Dr. Larry Kreiser,
Chair
lkreiser@stillman.edu
Phone: (205) 289-3158 ext. 3408
Dr. Thomas Jennings
Interim Chair
Associate Professor of History
tjennings@stillman.edu
Phone: (205)-366-8870
Dr. Larry Kreiser
Associate Professor of History
lkreiser@stillman.edu
Phone: (205)-289-3158 ext. 3408
Mr. Kennedy Offei-Nelson
Assistant Instructor of Criminal Justice
koffeinelson@stillman.edu
Phone: (205)-247-8139
Dr. Gordon A. Govens ,Esq. Associate Professor and Executive Director – Faith-Based and Social Justice Initiatives / Thriving Congregations Lilly Grant
ggovens@stillman.edu
Phone: (205) 349-4240 ext. 8828
First launched in 2016, Criminal Justice is one of the most popular majors on campus. The program emphasizes corrections and law enforcement and requires major courses that ranging from Juvenile Justice to Constitutional Law, and Criminal Evidence and Procedure to Community Based Corrections. Majors also take courses in psychology and history to gain a better understanding of the national debates on the American criminal justice and prison systems.
History is among the longest-standing majors at Stillman, because it allows insight into the journeys of peoples and civilizations. Students will discover a lot of both during their Stillman careers, with major courses in, among other topics, World History, African History, Latin American History, and African American History. Majors also have the opportunity to participate
locations such as the Murphy African American Museum, the Children’s Hands-on Museum, the Northport Police Department, and the Tuscaloosa District Attorney’s Office.
Students may elect to combine a History major with a secondary education certification program in Social Sciences at Stillman College. An advisor will work with the student to develop semester schedules for certification in Social Sciences.
The Department of Social Sciences also offers courses in geography and political science. Departmental members emphasize the analytical and communication skills, and worldview, necessary to make one’s way in an increasingly global market. In addition to their classroom excellence, the faculty serve as mentors for community engagement, professional activities, and scholarly research. The department is also is home to the University of Alabama Accelerated Master’s Program in History, Pre-Law Association at Stillman College (PLASC), Stillman Historical Association, and the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge team (HCASC).
The Department of Social Sciences offers two Bachelor of Arts degrees: Criminal Justice and History. Students interested in majoring in Criminal Justice may pursue their B.A. traditionally or online. Criminal Justice is one of four majors at the college offered through the Stillman Online program.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Criminal Justice major, students will be able to do the following:
Program Outcomes
As a result of successful completion of the Criminal Justice program, graduates will look to do the following:
Pursue graduate degrees in criminal justice or related fields.
The Criminal Justice major consists of a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours of Criminal
Justice courses and twenty-one (21) credit hours of cognate courses.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the History major, students will be able to do the following:
Program Outcomes
As a result of successful completion of the History Program, graduates will look to do the following:
The history major consists of a minimum of forty-five (45) credit hours.
CJ 131: Introduction to Criminal Justice
CJ 132: Juvenile Justice
CJ 232: Community Based Corrections
CJ 331: Constitutional Law
CJ 332: Criminal Evidence and Procedure
CJ 333: Corrections
CJ 430: Senior Seminar in Criminal Justice
CJ 431: Penology
CJ 432: Public Policy and Criminal Justice
CJ 433: Research in Criminal Justice
BUS 233: Principles of Macroeconomics
GEO 231: World Regional Geography
HIS 132: Foundations of American Civilization
PSY 334: Abnormal Psychology
PSY 335: Social Psychology
MAT 132: Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry
MAT 233: Introduction to Statistics
HIS 131: Foundations of World Civilization
HIS 132: Foundations of American Civilization
HIS 230: Historical Methods
HIS 337: African American History I
HIS 339: Historical Research and Writing
12 credits in HIS Electives
HIS 436: African History
6 credits in 400-level HIS
GEO 231: World Regional Geography
6 credits in two (2) of the following HIS courses:
HIS 335, HIS 338, HIS 431, HIS 433, and/or HIS 435
A minor in history consists of a minimum of eighteen (18) credit hours.
