Academic Catalog

Criminology (CRIM)

CRIM-COMP  Senior Comprehensive Exam  
(NULL credits)  (Both Fall & Spring Semesters)  

Senior Comprehensive Examination Standardized examination covering the disciplines of criminal justice and criminology. Required for graduating seniors.

CRIM-1000  Introduction to Crime & Justice  
(3 credits)  (Both Fall & Spring Semesters)  

This course is a survey of crime and criminal justice in the U.S. Topics include measurement of crime, criminal law, and an overview of the criminal justice system (police, courts, and corrections). Emphasis is on the tension between crime control and due process concerns. (PC)

General Education Categories: Person & Community  
CRIM-3000  Criminal Law  
(3 credits)  (Spring Semester)  

This course explores the basic principles of Anglo-American criminal law, including the essential elements of a crime, crimes against the person, crimes against property, laws governing the use of force, the requirements for criminal liability, defenses to the criminal charge, and criminal punishments.

Prerequisite(s): CRIM-1000.  
CRIM-3050  Criminal Procedure  
(3 credits)  (Both Fall & Spring Semesters)  

This course covers law and policy issues relating to the application and scope of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. Topics typically covered include the right to counsel and related entitlements, the exclusionary rule, search and seizure law, and interrogation law. Students will acquire knowledge relating to constitutional law, which governs the permissible parameters of police conduct and defendants' rights, and an informed sense of how the criminal justice system actually operates.

Prerequisite(s): CRIM-1000.  
CRIM-3100  Theories of Crime & Deviance  
(3 credits)  (Spring Semester)  

This course is a survey of classical and contemporary theories of crime and deviance. It focuses on identifying the key social, developmental, and situational mechanisms involved in crime and deviance. (WC)

Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above.  
General Education Categories: Written Communication  
CRIM-3200  Crime Analysis  
(3 credits)  (Discretion of Department)  

This course provides an examination of the techniques used in tactical, strategic, and administrative crime analysis. Emphasis is on the application of crime pattern theory to problem-oriented and intelligence-led policing strategies. (VC)

General Education Categories: Visual Communication  
CRIM-3220  Religion & Crime  
(3 credits)  (Discretion of Department)  

This course is designed to introduce students to contemporary and classic research on the impact of religion on crime, deviance, and corrections. Suggested prerequisite CRIM-3100.

CRIM-3225  Criminal Investigations  
(3 credits)  (Discretion of Department)  

This course covers the fundamentals of the criminal investigation process and methods. Suggested prerequisite: CRIM-1000.

Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above.  
CRIM-3250  Policing in America  
(3 credits)  (Discretion of Department)  

This course is a sociological overview of the history, organization, and functions of American policing. Suggested prerequisite is CRIM-1000.

Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above.  
CRIM-3300  Juvenile Delinquency  
(3 credits)  (Fall Semester)  

This course includes the history of juvenile courts, developmental theories of delinquency, and the role of religion, the family, schools, and peers in delinquency causation and prevention. (WC)

Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above.  
General Education Categories: Written Communication  
CRIM-3400  The Corrections System  
(3 credits)  (Spring Semester)  

A sociological overview of the history, organization, and functions of jails, intermediate sanctions, and prisons in the U.S. Suggested prerequisite: CRIM-1000.

Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above.  
CRIM-3770  Pilot Testing Course  
(3 credits)  (Discretion of Department)  

NULL

CRIM-4200  Crime & Place  
(3 credits)  (Fall Semester)  

This course focuses on the analysis of locations that attract and repel crime, displacement of crime, and identifying and measuring crime concentrations. Suggested prerequisite: CRIM-3100.

Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above.  
CRIM-4770  Pilot Testing Course  
(3 credits)  (Discretion of Department)  

NULL

CRIM-4780  Experiential Learning Activity  
(NULL credits)  (Both Fall & Spring Semesters)  

Under supervision of a defined business professional and the program director, students will demonstrate skills and competencies of their major area of study, identify and propose solutions for real business challenges, recognize strategic issues, observe leadership styles and skills, and prepare a written and an oral report.

Prerequisite(s): Recommendation of a business department faculty member and junior or senior standing.  
CRIM-4790  Criminology Internship  
(1 credit)  (Both Fall & Spring Semesters)  

The internship provides practical experience and instruction within various field agencies relevant to students' interests in criminology. Up to four credit hours will be applied toward graduation. One academic credit will encompass 50 hours of work in the field. While internships are strongly recommended, students should consult with the department chair to determine appropriateness.

Prerequisite(s): Junior standing.