Courses

The 18 credits in this minor allow you to delve into the foundational concepts of criminal justice, as well as explore supporting topics and specializations within the field.

You must complete 6 of these 18 credits at the 400 level. A grade of "C" or better is required in all courses that you take to fulfill requirements for the minor.

Course List — Undergraduate Minor in Criminal Justice

Prescribed Courses (12 credits)
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Introduction to Criminal Justice	CRIMJ 100	Overview of the criminal justice system, including legal foundations, processing and correction of offenders, extent and types of crime, victims.	3 credits
Policing in America	CRIMJ 210	Police organization and operations in America. Prerequisite or concurrent: CRIMJ 100	3 credits
Courts and the Prosecution Process	CRIMJ 220	Purpose and function of criminal courts in society, organization, jurisdiction and staffing, prosecution, adjudication, and sentencing of offenders. Prerequisite: CRIMJ 100	3 credits
Corrections in America	CRIMJ 230	Punishment and treatment of sentenced offenders, correctional institution organization, staffing, inmates, and subcultures.	3 credits

Supporting Courses and Related Areas (6 credits; choose two)
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Sociology of Deviance	CRIM/SOC 406	Theory and research concerning deviant behaviors and lifestyles viewed as significant departures from a group's normative expectations.	3 credits
Police Administration	CRIMJ 408	Principles of administration as they relate to a police organization, and policy development. Prerequisite: CRIMJ 100 or CRIM 100 and CRIMJ 210	3 credits
Racial and Ethnic Inequality in America	AFAM/SOC 409	The impact of inequality and discrimination on individual and group identity among various racial and ethnic groups.	3 credits
Alternatives to Incarceration	CRIMJ 430	Control and treatment of offenders in the community, probation and parole organizations, diversion programs, innovative sentences, supervision techniques. Prerequisite: CRIMJ 100, and CRIMJ 113, and CRIMJ 230, or permission of program	3 credits
Border Security	CRIMJ 435	This course provides knowledge about government organizations charged with American border security, guiding laws, and policies. Prerequisite: Sixth-semester standing	3 credits
The Juvenile Justice System	CRIMJ 441	Historical and contemporary view of juvenile justice system. Focus on analyzing components of the system, their interactions, processing, and handling of youths. Prerequisite: CRIMJ 100	3 credits
Senior Seminar	CRIMJ 450W	Capstone course exploring past, current and future developments in criminal justice. Prerequisite: CRIMJ 100 or CRIM 100 and sixth-semester standing or permission of program	3 credits
Ethics in Criminal Justice	CRIMJ 465	Ethical behavior in the criminal justice system. Prerequisite: CRIMJ 100 or permission of the program	3 credits

Course Availability

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