Pre-Law, Minor
Program Description
This minor is intended for those students who are considering a career in law and want to obtain foundational skills for success in law school, legal study, and legal practice. The minor consists of 18 hours, 12 of which must be upper-division. The courses are designed to meet the core skills and values laid out by the American Bar Association, which include the ability to write, research, read critically, analyze, communicate, and value serving others by promoting justice. The minor will also enable students to obtain the general knowledge expected of law school applicants.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (3 hours) | ||
| All pre-law minors must take PHIL 2306. This course teaches analysis and problem solving. | ||
| PHIL 2306 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 |
| Elective Courses (15 hours) | ||
| Students in the pre-law minor must take five courses (15 hours) from the additional categories. It is recommended they consult with the pre-law advisor to address areas that might not be emphasized in their major. | 15 | |
Writing | ||
Analytical and Problem Solving | ||
Critical Reading and General Knowledge | ||
Oral Communication and Listening | ||
Research | ||
Value of Serving Others | ||
Legal Topics | ||
| Writing | ||
| Introduction to Literary Studies | ||
| Technical and Professional Writing | ||
| Analytical and Problem Solving | ||
| Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking | ||
| Critical Reading and General Knowledge | ||
| Western Civilization I | ||
| Western Civilization II | ||
| Mexican American History | ||
| Introduction to Mexican American Studies | ||
| Social and Political Philosophy | ||
| Contemporary Political Analysis | ||
| Comparative Politics | ||
| Constitution and Federalism | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Power, Privilege, and Poverty | ||
| Introduction to Women and Gender Studies | ||
| Oral Communication and Listening | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
| Presentational Communication | ||
| Persuasion | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Research | ||
| Research Methods in Criminal Justice | ||
| Topics in Sociology 1 | ||
| Social Research Methods | ||
Capstone: Research based capstone in your major 1 | ||
| Value of Serving Others | ||
| Applied Experience | ||
| Grants and Proposals | ||
Service Learning - Upper-division course with a service learning component 2 | ||
| Legal Topics | ||
| Legal Environment of Business | ||
| Court Systems and Processes | ||
| Constitutional Law | ||
| Law and Evidence | ||
| Environmental Regulations | ||
| Legal Aspects of Spatial Information | ||
| Health Law, Policy and Ethics | ||
| First Amendment and Ethical Issues in the Media | ||
| Philosophy of Law | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
- 1
This must be approved by your faculty mentor and prelaw advisor.
- 2
Must be approved by faculty or minor advisor.
Courses
Business Law Courses
BLAW 3310 Legal Environment of Business
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
An introduction to the legal systems of government, business and society. Includes coverage of ethics, the judicial process, basics of contracts law, constitutional issues, business torts and crimes, creditor/debtor relationships, business organizations, international law, environmental law, and various aspects of regulation of business.
Prerequisite: BUSI 0011.
BLAW 4345 Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course will cover ethical theory, ethical reasoning, integrity, objectivity, independence and other core values and regulatory requirements associated with the practice of professional accounting and decision making of other executives, with an emphasis on corporate governance in the post-Sarbanes-Oxley regulatory environment. This course satisfies the ethics requirement of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA); however, it does not count for advanced accounting hours required to sit for the CPA exam. Students who receive credit for BLAW 4345 cannot also receive credit for BLAW 5345. Junior Standing or above.
BLAW 4390 Current Topics in Business Law
1-3 Semester Credit Hours (1-3 Lecture Hours)
Selected topics for special study related to laws impacting business, organizations and human resources. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
BLAW 4396 Directed Individual Study
1-3 Semester Credit Hours
Individual supervised study and a final report.
Criminal Justice Courses
CRIJ 1301 Introduction to Criminal Justice
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
History and philosophy of criminal justice. Overview of criminal justice system: police, prosecution and defense, courts, trial process, and corrections as they affect the individual, as well as their impact on society. The definition, nature, and impact of crime. The functions of criminal justice agencies will be examined in relation to common analytical themes such as ethics and discretion.
TCCNS: CRIJ 1301
CRIJ 1306 Court Systems and Processes
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Examination of the civil and criminal legal systems and the roles played by political, social and economic factors in the administration of justice. Consideration of the roles and interests of litigants, defendants, police, attorneys, and the judiciary in the process.
TCCNS: CRIJ 1306
CRIJ 1310 Fundamentals of Criminal Law
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
The course will introduce students to the study of criminal law. Major topics include the sources of criminal law, the operation of the criminal courts, constitutional limitations on criminal law, the elements of criminal liability, and the classification of and punishments for different types of criminal offenses. Defenses to criminal liability will also be explored.
TCCNS: CRIJ 1310
CRIJ 2313 Correctional Systems & Practices
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course is a survey of institutional and non-institutional corrections. Emphasis will be placed on the organization and operation of correctional systems; treatment and rehabilitation; populations served; Constitutional issues; and current and future issues.
TCCNS: CRIJ 2313
CRIJ 2314 Criminal Investigation
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Critical examination of investigation methods and comparison of these to research methods. Advanced examination of investigative procedures, theory, supervision, and evaluative research. Some practical applications.
CRIJ 2328 Police Systems and Practices
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
The history and development of police in America. Topics examined include: the police profession, organization of law enforcement systems, the policing role, police discretion, ethics, police-community interaction, current and future issues, and research findings.
TCCNS: CRIJ 2328
CRIJ 3302 Critical Issues in Policing
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Analysis of contemporary developments, controversies and management concerns in the field of policing. Includes examinations of theoretical foundations of law enforcement policy.
