Graduate List of Courses
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CRIJ 6301 - Theories of Criminal Justice
Historical overview of the philosophies and theories of justice that have impacted the American mind, the Constitution, and criminal law; federal and state criminal justice systems, and the processing of the accused and the convicted leading to correctional placement and punishment; critical examination of the criminal justice system in the context of justice needs and reforms.
CRIJ 6302 - Advanced Criminology
A comprehensive overview of the classical and contemporary theories in criminology; theory construction and testing; the nature of criminological research; the impact of ideology, politics and social structure on criminological thought; extent, volume, distribution, types and trends of crime in America.
CRIJ 6303 - Policing in a Democracy
The democratic foundation of law enforcement in America with focus on issues and challenges confronting federal, state and local police; social resistance to police authority; the course will cover such police issues as legitimacy; lawfulness; role conflict; interagency and international relationships.
CRIJ 6304 - Criminal Law & Procedure
Functions and power of the courts and court-related entities at the federal state and local level; case disposition by plea bargaining and trial; criminal trial and post conviction procedures; federal and state constitutional rights and liberties in the criminal context including landmark court decisions; how the U.S. judicial system is impacted by international law and conventions.
CRIJ 6305 - Correctional Theories and Issues
Theories and purposes of correction, punishment, and rehabilitation; seriousness of crime, punishment, and sentencing; issues and challenges confronting the federal, state, and local institutions; making corrections work; planning and reorganizing the correctional system for the 21st century.
CRIJ 6306 - Criminal Justice Policy Analysis
Dynamics and politics of public policymaking and policy analysis, application, evaluation, and improvement in criminal justice; defining criminal justice issues for policy-making; the policy-making process; understanding and becoming sensitive to political and sectional interests, and justice needs; examination of current issues in criminal justice, with a focus on policy-making and application.
CRIJ 6307 - Criminal Justice Organizations: Theory and Behavior
Organizational theories that apply to the management of criminal justice organizations; current management practices in law enforcement agencies, courts and correctional institutions; introducing innovations in criminal justice organizations by creating appropriate management and leadership styles, and organizational cultures.
CRIJ 6308 - Criminal Justice Research Methods
Basic qualitative and quantitative research methods and techniques; research ethics; identifying variables; research design, structuring criminal justice inquiry; participant observation/ethnography; overview of basic statistics; introduction to SPSS; writing the research paper. Should be taken in sequence, before CRIJ 6309.
CRIJ 6309 - Criminal Justice Research Methods and Statistics
Advanced criminal justice research and statistics; probability sampling and hypothesis testing; parametric and non-parametric statistical techniques; multivariate statistics; experiment and quasi experiment; survey research; survey research project and paper involving data collections, entry, and analysis using SPSS; use of data from documentary and historical records; evaluative and predictive research. Prerequisite CRIJ 6308.
CRIJ 6310 - Juvenile Delinquency & Justice
The incidence, volume, extent, distribution, types, trends in juvenile crime; theories that explain individual and group forms of juvenile delinquency as they relate to individual, family, school, community, and societal causes; an overview of juvenile cases and matters; victimization of juveniles and protective services available for them; correctional institutions, punishment, and rehabilitation programs for juveniles; critical evaluation of current practices in juvenile corrections; needed changes in the juvenile correctional system to rehabilitate offenders and help prevent juvenile delinquency.
CRIJ 6311 - World Criminal Justice Systems and International Crimes
Historical evolution of the major world legal systems; their social foundations and philosophies; overview of the four major legal systems of the world and their hybrids; evolving convergences and divergences in the legal systems; social change and emerging justice views; international crimes including terrorism, organized crime; genocide; civil wars and refugees; the global drug problems, smuggling; human trafficking and human rights issues; the Interpol, Europol; the UNO, international courts – the World Court and other International Courts; Amnesty International and other human rights watchdog groups, NGO’s.
