Description
The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice provides its students with the foundation for entering many diversified criminal justice related careers in corrections, courts and law, juvenile services, law enforcement, private security and victim services. The school curriculum is composed of a broad range of ideas and interests and includes courses in corrections, courts, criminology, diversity, deviant behavior and violence, juvenile delinquency, law, law enforcement, research methods and various special topics. Through the internship program, students can obtain valuable work experience within various criminal justice agencies.
Although the bachelor of science in criminology and criminal justice degree can be earned entirely on the Lincoln campus, the degree is granted by the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Degree at a Glance
Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice (120 Hours)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | 48 | |
| English Composition | 9 | |
| Social Science | 12 | |
| Natural Science and Math | 12 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts | 12 | |
| Statistics | 3 | |
| Major Requirements | 39 | |
| Concentration | 18 | |
| Electives | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Admission
Major/College Admission
Students who have been admitted to the University may apply for entrance to the College of Public Affairs and Community Service as a Pre-Criminology and Criminal Justice major by indicating their preference in the appropriate place on the University Application for Admission form.
Students who wish to transfer into the College from one of the schools or colleges within the University or from another institution must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5.
Admission Deficiencies/Removal of Deficiencies
Students with high school admission deficiencies that have been admitted to UNL may enter the College of Public Affairs and Community Service but must remove any deficiencies according to University policy. A course used to remove a high school deficiency may also apply toward a degree in the College.
Other Admission Requirements
Pre-Criminology and Criminal Justice (PCCJ)
The first 45 hours of course work is defined as the PCCJ curriculum. Entering freshmen who declare PCCJ as their major must complete all of the 45 hour PCCJ curriculum, which includes the following prerequisite courses, prior to enrolling in upper division (300/400 level) criminology and criminal justice courses. A minimum grade of C- is required in criminology and criminal justice courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRIM 101 | Survey of Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIM 251 | Research Methods | 3 |
| Select 6-9 hours of the following: | 6-9 | |
| Police and Society | ||
| The Criminal Court System | ||
| Survey of Corrections | ||
| Select 6 hours of the following: | 6 | |
| Writing and Inquiry | ||
| Writing and Argument | ||
| Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing | ||
| Introduction to Fiction Writing | ||
| Writing and Communities | ||
| Select 3-5 hours of the following: | 3-5 | |
| Intermediate Algebra | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| College Algebra and Trigonometry | ||
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
Students fulfill the remaining 19-24 hours with course work from their general requirements.
Upper Division Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRCJ)
Students seeking entrance into the upper division criminology and criminal justice program (CRCJ) apply to the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Students may apply with fewer than 45 hours if they are enrolled for the remaining hours during the semester in which they make application. In such cases, students may be granted admission contingent upon completion of the hours with a minimum grade of C- in their criminology and criminal justice courses.
Transfer Students Declaring Pre-Criminology and Criminal Justice
Students wishing to transfer from another institution or department within the University of Nebraska must have a 2.5 cumulative grade point average to declare pre-criminology and criminal justice. Transfer students must complete the PCCJ curriculum stipulated above and apply for admission to the upper division CRCJ program. Students wishing to transfer are encouraged to contact the school for more details on the transfer policy.
The policies set out above are intended to apply to all students who seek admission to the upper division CRCJ program. For good cause shown, the school has the discretion to make exceptions to the admission policy.
College Requirements
Acceptability of credits
The student should refer all questions concerning the acceptability of credits earned in programs such as Cooperative Education and Credit by Examination to the department in which enrolled. Credit earned in courses below the 100 level may not be applied toward the degree offered by the College of Public Affairs and Community Service.
Prerequisite Courses
Completion of a course within the major with a grade below a C- will not be considered as having fulfilled prerequisite requirements for additional courses taken in the major field of study. A higher grade may be designated by the department/school.
