through the locations where CRLS minors often intern. Then email the program director, Prof. David Morris (morrisds@cofc.edu), with two or three internship locations you're interested in and you'll be given the contact person's information. Once you have the contact info, call or email the organization to discuss the possibility of an internship, the details of the internship, and what you will need to do to apply and, hopefully, interview. Be professional, enthusiastic, courteous, and honest with them. You also have the option of searching for internships on your own with organizations not on our website. Make sure that the internship is related to crime or the law and okay the internship with the CRLS program director. All new internship sites have to first be reviewed and approved by the program director.

What do I do if I'm not hearing back from the organizations where I want to intern?
When you reach out to the organizations asking about internship opportunities, it's possible that they will not immediately respond.  Be polite and patient, but persistent.  Your inquiry about an internship warrants a response, even if it's just to tell you that nothing is available.  Don't assume there aren't any internships available if they don't respond.  Only conclude there aren't any internships available if the organization gets back to you and says so.  If the contact person does not immediately respond, give them two days to a week and then contact them again.  Be polite, be deferential, acknowledge that they are busy, and tell them you are just contacting them again to try to plan for your upcoming academic semester.  Also, mix up your communication method.  If you emailed before, try calling.  Use your best judgment on how long you give them to respond.  If the start of the semester is still several months away, give them about a week to respond.  If the start of the semester is less than six weeks away, give them two to three days to respond.

What do I need to do to prepare for my internship?
For many internships, you'll have to complete paperwork and screening tests before beginning work which may include a set of forms providing detailed personal information, a TB test, a background check, a polygraph test, proof of vaccinations, and/or other forms commonly required before employment can begin. Completing and processing this paperwork can take up to six weeks so be sure to stay on top of what you need to do well before your internship begins. Also, make sure you have professional clothing that meets the expectations of the organization you'll be working for.

How do I register for the internship (CRLS 400)?
To receive academic credit for the internship, you'll complete three forms to register for the CRLS 400 Internship course. After securing your internship, contact the CRLS program director, Prof. David Morris, and you'll be provided with an Individual Enrollment Form and a Liability Waiver that you'll need to complete and an Internship Agreement Form that you and your internship supervisor will need to complete. Once all forms are completed, send them to the CRLS program director, Prof. David Morris, to be signed and then sent to the registrar to get you registered for the course. You do not sign up for the internship through My Charleston.

How many hours are required for the internship?
For 3 academic credits, you'll need to complete at least 120 hours of work at your placement site spread out over a minimum of 10 weeks of the semester. This translates to about an average of 8 hours per week for a 15 week semester, although the hours you work can vary from week to week. Your hours should be spread out over a minimum of 10 weeks and can't be crammed into just a few weeks. For example, you cannot complete the internship in three weeks by working 40 hours per week. You will need to work with your supervisor at your internship site to schedule your hours. Most sites are usually flexible and schedule around your classes.

Will I have to complete assignments for the internship?
Yes. Since you are completing the internship for academic credit, you will be subject to similar expectations that come with being in a regular class. At the beginning of the semester during which the internship is being completed, the Crime, Law, and Society program director will have an orientation meeting with all interns to outline the academic expectations for the internships. The expectations will generally include the following:
*Submission of journal reflections describing your activities and what you are learning at the internship site.
*Three on-campus meetings to discuss your internship and critically think about how your internship is related to your work in the CRLS program and at the College.
*Time log submissions providing details on your hours worked for the semester.
*An evaluation from your internship site supervisor where they will evaluate your performance during the semester.

If you have additional questions or want to set up a time to meet with the Crime, Law and Society program director, contact:

David Morris
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Director, Crime, Law and Society Program
(843) 953-4485
morrisds@cofc.edu
88 Wentworth St. Room 204