The Criminal Justice certificate offers a critical examination of the many facets of the criminal legal system, including law enforcement, courts, and corrections. The certificate takes an interdisciplinary approach based on the understanding that “criminal justice” consists of multiple, interdependent subsystems. Courses from several disciplines and an intensive fieldwork/internship/research experience offer students the opportunity to learn about the dynamics of this field. Students engage in practical experiences in a variety of areas including those focused on mental health, social justice, substance abuse disorders, youth initiatives, prevention programs, legal representation, policing, community corrections, and programs that focus on people who have been victimized. These experiences develop skills transferable to future professional, community, and educational pursuits.
The Criminal Justice certificate consists of a minimum of 6 courses.
Students who declare Fall 2025 or later will take six total courses for the Criminal Justice certificate: Legal Studies 131, a race/justice studies course, a fieldwork/internship/research seminar, and three elective courses.
Students who declared prior to Fall 2025 take one course from each of the 6 defined groups. Of the six courses, one course should be related to race and justice studies.
Learn more about the Internship/Fieldwork/Research Requirement Here!