Grade Appeals Procedure
Students who wish to appeal a grade which they feel was capriciously or prejudicially given shall first discuss the matter with the instructor within 30 days of the final course grade being posted. If the matter is not resolved, the student must meet with the department/school chairperson. If a satisfactory agreement cannot be reached, the student must appeal, in writing, to the department/school curriculum committee. If a satisfactory agreement cannot be reached, the student may submit a written appeal to the Office of the Dean within 20 working days of the exhaustion of the departmental procedures.
The Committee on Academic Standards and Curriculum for the College of Public Affairs and Community Service is the official body for handling the appeal.
In the event that the instructor is unavailable for handling a grade complaint, the student will meet with the school director and the dean to determine the most appropriate course of action agreeable to all parties.
Copies of the CPACS Procedures for Student Grades and Suspension Appeals are available from the chair of the Committee on Academic Standards and Curriculum for the College and the Office of the Dean.
Graduation Requirements
Degree Audit and Application for Degree
Students are expected to develop a clear understanding of degree requirements and to plan their course of study with a College advisor. Students requiring clarification of outstanding degree requirements should visit with a College advisor promptly.
Students should access their Degree Audit via MyRed at least once each term to review degree requirements and progress toward graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure their Degree Audit accurately reflects their current College and program of study.
Students who believe their Degree Audit has errors or omissions should visit with a College advisor promptly. It is important that you resolve these matters as soon as practicable to avoid a delay in graduation.
Each student with MyRED access must submit an online Application for Graduation via MyRED for each degree to be received by:
- The last Friday in January for May graduation
- The last Friday in June for August graduation
- The last Friday in September for December graduation
Students submitting an electronic Application for Graduation via MyRed will be billed a $25.00 per degree fee on their student account. Those students without MyRED access may apply for graduation in person at the Office of the University Registrar, 107 Canfield Administration Building or by mail. Applications for Graduation submitted in person or by mail must be accompanied by a check or money order in the amount of $25.00 payable to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Failure to submit a timely Application for Graduation may preclude the awarding of a degree in the intended term.
Your Application for Graduation and required $25.00 fee are good only for the term marked on your application. Neither your application nor your fee are transferrable to another term. If you submit an Application for Graduation and pay the $25.00 fee for a specified term but do not complete your degree requirements in that term, you will need to reapply to graduate in a future term and incur another $25.00 fee.
Commencement ceremony information will be emailed to all degree applicants approximately one month before graduation. Each student who has applied for graduation must submit an online Commencement Attendance Form via MyRED, which will be available when the informational email is distributed.
Only those students who have applied for graduation, had the application accepted, and fulfilled all degree requirements as of the last day of the academic term may participate in the commencement ceremony for that term. Because the University of Nebraska–Lincoln has a commencement for each term, ceremony participation is allowed only in the term during which the student has properly and timely applied for graduation and fulfilled degree requirements.
College Requirements
College Admission
College Admission
Students who have been admitted to the University may apply for entrance to the College of Public Affairs and Community Service during initial registration by indicating their preference in the appropriate place on the University Application for Admission form.
Students who wish to transfer into the College from another institution or one of the schools or colleges within the University must present a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 to transfer into the College.
Students who wish to readmit to the College must also have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.
Admission Deficiencies/Removal of Deficiencies
Students with high school admission deficiencies that have been admitted to UNL may enter the College of Public Affairs and Community Service but must remove any deficiencies according to University policy. A course used to remove a high school deficiency may also apply toward a degree in the College.
College Degree Requirements
Achievement-Centered Education (ACE)
All students on the Lincoln campus must fulfill the Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) requirements. The 30-hour ACE requirement will include a minimum of 3 hours of approved course work in each of the 10 designated Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) student learning outcome areas which can be viewed at http://ace.unl.edu. Students will be provided a list of courses they can select from to meet each of the 10 ACE Student Learning Outcomes.
Foreign Languages/Language Requirement
Students in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service who have completed the University of Nebraska high school admission requirement of two years in the same language will not be required to complete additional language for their degree.
