Skip to main content
College of Health and Human Services »

School of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Emergency Management

Information » Programs » CRJU Courses »

Courses - CRJU Graduate Level

501. Proseminar and Professional Writing in Criminology and Criminal Justice (3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to Criminal Justice master's students; all other students must have consent of Graduate Advisor.
Overview of graduate study in criminology and criminal justice, focusing multidisciplinary library research for evaluating primary sources used at the graduate level; locating statistical data; and exploring research ideas presented by faculty, students, and guests.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 584 or CRJU 551. Letter grade only (A-F).

504. Criminological Theory (3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to criminal justice masters students; all other students must have consent from the Graduate Advisor.
Exploration of theories and policy implication of crime. Political, social, and economic context will be used to explore the ecology of criminal behavior. Underpinnings of criminological theory are traced through history by focusing on connection to biology, psychology, and sociology.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 581. Letter grade only (A-F).

520. Advanced Criminal Justice Research Methods (3)

Prerequisites: CRJU 320 and CRJU 325 or comparable undergraduate research methods and statistics courses approved by the Graduate Advisor. Restricted to Criminal Justice masters students; all other students must have consent from Graduate Advisor.
An in-depth exploration of the scientific methods used in criminology and criminal justice research, including research design and both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Special attention is paid to the ethics of human subjects research.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 583. Letter grade only (A-F).

525. Advanced Statistics for Criminal Justice (3)

Prerequisite: CRJU 320 and CRJU 325 or comparable undergraduate research methods and statistics courses approved by the Graduate Advisor. Restricted to Criminal Justice masters students; all other students must have consent from Graduate Advisor.
Nonparametric, bivariate, and multivariate inferential statistics that are used for quantitative data analysis by criminal justice researchers and practitioners.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 582. Letter grade only (A-F).

530. Criminal Justice Ethics, Values, and Diversity (3)

Prerequisites: Open to Criminal Justice master's students only. All others require consent of the Criminal Justice Graduate Advisor.
Identifies and explores ethics and values in the criminal justices system, paying special attention to issues of social inequality. Discusses remedial strategies and behavior relating to unethical behavior from an individual and group perspective.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 512. Letter grade only (A-F).

535. Criminal Justice Policy (3)

Prerequisites: CRJU 504, CRJU 520, and CRJU 525.
Critical evaluation of policy-oriented scholarly literature in criminology and criminal justice, focusing on contemporary literature related to the philosophical, social, political, and legal policy issues affecting the American criminal justice system.
Letter grade only (A-F).

540. Substantive Criminal Law (3)

Prerequisites: Consent of Criminal Justice Graduate Advisor.
Analysis of the historical development of criminal law and the underlying principles used to interpret it. Focuses on statutory construction and case law deconstruction of the elements and defenses to major crimes, and the public policy implications of these interpretations.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRJU 340. Letter grade only (A-F).

550. Constitutional Criminal Procedure (3)

Prerequisites: Consent of Criminal Justice Graduate Advisor.
A study of criminal procedures mandated by the U.S. Constitution emphasizing searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment; interrogations and confessions under the Fifth Amendment; the Sixth Amendment right to counsel; and due process under the Fourteenth Amendment
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRJU 350. Letter grade only (A-F).

555. Law, Justice, and Social Control (3)

Prerequisites: CRJU 340 or CRJU 540 or equivalent undergraduate course in criminal law as approved by Graduate Advisor; and CRJU 350 or CRJU 550 or equivalent undergraduate course in criminal procedure as approved by Graduate Advisor.
Evaluation of the ways in which society responds, both informally and formally, to criminal and non-criminal deviance. Special attention is paid the role of the U.S. Constitution in limiting the exercise of formal social control.
Letter grade only (A-F).

604. Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Criminal Justice (3)

Prerequisites: Open to Criminal Justice master's students only. All others require consent of the Criminal Justice Graduate Advisor.
Set against the background of our global community, an examination of the relationship between the historical and contemporary motivations and goals of terrorism, United States Homeland Security and select aspects of the United States criminal justice systems.
Letter grade only (A-F).

605. Crime Analysis (4)

Prerequisites: CRJU 504 and CRJU 525.
Examines the fundamentals of crime analysis with emphasis on crime mapping, criminal network analysis, and crime prevention. The laboratory portion applies hands-on computational techniques to different types of crime data.
(3 hours seminar, 1 hour activity)

608. Serial Killers and Psychopaths: The Pyschology of the Criminal Mind (3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to criminal justice master's students; all other students must have consent from the Graduate Advisor.
Integrative examination of the intersection of criminal behavior and severe psychopathology using psychodynamic, behavioral, psychosocial, and neurobiological models. Particular attention is paid to understanding homicide and sex offenses committed by those diagnosed with psychopathy, schizophrenia, and antisocial personality disorder.

609/409. Drugs and the Drug War (3)

Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in CRJU 501 and 504 or permission of instructor.
This course engages with the theoretical foundations of drug use and U.S. drug war. The impacts and effectiveness of prohibition, treatment, prevention, interdiction, and harm reduction are assessed. Global policies (e.g., Western Europe, Afghanistan, and South America) are integrated throughout.
Letter grade only (A-F). Not open for credit to students with credit in CRJU 409 or 460.

