University of Texas Arlington

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRCJ) at The University of Texas at Arlington is designed to strike a balance between theory and application. The department's curriculum emphasizes the theoretical foundations necessary to understand human behavior; the criminal justice system; and the application of theoretical knowledge to the development and critical analysis of policy implications. The curriculum provides strong preparation for graduate work in both academic and professional programs and prepares students to more fully understand, analyze, and operate in a variety of settings within or related to the justice system.

The curriculum includes

• general education courses required to provide a foundation in the liberal arts,
• disciplinary courses that provide valuable theoretical and methodological perspectives, and
• courses that examine various aspects of crime and the judicial systems; law enforcement, and correctional processes designed to respond to the crime problem.

Students admitted to UT Arlington from high school or transfer students who have completed less than 30 hours of transferable college credit will be admitted as Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRCJ)-Intended majors, and will be allowed to declare CRCJ as their major based on the following criteria:

• Completed at least 15 hours of the University core courses with a minimum 2.0 GPA
• Completed both CRCJ 2334, Introduction to Criminal Justice, and one other CRCJ core course with at least a C, and earned at least 15 grade points in the two courses combined (2.5 GPA)

Students admitted to UT Arlington who have completed 30 or more hours of transferable college credit will allowed to declare CRCJ as their major based on the following criteria:

• Achieved a minimum 2.25 GPA for all college credit earned, and
• Completed CRCJ 2334, or an equivalent course, and one other UT Arlington CRCJ core course, or equivalent course, with at least a C and earned at least 15 grade points in the two courses combined (2.5 GPA).

Students already admitted to UT Arlington, who previously declared a major other than CRCJ, who desire to change to CRCJ as their major will be accepted based on the following criteria:

• Completed at least 15 hours of the College of Liberal Arts core courses,
• Achieved a minimum 2.25 GPA in all hours completed at UT Arlington, and
• Completed both CRCJ 2334, Introduction to Criminal Justice, and one other CRCJ core course with at least a C, and earned at least 15 grade points in the two courses combined (2.5 GPA).

English

Six hours of composition.

Literature

Three hours of English or modern and classical languages literature or other approved substitute.

Liberal Arts Elective

Three hours of any CRCJ course.

Modern and Classical Languages

1441, 1442, 2313, 2314 or equivalent.

History

1311, 1312.

Political Science

2311, 2312.

Mathematics

Six hours (level of college algebra or higher)

Science

Eight hours in lab science (biology, chemistry, geology and/or physics).

Fine Arts

Three hours from architecture, art, dance, music, or theatre arts.

Social/Cultural Studies

SOCI 1311

Major

A CRCJ major consists of 54 hours, including 33 hours of required CRCJ core courses and 21 hours of major electives. In addition to fulfilling University and College of Liberal Arts requirements, students planning to graduate with a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRCJ) must also fulfill the following requirements:

• Be a declared CRCJ major,
• Achieve a minimum overall 2.0 GPA in all courses taken at UT Arlington,
• Earn a C or better in all major courses required for the degree, and
• Maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA in all CRCJ courses taken, including approved electives selected from ECON, HIST, POLS, and SOCI.

CRCJ Core (Required)

Students majoring in CRCJ must complete CRCJ 2334 or equivalent, or have permission of advisor, before taking other criminology and criminal justice core courses. CRCJ required core courses consist of CRCJ 2334, 2335, 2350, 3300, 3310, 3338, 3340 (or SOCI 3352), 3350, 4301, 4332 or 4333, and 4380.

CRCJ Major Electives

Twenty-one (21) hours, of which at least 15 hours must be CRCJ-prefix courses. CRCJ 2340, 3307, 3320, 3330, 3336, 3337, 3370, 3382, 3385, 3390, 3395, 4309, 4315, 4325, 4332 or 4333, 4345, 4352, 4355, 4365, 4386, 4387, 4388, 4389, 4390, 4191, 4291, 4391, 4394; ECON 3302, HIST 3317, 3318, POLS 3331,3333, 3335, 4332, and SOCI 3320 and 3357. Other courses may be used for elective credit with advisor approval.