Minimum Hours Required for Graduation
Each candidate must present a total of at least 120 semester hours of college credit to meet graduation requirements.
Grade Rules
C- and D Grades
A minimum grade of at least C- must be earned in all required courses within the major, unless a higher grade is designated by the department/school. Completion of a course within the major with a grade below a C- will not be considered as having fulfilled prerequisite requirements for additional courses taken in the major field of study. A higher grade may be designated by the department/school.
Pass/No Pass Limits
See individual school/department limitations regarding Pass/No Pass.
GPA Requirements
Each candidate for the degree must attain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. A minimum grade of at least C- must be earned in all required courses within the major, unless a higher grade is designated by the department/school. All grades reported by the faculty to the registrar become a part of the student’s permanent record and are included in the computation of the grade point average, even though some of these grades may be for work done in excess of the 120 hours required for graduation.
Transfer Credit Rules
The transfer of D grades in non-major courses are accepted only from within the University of Nebraska system. Students from other institutions must present a grade of C- or above for all course work.
Generally, hours earned at an accredited college are accepted by the University, however, the college will evaluate all hours submitted for transfer to determine applicability toward the degree. A maximum of 64 hours may be transferred from a two-year college and a maximum of 90 hours from a four-year institution.
Course Level Requirements (Hour Requirement 300+)
Individual departments/schools should be consulted for the minimum number of upper division hours required.
Residency
Thirty of the last 36 hours required for the degree must be registered for and carried within the University of Nebraska system.
Independent Study and Internship Rules
Individual schools/departments should be consulted for rules regarding independent study and internship credit applicable to majors or minors.
Catalog Rule
Choice of Catalog Policy
A student registering in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service for the first time may, except for limitations described below, complete work for the degree according to the requirements of
- the catalog in effect the year the student enters CPACS, or
- the catalog current at the time the student applies for the degree.
Students entering the College for the first time in the summer will be subject to the catalog for the academic year immediately following.
Students formerly in a CPACS program who drop out of the College for one year must complete requirements of the catalog current at the time of readmission.
Failure to complete the requirements for the degree within seven years after the date the student first enters the College will subject the student to graduation under the requirements of a later catalog to be approved by the Dean.
The College reserves the right to institute and make effective, after due notice, during the course of a student’s work toward a degree, any new ruling which may be necessary for the general good of the College and to substitute courses currently offered for those no longer offered.
Major Requirements
Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice (BSCCJ)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| English Composition (9 hours) | ||
| Select 3-6 hours of the following (fulfills ACE 1): | 3-6 | |
| Writing and Inquiry | ||
| Writing and Argument | ||
| Select at least three credits at the 200 level or above from the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing | ||
| Introduction to Fiction Writing | ||
| Writing and Communities | ||
| Writing: Uses of Literacy | ||
| Acceptable alternatives must be approved by the student's advisor. | ||
| Social Science (12 hours) | ||
| Complete 12 hours with no more than 6 hours from any one department. Select from nonphysical anthropology, economics, gerontology, history, nonphysical geography, political science, psychology, sociology, social work or selected courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Human Development and the Family | ||
| Development of the Preschool Child | ||
| Infancy | ||
| Family Science | ||
| Dating and Couple Relationships | ||
| Fundamentals of Child Development for Education | ||
| Fundamentals of Adolescent Development for Education | ||
| Child Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Adolescence | ||
| Introduction to Applied Behavior Anaysis | ||
| Introduction to Ethnic Studies | ||
| Introduction to African American Studies | ||
| Introduction to Native American Studies | ||
