University Catalog

Overview

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.

Requirements to Major in Criminology and Criminal Justice

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 THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, 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 INTRODUCTION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, 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 THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, 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).

Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice

Computer and Communication Competency

Computer Use: Students majoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice may demonstrate competency in computer use by taking either CSE 1301 COMPUTER LITERACY, INSY 2303 INTRODUCTION TO M.I.S. AND DATA PROCESSING, 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:

Major

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.

Requirements for the Online Bachelor Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice

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 .

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.

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

Requirements for a Minor in Criminology and Criminal Justice

A minor in CRCJ consists of 18 semester hours, of which at least 12 must be 3000/4000 level. CRCJ 2334 INTRODUCTION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, and CRCJ 4301 THE 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.

Certificate in Crime Analysis

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:

Certificate in Crime Scene Technology

CRCJ students interested in beginning a career as a crime scene technician are offered a Certificate in Crime Scene Technology. Students must complete seven required courses (21 credit hours) to qualify. The courses are:

Certificate in Law Enforcement Administration

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 credit hours) and five courses (15 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:

Certificate in Legal Studies

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRCJ) at UT-Arlington, offers a Certificate in 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: