Rider University - Criminal Justice Concentration Requirements

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Criminal Justice Concentration Requirements

A criminal justice concentration is available within the minor. It is specifically designed for students interested in criminal law and the criminal justice system. Students will be exposed to varied disciplinary perspectives on crime, criminal law, and the criminal justice system. Those interested in such fields as law enforcement, probation, parole, court administration, and jury consultation/evaluation will benefit from working with faculty in various fields and from the combined theoretical and practical dimensions of the program. The concentration will help future criminal justice practitioners understand the nature of crime and delinquency, the relationships of crime, criminal law and criminal sanction to social, political and economic issues, and the legal as well as moral issues involved in crime control in a democratic society. An interdisciplinary approach will help to broaden and deepen students' understanding of the criminal justice process.

Students enrolled in the concentration will be given valuable opportunities to see how the criminal justice system operates through their fieldwork experiences in criminal justice agencies and other special programs and projects involving criminal justice practitioners. Faculty members of the law and justice program committee experienced in the field of criminal justice teach and advise students in course and career planning.

Law and Justice Minor - Legal Studies Concentration (21 semester hours)
Category I - Multi-disciplinary Approaches to Crime and Justice	9-15 Credits
Courses in this category offer diverse perspectives on crime, criminal law and the criminal justice system. At least three courses from the following: Law and Justice Interdisciplinary Courses LAW 140 Introductory Seminar in Law and Justice LAW 150 Introduction to Forensics LAW 204 Law, Literature and Film in America LAW 210 Criminal Investigations LAW 304 Women and Law LAW 305 Trial Advocacy LAW 306 Law and Justice Experience LAW 307 Criminal Justice Practice LAW 308 Conflict and Conflict Resolution LAW 310 Cyberspace Law and Policy LAW 355 Sports and the Law LAW 365 Rights of the Accused LAW 395 Selected Topics in Law and Justice LAW 401 Hate Crimes in the U.S. LAW 405 Crime and Justice in the Media LAW 490 Independent Research and Study LAW 491 Law and Justice Internship LAW 496 Honors Thesis in Law and Justice Baccalaureate Honors BHP 209 Honors Seminar: Law & the Arts BHP 322 Honors Seminar: The Guilty and the Innocent: Assessing Blame and Determining Punishment in Literature and Law Political Science POL 260 Politics of Law and Order POL 300 US Constitutional Law POL 301 Civil Liberties in the US Psychology PSY 279 Psychology and Law Sociology SOC 317 Law and Legal Profession SOC 319 Criminal Justice and Corrections

Category II - Crime and Justice Related Courses	0-6 Credits
These courses deal with crimes and criminal justice related issues that can help students understand the social, political, economic, and philosophical context of crime and the legal and social responses to it. A maximum of two courses from the following: Communication COM 251 Interpersonal Communication COM 252 Intercultural Communication COM 322 Argumentation and Debate Philosophy PHL 303 Philosophy of Law Political Science POL 235 Race and Ethnicity in American Politics POL 300 U.S. Constitutional Law POL 301 Civil Liberties in the U.S. POL 325 Public Administration POL 335 Urban Politics Psychology PSY 220 Abnormal Psychology PSY 365 Drugs and Human Behavior Sociology SOC 205 Families SOC 207 Racial and Ethnic Relations SOC 308 Cities and Suburbs SOC 317 Law and the Legal Profession SOC 340 Power and Politics SOC 350 Social Policy Baccalaureate Honors BHP 130 Honors Seminar: Law and the Arts

Category III - Theory/Application	3 Credits
These courses enable students to test their interest and capacities for law-related careers. One course from the following: LAW 305 Trial Advocacy LAW 306 Law and Justice Experience LAW 307 Criminal Justice Practice LAW 308 Conflict and Conflict Resolution Electives* LAW 490 Independent Research and Study LAW 491 Law and Justice Internship LAW 496 Honors Thesis in Law and Justice * These courses may count toward Category III only with the permission of the director of the program.

Category IV - Senior Seminar	3 Credits
LAW 450 Law and Justice Senior Seminar	3

Important Notes

No more than three courses from the same department may be counted toward the minor.
Students may take six additional credits from Category I instead of Category II.
No LAW course may be used more than once to fulfill minor requirements.

These requirements are in addition to the Core Curriculum Requirements. Please see the Academic Catalogs for more information, including course descriptions.

Disclaimer: This information is taken from a recent published version of a Rider University academic catalog or manual, though not necessarily the most recent. Please be aware that, while the University makes reasonable efforts to keep website material current and correct, this information is subject to the University's academic policy committees, relevant accreditation organizations, and (in some instances) state and federal laws and regulations. For this and other reasons it may be subject to change at any time without notice and without being immediately reflected on the Web site.