| Introduction to Latina and/or Latino Studies | ||
| Introduction to Africa | ||
| Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies | ||
| Natural Sciences and Mathematics (12 hours) | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-5 | |
| Intermediate Algebra | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| College Algebra and Trigonometry | ||
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Select one natural science with lab course from ACE 4 | ||
| Select additional courses from the following disciplines: astronomy, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science (CSCE labs do not fulfil the lab requirement), entomology, geology, math (above MATH 101), meteorology, physics or selected courses from the following: | ||
| Biotechnology: Food, Health and Environment | ||
| Plant Science | ||
| Basics of Biological Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Archaeology | ||
| Introduction to Biological Anthropology | ||
| Energy in Perspective | ||
| Introduction to Energy Systems | ||
| Science, Systems, Environment and Sustainability | ||
| Introduction to Forensic Science | ||
| Introduction to Forensic Science Laboratory | ||
| Elements of Physical Geography | ||
| Geography of the United States | ||
| Earth's Natural Resource Systems Laboratory | ||
| The Science of Food | ||
| Molds and Man | ||
| Brain & Behavior | ||
| Humanities and Fine Arts (12 hours) | ||
| Complete 12 hours with no more than 8 hours from any one department. | ||
| Select one 3-hour course from ACE 5 | 3 | |
| Select one 3-hour course from ACE 7 | 3 | |
| Select an additional course from art and art history, classics, communication, dance, English literature, foreign languages, journalism, music, philosophy, religion, or theatre. | 3 | |
| Select one of the following (fulfills ACE 2): | 3 | |
| Communication in the 21st Century | ||
| Fundamentals of Human Communication | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Business and Professional Communication | ||
| Statistics (3 hours) | ||
| Select only one of the following (fulfills ACE 3): 1 | 3 | |
| Applied Statistics and Data Processing in the Public Sector (recommended) | ||
| Statistical Methods | ||
| Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Social Research II | ||
| Introduction to Statistics | ||
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 48 | |
| Specific Major Requirements | ||
| Criminology and Criminal Justice Requirements (39 hours) | ||
| CRIM 101 | Survey of Criminal Justice (fulfills ACE 6 requirement) | 3 |
| CRIM 251 | Research Methods | 3 |
| Select 6-9 hours of the following: | 6-9 | |
| Police and Society | ||
| The Criminal Court System | ||
| Survey of Corrections | ||
| After admission to the Upper Division Program students must complete a minimum of 21 hours of upper division CRCJ courses including: | 21 | |
| Criminology | ||
| Criminal Procedure | ||
| Include one ACE 10 course in the major. Internship is recommended: 2 | ||
| CRIM 397 | Internship in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Students must register for and complete senior assessment in the semester they plan to graduate. | ||
| Senior Assessment | ||
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 39 | |
| Concentration Requirement (18 hours) | ||
| Students select an area of concentration in consultation with their advisor. At least 12 credit hours must be completed in upper division courses (300/400 level). Students who wish to integrate a minor into their program should work closely with their CRCJ advisor. | 18 | |
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 18 | |
| Electives (15 hours) | ||
| Students may select electives in consultation with their advisor. Elective courses may include criminology and criminal justice courses. | 15 | |
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 15 | |
| ACE 8 and ACE 9 | ||
| Students must include an ACE 8 (Ethical Principles, Civics and Stewardship) course and an ACE 9 (Global Awareness/Diversity) course somewhere within the program. | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
| 1 | Only one of these basic statistics courses may apply to the degree. CRIM 300 Applied Statistics and Data Processing in the Public Sector will not apply toward the 39 hours of CRCJ in the major area. |
| 2 | Criminal Justice Internships are coordinated by the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Participation in the internship requires admission to the upper-division CRCJ program or CRCJ minor, 75 earned hours and a GPA of 2.5. |
NOTE: Credit toward the degree may be earned in only one of the following: CRIM 251 Research Methods or SOCI 205 Introduction to Social Research I, CRIM 337 Juvenile Delinquency or SOCI 311 Sociology of Juvenile Delinquency, CRIM 413 Sociology of Deviant Behavior or SOCI 474 Sociology of Deviance.