History electives for the minor cannot include HIS 339: Historical Research and Writing or HIS 439: Internship in History
HIS 131: Foundations of World Civilization
HIS 132: Foundations of American Civilization
HIS 337: African American History I
HIS 436: African History
6 credits in HIS Electives
CAREER OPTIONS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE | CAREER OPTIONS IN HISTORY |
Homeland security | Secondary education |
Law enforcement | Museum administration |
Community corrections | Federal, state, and local government and administration |
Academic, legal, and correctional fields |
Admission to law school is normally based on personal and academic records and on the results of a student’s performance on the national Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Consequently, the Pre-law program at Stillman College helps students to broaden their view of the world, cultivate such personal qualities as honesty and integrity, and acquire and sharpen the diverse skills needed for success in law school, in a law career, and in ife. The core skills include listening ability, general research, critical reading ability, analytical skills, logical thinking, and the ability to communicate clearly,
concisely, and persuasively orally and in writing. At Stillman, a Pre-law student may select a major in a social science discipline with a number of elective courses in English, speech, and theatre, or a major in English with a number of elective courses in speech, theatre and the social sciences. Whatever the major, Pre-law students will pursue a demanding, four-year course of study in the liberal arts, which will help them acquire the knowledge and skills needed for the intense competition for admission in law school.
Courses to consider when building the Pre-law track are listed below:
All History Major Area Required Courses (total of 36 credit hours)
BUS 333: Business Law and Ethics |
ENG 235: Technical Writing |
PSC 335: American Political Theory |
SPE 236: Interpersonal Communication |
PSC 336: State and Local Government |
History and Criminal Justice majors have the option to pursue an Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) in History. The AMP is offered through Stillman College and the University of Alabama. Over five years, participants in the AMP finish the bachelor’s degree at Stillman, and the master’s degree at Alabama. The master’s degree is a graduate degree.
While at the University of Alabama, Stillman students might concentrate in any number of fields, such as American history, Religious history, History of Race, Southern history, and Gender and Women’s history. The graduate program at Alabama is nationally recognized.
The benefits to participating in the AMP are many, including:
Acceptance into the AMP requires 90 credit hours completed and a GPA at 3.7 and higher. If interested, please contact Dr. Larry Kreiser at: lkreiser@stillman.edu.
Pre-Law Association at Stillman College (PLASC)
The Pre-Law Association at Stillman College (PLASC) invites speakers to campus, supports pre-law student success, and hosts mock trial and debate initiatives that prepare students for careers in advocacy and law. Dr. Gordon A. Govens, Ph.D., J.D., the association advisor brings a unique blend of legal training, interdisciplinary scholarship, and practical experience to his role as advisor for PLASC. His expertise in constitutional law, public policy, and legal reasoning equips students with the analytical and professional skills needed for success in law school and beyond. A committed mentor and skilled educator, Dr. Govens guides students through every stage of
their pre-law journey — from intellectual preparation to career discernment.
For more information about PLASC, please contact the Chair of the Department of Social Sciences, Dr. Thomas Jennings, at tjennings@stillman.edu and/or (205) 366-8870; and Associate Professor Dr. Gordon A. Govens, Esq. at ggovens@stillman.edu and/or (205) 349-4240 ext. 8828.
Stillman Historical Association
The Stillman Historical Association is a student-centered organization at Stillman College dedicated to bringing history to life both inside and outside the classroom. Created to promote and support the History major while remaining open to students of all academic interests, the Association provides engaging opportunities to explore the past in meaningful ways. Members enjoy movie nights featuring historically themed films paired with thoughtful discussion and analysis, as well as occasional guest speakers, museum visits, and trips to historically significant sites throughout the Tuscaloosa area. Through these activities, the Stillman Historical Association encourages critical thinking, cultural awareness, and a deeper appreciation for history’s relevance to the present.
For more information about the Stillman Historical Association, please contact Dr.
Thomas Jennings at tjennings@stillman.edu and/or at (205)-366-8870.
Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) is a team trivia competition played at the level of a sport among 89 HBCU’s across the United States. Schools compete over the course of a year to be one of 32 teams invited to the National Championship Tournament for a chance to win the title and up to $100,000 in grant money for their institution! Students interested in participating as team members on the Stillman College HCASC receive credit hours for registering in HCASC courses based on their classification.
For more information about the Stillman College Honda Campus All-Star Challenge team, please contact Dr. Thomas Jennings, who serves as the trivia team coach, at tjennings@stillman.edu and/or at (205)-366-8870.
Dr. Thomas Jennings
Interim Chair and Associate Professor of History
(205)-366-8870
tjennings@stillman.edu
Dr. Larry Kreiser
Associate Professor of History
(205) 349-4240 ext. 3408
lkreiser@stillman.edu
Mr. Kennedy Offei-Nelson
Assistant Instructor of Criminal Justice
koffeinelson@stillman.edu
Phone (205)-247-8139
Dr. Gordon A. Govens, Esq. Associate Professor and Executive Director – Faith-Based and Social Justice Initiatives / Thriving Congregations Lilly Grant
ggovens@stillman.edu
(205) 349-4240 ext. 8828.
