Colby-Sawyer has approved a new major in crime and legal studies, as well as a minor in health care management, that will launch in fall 2018.

The crime and legal studies major is in response to sustained interest from prospective students and will offer a deep understanding of the criminal justice system and how it applies to ethical and cultural situations, as well as the broad perspective of a liberal arts-based education.

“We want this major to resonate with Colby-Sawyer’s liberal arts foundation, so it focuses on more than just the criminal justice aspect,” said Director of Admissions Anna Miner. “Colby-Sawyer’s crime and legal studies major also draws on other disciplines to consider not just the crime, but also the causes and the effects, too.”

Students who choose the major will learn the history of the American justice system; legal concepts and terminology; and relationships between procedural rules, substantive public policy and Constitutional constraints on law enforcement. With classes such as Criminology and Juvenile Justice, this major will inform students how to identify problems within criminal justice organizations and offer solutions. Every Colby-Sawyer student is required to complete at least one internship, and crime and legal studies majors will have opportunities to apply their classroom learning in law offices, law enforcement agencies, social justice agencies and more.

Colby-Sawyer’s articulation agreement with Vermont Law School offers additional opportunities for students in multiple majors to complete their bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor in as little as five years, and a bachelor’s and master’s degree in four.

The health care management minor is a multi-disciplinary field that incorporates aspects of business administration and health care. It focuses on health care organization operations, administration of health care service and financing. Students will learn business skills used to manage health care services. The minor can be paired with any major.