Additional Major Requirements
Achievement-Centered Education (ACE)
Criminology and criminal justice students on the UNL campus must fulfill the Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) requirements. The 30-hour ACE requirement will include a minimum of 3 hours of approved course work in each of the 10 designated Achievement-Centered Education student learning outcome areas which can be viewed at http://ace.unl.edu. Students will be provided a list of courses they can select from to meet each of the 10 ACE Student Learning Outcomes.
Courses required for the BSCCJ degree will also fulfill ACE requirements. Students should work with their advisor to carefully review course work with ACE options to make the best use of courses to fulfill both degree requirements as well as their ACE requirements.
Other Restrictions/Rules
- The BSCCJ degree requires the completion of 120 semester hours of credit. A minimum of 30 of the last 36 credit hours must be earned by the student in residence within the University of Nebraska system.
- At least 21 hours of criminology and criminal justice must be taken at the University of Nebraska.
- A maximum of 30 hours from any one department may be applied toward the BSCCJ degree.
- A maximum of 6 credit hours for basic military training is applicable to the BSCCJ degree.
Grade Rules
C- and D Grades
A minimum grade of C- is required in criminology and criminal justice courses used as part of the 39-hour major requirement.
Pass/No Pass
A maximum of 24 hours may be taken Pass/No Pass and none of the 39 hours required for the criminology and criminal justice major may be taken Pass/No Pass (with the exception of CRIM 397 Internship in Criminal Justice and CRIM 496 Issues in Crime and Justice).
Independent Study and Internship Credit Rules
A maximum of 12 credit hours of departmental independent study or internship courses may be applied toward the BSCCJ degree. Of these, no more than 6 hours from one department and no more than 6 hours from another institution.
Requirements for Minor Offered by Department
Criminology and Criminal Justice Minor
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRIM 101 | Survey of Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Police and Society | ||
| The Criminal Court System | ||
| Survey of Corrections | ||
| Select three upper level (300/400) CRCJ courses 1 | 9 | |
| 1 | CRIM 300 Applied Statistics and Data Processing in the Public Sector is excluded. |
An overall C average in courses applied to the minor is required and all courses must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of CRIM 397 Internship in Criminal Justice and CRIM 496 Issues in Crime and Justice). In addition, all 9 credit hours of upper division CRCJ course work must be taken in residence at the University of Nebraska.
Description: The justice process and the criminal justice system in general. Concepts of crime, deviance and justice, and general theories of crime causality. Individual rights in a democratic society and the legal definitions of various crimes. Law enforcement, judicial, juvenile justice and corrections subsystems explored and a number of reform proposals presented.
Prerequisites: CRIM 101.
Description: The role of the police in American society. Origins of policing, the nature of police organizations and police work, and patterns of relations between the police and the public.
Prerequisites: CRIM 101.
Description: Analysis of the structure and function of the criminal court system in the United States, including the roles of prosecutor, defender, judge, jury, and court administrator. Issues confronting the system considered from historical, philosophical, sociological, and psychological perspectives. Ideals of the system compared with actual functioning and court reform proposals.
Prerequisites: CRIM 101.
Description: History and evolution of the corrections process. Covers all aspects of institutional and community-based corrections.
Prerequisites: CRIM 101 or permission.
Description: Introduction to the principles, methods and techniques of empirical social research.
Prerequisites: MATH 101 or 1320 (UNO) or instructor permission
Credit toward the degree may be earned in only one of: CRIM 300 or ECON 215 or EDPS 459 or SOCI 206 or STAT 218.
Description: Basic statistics of public sector research and public administration decision making. Data processing techniques as they relate to statistical analysis and on understanding the proper application of statistics.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or Crim 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Philosophical examination of justice and its administration. Provides the student with a richer understanding of the conceptual foundations of justice.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: The means by which society attempts to use criminal law to prevent harm to society. Acts which are declared criminal and the punishment prescribed for committing those acts. Philosophies and rationales that have shaped current day substantive criminal law. English Common Law and the historic evolution of substantive criminal law from its early origins.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: General survey of the nature of causes of crime and efforts of the criminal justice system to predict, prevent, modify, and correct this behavior.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission.