Minor

A minor is not required, but is optional. A minor, if chosen, consists of 18 hours, of which at least six hours must be 3000/4000 level.

Additional Electives

Eight hours of courses taken from any discipline, sufficient to reach the total hours required for the degree.

Total

120 hours, at least 36 of which must be 3000/4000 level.

A minor in CRCJ consists of 18 semester hours, of which at least 12 must be 3000/4000 level. CRCJ 2334, Introduction to Criminal Justice, and CRCJ 4301, American Judicial System, are required courses for a CRCJ minor. Students must earn a 2.0 GPA in all CRCJ courses taken toward the minor.

Computer Use: Students majoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice may demonstrate competency in computer use by taking either CSE 1301, INSY 2303, or any other course approved by the Undergraduate Assembly for this purpose. They may also demonstrate competency by passing the University proficiency examination in computer use.

Communication: Students majoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice may demonstrate competency in communication by taking either COMS 1301, 2305, 3302, 3315, or any other course approved by the Undergraduate Assembly for this purpose.

A Certificate in Crime Analysis is offered by the Department for students interested in pursuing a law enforcement career in crime analysis. Students must complete seven required courses (21 credit hours) to qualify. The courses are CRCJ 3336, Police Management and Administration; CRCJ 3340, Criminal Justice Statistics; CRCJ 3350, Introduction to Research Methods in Criminology and Criminal Justice; GEOL 4330, Understanding Georgraphic Information Systems; CSE 1301, Computer Literacy; CSE 1310, Introduction to Computers and Programming; and CRCJ 4390, Internship Practicum. Participation in CRCJ 4390 requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 in both CRCJ courses and in all courses completed at UT-Arlington.

CRCJ students interested in beginning a career as a crime scene technician are offered a Certificate in Crime Scene Technician. Students must complete seven required courses (21 credit hours) to qualify. The courses are CRCJ 2334, Introduction to Criminal Justice; CRCJ 2340, Criminal Investigations; CRCJ 3337, Advanced Criminal Procedure; CRCJ 3370, Introduction to Forensics; CRCJ 4340, Forensic Death Investigations; ANTH 2307, Biological Anthropology; and CRCJ 4390, Internship Practicum. Participation in CRCJ 4390 requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 in both CRCJ courses and in all courses completed at UT-Arlington.

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRCJ) at UT-Arlington, and the Institute for Law Enforcement Administration (ILEA), which is one of seven institutes within the Center for American and International Law, Plano, TX, combine to offer a Certificate in Law Enforcement Administration for police officers, supervisors, and managers. To receive the certificate, officers must complete four courses offered by ILEA (13 student credit hours) and five courses (15 student credit hours) offered by the CRCJ Department at UT Arlington. Courses to be taken at or through ILEA are LEA 200, School of Police Supervision; LEA 220, Fair Labor Standards Act Law; ETH 100, Ethical Decision Making; and ETH 150, Ethics Train-the-Trainer. Courses offered by the CRCJ Department at UT-Arlington are online courses and include CRCJ 2334, Introduction to Criminal Justice; CRCJ 3380, Race, Crime and Justice; CRCJ 4301, American Judicial Systems; CRCJ 4380, Comparative Criminal Justice Systems; and CRCJ 4315, Criminal Careers and Behavior.

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRCJ) at UT-Arlington, offers a Certificate in Law Legal Studies for students interested in working in the legal field. To receive the certificate, students must complete six courses (18 credit hours) offered by the department. The courses are CRCJ 2334, Introduction to Criminal Justice; CRCJ 3330, Fundamentals of Law; CRCJ 3337, Advanced Criminal Procedure; CRCJ 4301, American Judicial Systems; and any two of the following courses: CRCJ, 4320, Forensic Psychology; CRCJ 4365, Capital Punishment; and CRCJ 4380, Comparative Criminal Justice Systems.

