Crime and Justice Studies (B.A.)

The Crime and Justice Studies Program is an interdisciplinary academic program, based primarily in criminology and sociology that studies the interrelationships among law, policy, and societal conditions. The relationships among these factors are dynamic and complex, therefore Crime and Justice Studies integrates a variety of perspectives, approaches, and social science disciplines in order to analyze and understand the origins of crime and injustice and society’s response to these issues.

The criminology focus of Crime and Justice Studies emphasizes the traditional study of crime and criminals with a policy-related focus on the agencies and components of the criminal justice system, but also involves topics such as concepts of crime and theories of crime causation. The control of crime is a public sector problem and, because society reacts to crime and criminals through the criminal justice system, criminology also addresses how public policy affects the agencies and components of the criminal justice system. Criminologists investigate the public policy surrounding crime in a variety of contexts: policing, prosecution, courts and the adjudication processes, and corrections. These are the prime areas in which public opinion and public policy are in controversy and debate. Students will also study the relationship between the legal system and various other societal institutions, contexts, and attributes of people.

Majors in the Crime and Justice Studies program at U.T. Dallas will be provided an educational experience which will allow them to put their academic training, background and experience to use in a wide variety of post graduate educational and occupational positions, including:

• Employment in Criminal Justice agencies at the federal, state, and local government level;
• Graduate School in Criminology or Criminal Justice (or a related social science discipline;
• Law School; or
• Social Work, Counseling, or other Human Service program.

Bachelor of Arts in Crime and Justice Studies Degree Requirements (120 hours)

I. Core Curriculum Requirements¹: 42 hours
    A. Communication (6 hours)
        3 hours Communication (RHET 1302)
        3 hours Communication Elective (See advisor for list of approved courses)²
    B. Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
        6 hours Government (GOVT 2301 and 2302)
        6 hours American History
        3 hours Social and Behavioral Sciences Elective (ECO 2301 or ECO 2302)²
    C. Humanities and Fine Arts (6 hours)
        3 hours Fine Arts (ARTS 1301)
        3 hours Humanities (HUMA 1301)
    D. Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (6 hours)
        3 hours Mathematics (at or above College Algebra, recommended MATH 1300 or 1306)
        3 hours Quantitative Reasoning (SOCS 3305)²
    E. Science (9 hours including at least one course with a substantial laboratory component)

¹ Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from accredited institutions of higher education. The courses listed in parenthesis are the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at U.T. Dallas.

II. Major Requirements: 52 hours
    Major Preparatory Courses (6 hours)
        CJS 1301 Introduction to Criminal Justice
        CJS 1307 Introduction to Crime and Criminology
    Major Core Courses (28hours)
        CJS 3300 Crime and Civil Liberties
        CJS 3301 Theories of Justice
            or another Social Science course with a distributive justice emphasis such as SOC 4361
                Law and Society, SOC 4302 Class, Status, and Power,
            or ECO 4320 Public Sector Economics
        CJS 3302 Advanced Criminology
        CJS 3303 Advanced Criminal Justice
        CJS 3304 Research Methods in Crime and Justice Studies (taken before SOCS 3305)
        CJS 3305 Social Control and Criminal Sanctions
        CJS 3319 Comparative Justice Systems
            or another ISS or Social Science course with a comparative or international focus such as
            ISSS 3336 Cultural Regions, ECO 3370 The Global Economy, or GOVT 3350 Comparative
            Politics
        SOCS 3105 Social Statistics Laboratory
        SOCS 3305 Introduction to Social Statistics²
        3 hours Communication Elective (See advisor for list of approved courses)²
CMajor Related Courses (24 hours)
        15 hours CJS courses, including at least 12 hours of upper-division courses
        9 hours Major and Related Electives³

² This course is a Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Hours are counted in Core Curriculum.
³ Students must take 3 hours in Sociology. Most students take 6 hours of upper-division CJS courses. However, subject to advisor approval, courses from other disciplines may be used to satisfy this requirement.

III. Elective Requirements: 26 hours
    Advanced Electives (6 hours)
        All students are required to take at least six hours of advanced electives outside their major
        field of study. These must be either upper-division classes or lower-division classes that
        have prerequisites.
    Free Electives (20 hours)
        This requirement may be satisfied with lower- and upper-division courses from any field of
        study. Note: Students must complete at least 51 hours of upper-division credit to qualify for
        graduation.

Minor in Crime and Justice Studies: 18 hours

For a minor in Crime and Justice Studies, students must take the following: CJS 1301 and CJS 1307, and twelve hours of crime and justice studies electives, excluding CJS 4V97, CJS 4V98, and CJS 4V99.

The University of Texas at Dallas 2004-2006 Undergraduate Catalog
Volume 30, Number 1
Copyright © The University of Texas at Dallas

This catalog is a general information publication only. It is not intended to nor does it contain all regulations that relate to students. The provisions of this catalog do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between any applicant, student or faculty member and The University of Texas at Dallas or The University of Texas System. The University of Texas at Dallas reserves the right to withdraw courses at any time, to change fees or tuition, calendar, curriculum, degree requirements, graduation procedures, and any other requirements affecting students. Changes will become effective whenever the proper authorities so determine and will apply to both prospective students and those already enrolled.

Statement on Equal Educational Opportunity
The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. In accordance with federal and state law, the University prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, and veteran status. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is also prohibited pursuant to University policy.