Criminal justice 337 and SOCI 311 cannot both be applied toward the degree.
Description: How delinquents and juveniles in need of supervision are handled within the juvenile justice system. The nature and extent of delinquent behavior status offenses, child abuse and neglect; theories of delinquency and their implications for intervention; cultural and social factors related to delinquency; as well as the philosophy by and functioning of the juvenile justice system.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Survey of minority groups and criminal justice in the United States. Racial minorities as victims of crime, as offenders, as defendants, and as criminal justice professionals.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Women's experiences as victims of crime, as offenders, as defendants, and as criminal justice professionals.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Legal aspects of the investigation and arrest processes as well as the rules governing the admissibility of evidence in court.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major or CRCJ minor, 75 credit hours completed, GPA of 2.5 and instructor permission.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.
Description: Job-related experience in a criminal justice agency and permission to enroll must be received from the student's adviser each semester.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Contemporary concepts, principles, and theories of organization and administration as they relate to criminal justice agencies. Historical development and modern practices of public policy.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Examines ethical issues that arise in the three major areas of criminal justice: police, courts, and corrections. General philosophical theories of ethics as well as Codes of Ethics that operate to control the institutional and personal behavior of police, courts and correctional systems.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission.
Criminal justice 413 and SOCI 474 cannot both be applied toward the degree.
Description: Investigates the etiology of many forms of norm-violating conduct. Rule-breaking behavior as defined by the criminal statutes.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: In-depth analysis of the history and operation of prisons and jails in the United States and other countries. Management and operation of prisons and jails from the perspective of both employees and incarcerated persons.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: For advanced students with a special interest in the correctional process as applied in a community setting. Innovative community-based strategies for dealing with the offender as well as on the processes of probation and parole.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Socially constructed nature of drugs and drug policy, focusing on the variety of ways drugs and crime are connected and the socio-historical context of contemporary US drug policy.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission.
Description: This course is a survey of the nature and extent of violence. The focus is on patterns of violence across social groups, the causes and correlates of violence and violent behavior, and programs/policies geared toward violence prevention and reduction. Also of interest is the relationship between theory and violence research.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Focuses on American youth street gangs. Topics include history of gangs, gang and gang member characteristics, gang life and strategies of gang control. Link between youth street gangs, prison gangs and other deviant collectivities will be explored.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor and instructor permission
Study abroad required.
Description: Specialized course which provides a comparison of the criminal justice systems of the United States and the United kingdom. Allows for an exploration of how the American system developed from the British system and why social and cultural factors influenced the differences/similarities in their development.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Analyzes the dynamics of criminality and the social response to criminality across countries. Differences in crime and justice between developed and developing countries and between socialist and capitalist nations.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Development of an understanding of terrorism as a political crime. Examines social, political, and psychological aspects of this behavior.
Prerequisites: CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Traces the origins and historical development of the activities that have come to be known as "organized crime." These crimes are some of the most dangerous to American society and range from the commonly known offenses of gambling, racketeering, and narcotics trafficking to the more subtle and sophisticated, less understood but equally serious, crimes of extortion, commercial bribery, and political corruption.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission
Description: Illegal acts committed by nonphysical means and by concealment or guile, to obtain money or property, to avoid the payment or loss of money or property, or to obtain business or personal advantage.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or permission.
Description: Analysis of contemporary special problems in the broad spectrum of criminal justice.
Prerequisites: Admission into upper division criminal justice program, 24 hours of criminal justice credit, and permission
Description: Faculty-guided research in an area of mutual interest to the student and the instructor. Students are responsible for selecting the area of inquiry prior to contacting the instructor.