Chair

Professor del Carmen

Associate Professor

Bing

Assistant Professors

Davis, Jeong, Rodriguez

Visiting Assistant Professors

Copeland, Smith, West

Senior Lecturers

Butler, Carpenter, Dobbs

This degree is offered via the UT TeleCampus and is designed with the criminal justice and law enforcement professional in mind. Students who have already completed the first two years of undergraduate courses, can complete the bachelor degree program by taking the upper level courses online, taught by the same faculty who teach on-campus courses . The courses are taught entirely online and do not required any on-campus visits. This 66-credit hour program, combined with the appropriate lower-division undergraduate course work, will lead to a Bachelor in Criminology and Criminal Justice degree from UT Arlington. To earn a Bachelor in Criminology and Criminal Justice degree from UT-Arlington, students must earn grades of C or better in all major courses required for the degree. Students must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA in major courses to remain in the program and must graduate with 2.5 GPA or higher in all major courses. To learn more about this program, please visit: www.utcoursesonline.org.

English

Six hours of composition.

Literature

Three hours of English or modern and classical languages literature or other approved substitute.

Liberal Arts Elective

Three hours above the freshman level of literature, or social and cultural studies designated as taught in the College of Liberal Arts, or fine arts or philosophy, or technical writing.

History

1311, 1312.

Political Science

2311, 2312.

Mathematics

Six hours (level of college algebra or higher).

Science

Eight hours in lab science (biology, chemistry, geology and/or physics).

Fine Arts

Three hours from architecture, art, dance, music, or theatre arts.

Social/Cultural Studies

Three hours of designated courses in archaeology, classical studies, communication, economics, history, humanities, linguistics, political science, social or cultural anthropology, social/political/cultural geography, social psychology, sociology or women's studies.

Major

CRCJ 2334 (CCJO 2310) Introduction to Criminal Justice (UTA)
CRCJ 3350 (CCJO 3320) Introduction to Research Methods (UTA)
CRCJ 3380 (CCJO 3370) Ethnic and Gender Studies (UTA)
CRCJ 4301 (CCJO 4330) American Judicial Systems (UTA)
CRCJ 4380 (CCJO 4336) Comparative Criminal Justice System (UTA)
CRCJ 4333 (CCJO 4350) Institutional Corrections (UTA)
CRCJ 4315 (CCJO 4352) Criminal Careers and Behavior Systems (UTA)
CRIJ 3315 (CCJO 3322) Legal Aspects of Evidence (UTB)
CRIJ 3331 (CCJO 3326) Legal Aspects of Corrections (UTB)
CRIJ 4370 (CCJO 4338) Senior Seminar in Criminal Justice (UTB)
CRIJ 4312 (CCJO 4358) Principles of Law Enforcement Supervision (UTB)
CRIJ 4341 (CCJO 4360) Correctional Casework and Counseling (UTB)
CRIJ 4313 (CCJO 4362) Seminar of Issues in Law Enforcement (UTB)
CCJO 3312 (formerly CRIM 3340) Criminal Justice Administration (UTPB)
CCJO 3332 (formerly CRIM 3365) Juvenile Delinquency and Justice (UTPB)
CCJO 4316 (formerly CRIM 4332) Theories of Criminal Behavior (UTPB)
CCJO 4354 (formerly CRIM 4381) Ethics in Criminal Justice (UTPB)
CCJO 4356 (formerly CRIM 4321) Probation and Parole (UTPB)
CCJO 4364 (formerly CRIM 4382) Police and the Community (UTPB)
PSYC 4305 (CCJO 4372) Drugs and Behavior (UTPB)

Students must select two of the following four elective courses to complete the major requirements:

CRIJ 4363 (CCJO 4366) Gangs and Gang Behavior (UTB)
CRIJ 4300 (CCJO 4300) Forensics DNA Analysis (UTEP)
BIOL 3320 (CCJO 3324) Genetics (UTEP)
BIOL 4395 (CCJO 4395) Toxicology (UTEP)

Note: UT Arlington denotes classes offered by The University of Texas at Arlington; UTB denotes classes offered by The University of Texas at Brownsville; UTPB denotes classes offered by The University of Texas at Permian Basin; and UTEP denotes classes offered by The University of Texas at El Paso.

Electives

10 hours.

Total

120 hours.

Students will satisfy the computer and communications competencies during completion of the online core courses required for the BCRCJ degree.

View Course Descriptions for:

Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRCJ)

Criminology and Criminal Justice Online (CCJO)