Department of Criminal Justice

The mission of the Department of Criminal Justice at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is to impart knowledge and promote critical thinking about the crime problem and its control through criminal justice institutions and public cooperation. Grounded in the social sciences, the department respects liberal values, encourages open-mindedness, and pursues demographic and curricular diversity in its programs.

Students receive comprehensive criminal justice education with courses taken in criminal law, criminology, policing, courts, corrections, social justice, and crime prevention, in the context of a general and liberal arts education, with a strong background in the social sciences. The department's main aim is to help students develop the knowledge and analytical abilities to become agents of change in a democratic society, emphasizing social justice and equality.

At the undergraduate level, the department’s mission is to equip students to think critically about the causes and consequences of crime and deviance; about evolving issues in the field of criminal justice; about the potential of empirical research to help guide policy development; and about the role social organization plays in the development of knowledge. Students are introduced to both established and contemporary theory, research skills, and practice requirements in the field. The department’s mission is to properly prepare students to join the ranks of professionals working for the criminal justice system or social services. In addition, it is the mission of the department to prepare those who plan to obtain advanced degrees to gain admission to prominent social science and professional graduate programs around the country.

Concerning students at the master’s level, the department’s mission is to develop research skills and expand conceptual and practical knowledge critical to fulfilling leadership roles in criminal justice or social services. Master’s degree students planning to proceed to Ph.D. programs can expect from the department thorough training in the theories, methodologies, and empirical findings that promote understanding of deviance, crime, criminal justice, and social organization.