1. BA (Criminal Justice) Career Seminar Series
Susan Leahy
School of Law

2. Overview of the Presentation
The BA (Criminal Justice)
The Seminar Series: Justifications and Outcomes
Lessons Learned

3. BA (Criminal Justice) Introduced September 2016.
Intended for those who wish to work in the criminal justice sector but not as legal professionals.
Inter-disciplinary: students study Law, Sociology, Public Administration, Politics, Psychology, Management.

4. Reasons for this Idea
Inter-disciplinary and novel nature of the programme.
Students had no core class together- no opportunity to connect with each other (or me).
Confusion about career paths: students need to think wider than just a career in policing.

5. The Potential Pitfalls
Attendance- how to make first years engage?
How to make it relevant for a first year audience.
Nature of professions involved- need to make sure students don’t drop out to join one of agencies which do not require an undergraduate degree for entry.

6. Funding Proposal Link with Strategic Plan:
Aim Broadening Horizons (strengthening undergraduate programmes)
Aim Broadening Horizons (addressing student needs).
Requested Budget:
Week 2 Lunch: 40 x €5 (€200) 4 guest speakers expenses: 4 x €100 (€400) Total requested: €600

7. The Plan
Week 2-Introductory lunch: Lunch with staff from School of Law.
Week 4: Sergeant John Flanagan, An Garda Siochana.
Week 6: Ray O’Keefe and Declan Brearty, Irish Prison Service
Week 8: Andrew Ryan, Customs, Revenue Commissioners
Week 10: Paul Scallan, Private Security Authority
Week 12: End-of-term lunch and exam preparation session.

8. Outcomes Largely full attendance for each session.
A lot was learned (by them and me) about potential careers.
Good discussions with various agencies about potential internships and/or co-op placements and good feedback on the course content.
Great opportunity to get to know the students find out their concerns

9. Lessons Learned A free lunch goes a long way!
Attendance sheets are important but follow-up is much more impactful.
It’s never too early to give students a career goal: feeding nicely into co-op placement talks in the coming weeks.

10. Conclusion Overall, a very beneficial means of engaging first years.
Relationships formed will form the basis for repeating this series of seminars each year going forward.