621. Administration and Management of Criminal Justice Organizations (3)

Prerequisites: Open to Criminal Justice master's students only. All others require consent of the Criminal Justice Graduate Advisor.
Introduction to the management of criminal justice agencies in the U.S. Examines the purposes, goals, and functions of administrative principles from a multidisciplinary systems perspective to develop both a theoretical and practical understanding of criminal justice leadership and management.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 621. Letter grade only (A-F).

631. Legal Issues in Criminal Justice (3)

Prerequisites: Open to Criminal Justice master's students only. All others require consent of the Criminal Justice Graduate Advisor.
Analysis of current and controversial legal issues in the criminal justice system focusing on controversial decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 551. Letter grade only (A-F).

640. Criminalistics: Forensic Science in the Crime Laboratory (3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to criminal justice masters students only; all others require consent of the Graduate Advisor.
Overview of general principles of forensic science, techniques, equipment, and methodologies as used in crime laboratories. Focus on fingerprint and firearm identification, trace evidence (hair, fiber, paint, glass), blood, DNA evidence, forensic document examination, crime scene kits, and forensic microscopy.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 562. Letter grade only (A-F). Undergraduate students register for CRJU 440; graduate students for CRJU 640.

641. Investigating High-Tech Crimes (3)

Prerequisite: Open to Criminal Justice master's students only. All others require consent of the Criminal Justice Graduate Advisor.
Overview of general classification, devices, microscopy, and methodologies in
investigating high-tech crimes. Focuses on counterfeiting and fraud related to U.S. currency, credit card, checks, driver's licenses, social security cards, DVS/CD, cable TV box/satellite TV cards, and computer-based "cybercrimes."
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 563. Letter grade only (A-F).

642. Forensic Psychology and the Criminal Justice System (3)

Prerequisites: Open to Criminal Justice master's students only. All others require consent of the Criminal Justice Graduate Advisor.
An interdisciplinary examination of the relationship between psychiatry, clinical psychology, and the criminal justice system with regard to mentally-ill criminal offenders. Focus is on the legal standards for determining various criminal competencies, insanity, diminished capacity, and related defenses of excuse.
Letter grade only (A-F).

643. Forensic Pathology and the Medical-Legal Investigation of Death (3)

Prerequisite: Open to Criminal Justice master's students only. All others require consent of the Criminal Justice Graduate Advisor.
A multimedia examination of the medico-legal investigation of death. Focuses on thanatology and thanato-etiology of unexpected natural deaths, accidental deaths, suicides, and homicides. Special attention to deaths by gunshot wound, sharp force injury, blunt force trauma, asphyxiation, and electrocution.
Letter grade only (A-F). Field trips may be required.

661. Sex, Sexuality, Crime, and Punishment (3)

Prerequisites: Open to criminal justice master's students only.
Transdisciplinary and critical examination of the accepted boundaries of human sexual behavior and opposing perspectives regarding the roles of criminal justice actors and institutions in regulating sex and sexuality, with special attention paid to sex-related crimes, offenders, and victims.

670. Qualitative Approaches to Criminal Justice Research (3)

Prerequisite: CRJU 504.
Qualitative research methodologies for studying criminal behavior and criminal justice system participants. Students will develop, implement, analyze, and write a qualitative research project while adhering to ethical responsibilities regarding human subjects, natural settings, and the dissemination of research.

690. Selected Topics in Criminal Justice (3)

Advanced and specialized topics of current interest in the field of criminal justice selected for intensive development.
May be repeated to a maximum of 9 units with different topics in the same semester. Topics announced in the Schedule of Classes.

691. Instructional Strategies for Criminal Justice Professionals (3)

Prerequisites/Corequisites: Consent of instructor.
A structured program to teach graduate students how to create and deliver college-level instruction in criminal justice. Includes design of assignments within a measurable assessment framework; development of teaching strategies; and appropriate use of media and other pedagogical devices. May require time outside of semester format.
Letter grade only (A-F). May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units in different semesters.

694. Thesis I (3)

Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy as a criminal justice master's student.
Student works under direct faculty supervision to complete a proposal for the thesis research study. Review of the literature on a topic and development of appropriate methodology.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 695. Letter grade only (A-F).

695. Directed Readings/Independent Study (1-4)

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
For students who wish to learn about a topic related to criminology, criminal justice, or forensics in great detail through independent reading and writing assigned by a faculty member.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units.

697. Directed Research (1-4)

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Extensive independent research on assigned topic addressing theoretical criminology and synthesis of literature on current issues in criminal justice.
Letter grade only (A-F). May be repeated to a maximum of 8 units in different semesters.

698. Thesis II (3)

Prerequisites: CRJU 694.
Student works under direct faculty supervision to complete a master's thesis research study.
Not open for credit to students with credit in CRIM 698. Letter grade only (A-F).


College of Health and Human Services
University Course Listings
PDF Document IconPrint (PDF) Versions of the Catalog