Undergraduate Program
The Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice offers both a campus-based and fully online pathway toward its bachelor degree and undergraduate certificates in Criminal Behavior and Criminal Law and Justice. The Criminology and Criminal Justice undergraduate programs seek to educate students about the causes, consequences, prevention, and control of criminal and law-violating activity at multiple levels of analysis. Our undergraduate curriculum focuses on (1) criminology and criminal justice theories and empirical research addressing the role of individuals, families, communities, and society in the production and prevention of crime, (2) the justice system’s function in controlling crime, and (3) a critical analysis of the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of related policies and practices. Educational experiences facilitated inside and outside of class help promote students’ long term professional success by developing their capacity for critical reasoning, problem-solving, and effective communication.
Criminology & Criminal Justice is an interdisciplinary major, a fact demonstrated by the diverse backgrounds of our full-time and part-time faculty. Students graduating from our program have a wide range of choices when they look for employment or post-graduate education. Recent graduates have found jobs in law enforcement (e.g., police officer, immigration, crime analyst), courts (e.g., victim advocate, administration), corrections (e.g., parole officer, facility management), human services (e.g., offender counseling, child welfare), and crime prevention (e.g., neighborhood crime prevention specialist, private security). Other alumni from our program have gone on to pursue advanced degrees in such areas as law, criminal justice, psychology, social work, public administration, and urban planning.
Criminal Law & Justice Undergraduate Certificate
This certificate is designed for students who have a specific interest in understanding criminal law and in developing legal skills for careers within and related to the criminal justice system. It provides an opportunity for students to focus on how the content, practice and enforcement of criminal law impacts individuals and society, particularly though the structure and function of the criminal justice system. Students will gain insights into the practical application of both research and criminological theory to the law and criminal justice policy and practice. Throughout the program, the concept of “equal justice under the law” will be examined from diverse perspectives in the context of the criminal law-making, enforcement, and imposition of criminal punishments. Students are able to tailor the electives to focus on specific subject areas within criminal justice policy and practice that is most relevant to their career goals and interests.
Requirements
The Criminal Law & Justice certificate is made up of 24 credits, consisting of three Criminal Law & Practice courses and three Criminal Justice System courses. No more than one certificate course (4 credits) may be satisfied by transfer credit.
All core and elective courses submitted to satisfy the requirements for the certificate, whether taken at PSU or elsewhere, must be passed with a grade of “C-” or above. Courses taken under the undifferentiated grading option (pass/no pass) will not be accepted toward fulfilling department major requirements. The certificate requirements are:
Criminal Law & Practice (12 credits)
Required Courses (8 credits)
Electives (4 credits)
One upper division course:
CCJ Majors seeking this certificate may not choose
CCJ 317 as an elective toward this certificate because this course is already required for the CCJ bachelor’s degree.
Criminal Justice System (12 credits)
Required Course (4 credits)
| CCJ 200 | Criminology and Criminal Justice | 4 |
Electives (8 credits)
Two upper or lower division courses:
CCJ Majors seeking this certificate may not choose
CCJ 230,
CCJ 240,
CCJ 320U,
CCJ 330U as an electives toward this certificate because these courses are required for the CCJ bachelor’s degree.
Total Credit Hours: 24