CRIJ 6314: Courts & Correctional Issues
This course is intended to provide a graduate-level overview of the courts and correctional issues in the United States. The purpose of this course is to develop the knowledge and understanding of major issues on the criminal courts and correctional practice, including race in legal practices, punishment, sentencing, rehabilitation, and offender reentry. The course begins with a discussion of crisis in American corrections, then transitions into philosophical underpinnings of punishment and offender rehabilitation and reentry. The last part of the course goes into racism and injustice in the criminal courts. To achieve the course objectives and the learning outcomes, class members will be expected to be proactively engaged in discussions and activities. Prerequisite: None
CRIJ 6315 - Victimology
Patterns of crime and victimization, especially as they relate to homicide, assault, rape, robbery, and hate crimes. Crimes and victimization in domestic, known, and stranger contexts. Distribution of crime and victimization in terms of demographic characteristics (age, class, and ethnicity), and geographical areas (national, regional, city, and other community contexts). Offender-victim interaction; theories of victimization; prevention of victimization.
CRIJ 6316 - Environmental Crime and Justice
Examines environmental problems, crimes, and justice; bodily and property harms and crimes from local, regional, and global environmental problems; point source and nonpoint source pollution; structural violence; environmental victimology; governmental and non-governmental responses; environmental laws and regulations; environmental justice and racism, at risk pollutions (poor, minorities, women, working men); antienvironmental backlash to regulations and laws.
CRIJ 6318 - Law in Culture & Society
Differing conceptions of law and justice; law as a cultural institution reflecting the cultural values and ideals of society; law as an instrument of social change; law as an oppressive and liberating instrument; the cultural foundations of law and their operation in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, capitalistic, socialistic, and simple, emerging and modern societies; examination of how laws function in societies and their consequence for conformity and violation.
CRIJ 6319: Women, Law and Justice
An overview of laws of subordination and liberation in American history; patriarchy and gender inequality; legal and social barriers to justice and equality of women; overcoming gender inequalities through changes in law, social attitudes, and incorporation of males to women’s progress; enabling males and females to respect each other by creating a nonviolent ethos. Emphasis will be placed upon introducing the issues that face women as they navigate the criminal justice system, understanding the unique experiences of women that have significant effects on their perspectives of the criminal justice system, and blending the realities of women's lives as they interact with the criminal justice system. Prerequisite: None
CRIJ 6322 - Terrorism
Causes and forms of terrorism at the domestic and international levels; political, economic, religious, social and national differences among people and their implications for terrorism; a review of major terrorist incidents and groups; their underpinning meanings and what can be done to contain a terrorism.
CRIJ 6325 - Social Justice and Human Rights
An inquiry into the "criminal justice" and "social justice" nexus; creating a "good" and "just" society for reduction in crime and promotion justice, and social well-being; understanding of crime and justice issues in the context of political, economic, and sociocultural, and legal structures for creating a good and just society, and to guide social action to control crime and promote justice.
CRIJ 6331 - Independent Study
Supervised intensive readings under the supervision of a graduate faculty member in the faculty members’ specialty and/or areas of interest related to the student’s program. Students may opt under this to study in-depth theoretical/empirical readings in a substantive area not normally covered in standard courses. Writing intensive assessment of the central issues and emerging trends in criminal justice provides an opportunity for students to pursue research and/or participate with graduate faculty in research for potential publication and presentation at professional conferences. May be repeated once if new topic.
CRIJ 6333 - Selected Topics
Under the supervision of graduate faculty, the student will pursue a study of contemporary issues in crime and criminal justice, including, but not limited to the area(s) of faculty specialization. May be repeated once if new topic.
CRIJ 7300 - Thesis I
The student is required to begin an individual research project under the direction and supervision of a graduate thesis committee. Prerequisite Approval of Graduate Program Director.
CRIJ 7301 - Thesis II
The student is required to complete and publicly defend the thesis under the direction and supervision of a graduate thesis committee. Passing or failing will be by a majority of the thesis committee members examining the candidate. Prerequisite Approval of Graduate Program Director. Consult with the UTRGV Graduate Office and/or a Catalogue for defense deadlines and other pertinent information.
CRIJ 7302 - Applied Research Project I
The student is required to begin an individual research project under the direction and supervision of a graduate AMRP committee. Prerequisite Approval of Graduate Program Director.
CRIJ 7303 - Applied Research Project II
The student is required to complete and publicly defend the project under the direction and supervision of a graduate AMRP committee. Passing or failing will be by a majority of the AMRP committee members examining the candidate. Prerequisite Approval of Graduate Program Director. Consult with the UTRGV Graduate Office and or Catalogue for AMRP defense deadlines and other pertinent information.