Prerequisites: Upper-division CRIM major or minor, or instructor permission
Description: Capstone course will focus on contemporary issues of crime and justice. Justice process and the general operations of the criminal justice system. Concepts of crime and deviance, individual rights, and discrimination in a democratic society will be reviewed and critiqued against the backdrop of contemporary issues. Law enforcement, judicial, juvenile justice, and corrections subsystems. Number of reform proposals presented and considered.
Description: Independent research project supervised by department/school faculty.
Description: Part of the department's Student Outcomes Assessment effort. Designed to monitor the department's performance and to identify changes needed.
Prerequisites: Admission to graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice, successful completion of 15 hours of graduate work, and permission of instructor
CRIM 818 is not open to nondegree students.
Description: Designed to provide supervised individualized learning experiences in a selected criminal justice agency. The principal objective of the internship is to provide students with the opportunity to apply theoretical and methodological principles acquired in graduate courses to the analysis of problems in local criminal justice agencies.
Description: For advanced students with a special interest in the correctional process as applied in a community setting. Innovative community-based strategies for dealing with the offender as well as on the processes of probation and parole.
Prerequisites: Upper Division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRIM 101 and junior/senior standing; or instructor permission.
Description: This course is a survey of the nature and extent of violence. The focus is on patterns of violence across social groups, the causes and correlates of violence and violent behavior, and programs/policies geared toward violence prevention and reduction. Also of interest is the relationship between theory and violence research.
Description: Analysis of contemporary special problems in the broad spectrum of criminal justice.
Bachelor of Science
4-Year Plan
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| CRIM 101 | Survey of Criminal Justice | 3 |
| ENGL 150 or ENGL 151 |
Writing and Inquiry or Writing and Argument |
3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Intermediate Algebra | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| College Algebra and Trigonometry | ||
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Social Science | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Police and Society | ||
| The Criminal Court System | ||
| Survey of Corrections | ||
| ENGL 150 or ENGL 151 |
Writing and Inquiry or Writing and Argument |
3 |
| Humanities & Arts (ACE 5 or ACE 7) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| CRIM 251 | Research Methods | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing | ||
| Introduction to Fiction Writing | ||
| Writing and Communities | ||
| Social Science | 3 | |
| Natural Science | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Police and Society | ||
| The Criminal Court System | ||
| Survey of Corrections | ||
CRIM 300/400 level |
||
| CRIM 300/400 level | 3 | |
| Statistics (ACE 3) | 3 | |
| Concentration/Minor | 3 | |
| Select one of the following (ACE 2): | 3 | |
| Communication in the 21st Century | ||
| Fundamentals of Human Communication | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Business and Professional Communication | ||
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| CRIM 335 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRIM 300/400 level | 3 | |
| Concentration/Minor | 3 | |
| Natural Science with lab (ACE 4) | 4 | |
| Elective | 2 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CRIM 351 | Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| CRIM 300/400 level | 3 | |
| Concentration/Minor 300 or 400 level | 3 | |
| Social Science | 3 | |
| Humanities & Arts | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| CRIM 300/400 level | 3 | |
| CRIM 397 | Internship in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Natural Science | 3 | |
| Concentration/Minor 300 or 400 level | 3 | |
| Concentration/Minor 300 or 400 level | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CRIM 397 or CRIM 496 |
Internship in Criminal Justice (ACE 10) or Issues in Crime and Justice |
3 |
| Social Science | 3 | |
| Concentration/Minor 300 or 400 level | 3 | |
| Humanities & Arts (ACE 5 or ACE 7) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| CRIM 499 | Senior Assessment | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
PLEASE NOTE
This document represents a sample 4-year plan for degree completion with this major. Actual course selection and sequence may vary and should be discussed individually with your college or department academic advisor. Advisors also can help you plan other experiences to enrich your undergraduate education such as internships, education abroad, undergraduate research, learning communities, and service learning and community-based learning.