CRIJ 3313 The Juvenile Justice System
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
The administration of the juvenile justice process. Historical and philosophical origins of the juvenile justice system. A systematic analysis of problems and procedures at each stage of the process.
CRIJ 3315 Police Methods of Crime Control
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Examination of the history and evolution of police practices intended to manage and control crime such as community policing, broken windows policing, problem-oriented policing, hot-spot policing, third-party policing, CompStat, and evidence-based policing. Includes evaluation of contemporary research and its application to policing and law enforcement.
CRIJ 3320 Issues in Corrections
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Analysis of contemporary developments, controversies and management concerns in the field of corrections. Includes examination of theoretical foundations of correctional policy.
CRIJ 3325 Community-Based Corrections
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Examination of the correctional strategies and facilities available in community settings including diversion programs, probation, parole, half-way houses, boot camps, and restitution centers.
CRIJ 3340 Comparative Criminal Justice
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Comparison of the police in selected countries with the U.S. criminal justice system. Particular emphasis on social, political, and economic factors in the development and change in law enforcement.
CRIJ 3341 Terrorism
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
An examination of political violence from criminological, legal, and political perspectives. Application to contemporary events is emphasized. The sociology, psychology, and organization of foreign and domestic terrorist groups are also explored as well as counter-terrorism strategies, methods, and dilemmas.
CRIJ 3360 Gangs and Organized Crime
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course will provide students with an overview of gangs and organized crime. Topics will include gang organizational traits, traditions, criminal activities, violence, origin, and structure. Students will examine national, global, and transnational organized crime networks. An exploration in the connectedness between organized crime, gangs, and terror organizations will be conducted.
CRIJ 3361 Drugs, Society, and Criminal Justice
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
An examination of the history and prohibition of drug use in the United States including an overview of drugs, drug-taking behavior, and the social problems associated with drug abuse. In depth analysis of the range of social and legal responses to the use and distribution of drugs including decriminalization, legalization, drug enforcement policy, incarceration, and treatment.
CRIJ 3365 Sex Crimes
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course analyzes the nature, etiology, and theories related to sex offenses and sex offenders. It explores the history and current practices employed by the criminal justice systems to deal with sex offending. The course also examines multiple types of sexual offenses, perpetrators and victims, as well as the legal consequences of sexual offenses and its sociolcultural ramifications to grasp the complexity of these crimes.
CRIJ 3370 Crime in the Media
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course will cover the portrayal of crime, criminals, the criminal justice system, and criminal justice practitioners in the media. Specifically, the course will address the goals of the media and how those affect their coverage of crime and the CJ system.
CRIJ 3375 Applied Statistics in Criminal Justice
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course will teach students the step-by-step process for using statistical techniques that are most applicable in the field of criminal justice. It will teach them when, where, and why each statistical analysis is necessary and/or useful, and it will help students learn those skills by applying them to an actual project.
CRIJ 3380 Victimology
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
is the scientific study of crime victims and focuses on the physical, emotional, and financial harm victims suffer due to crime. The purpose of this course is to examine victim-offender relationships, the interactions between victims and the criminal justice system, and the connections between victims and other institutions (such as the media, advocacy groups, and government). In exploring these connections, students will address the theory, research, legislation, and policy implications related to victimization.
CRIJ 4310 Constitutional Law
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
A case study of American constitutional law based on the leading decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court. Examination of the evolution of judicial review and the development of due process and the protection of individual rights.
CRIJ 4312 Law and Evidence
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
A detailed examination of the use, admissibility, and presentation of evidence. Issues and problems dealing with the rules of evidence and the theories on which those rules are based.
CRIJ 4313 Criminal Procedure
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
A detailed examination of the legal constraints on investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses. Analysis of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and of Search and Seizure Law under the Fourth Amendment, as well as other due process issues arising under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments.
CRIJ 4320 Offender Rehabilitation
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Theories of rehabilitation, treatment, and correction of criminal offenders. Includes analysis of the historical development of the rehabilitative ideal and contemporary controversies surrounding it, and a survey of therapeutic models and methods.
CRIJ 4321 American Prisons and Prisoners
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Analysis of the history, philosophy, and function of prisons. Examination of control and treatment of offenders in institutional settings. Focus is upon current developments, controversies and management problems.
CRIJ 4322 Crime and Punishment in Literature
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
A study of selected literary classics that treat of crime and punishment. The works of literary artists from various cultures which describe experience with crime and the criminal justice system will be placed in historical and theoretical perspective.
CRIJ 4324 Women and Criminal Justice
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
An historical and ideological analysis of the role of women in the criminal justice system as offenders, reformers, and professionals.
CRIJ 4325 Diversity in Criminal Justice
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course is an investigation into the impact of social diversity (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and more) on crime and the criminal justice system. Students will examine the impact of these factors on both offenders and criminal justice system employees, and will discuss and critically examine historical trends, contemporary events, and criminal justice system policies and laws.
CRIJ 4330 Understanding Criminal Behavior
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course examines various aspects of human behavior from a criminal justice perspective and is designed to give students a basic understanding of criminal behavior and psychological disorders which are encountered by criminal justice professionals.
CRIJ 4331 Juvenile Delinquency
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
CRIJ 4335 Criminology
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
CRIJ 4345 Research Methods in Criminal Justice
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course is designed to help students gain a working understanding of the research process with direct application to criminal justice research. Attention will focus on various aspects of the research process including quantitative and qualitative methods. Students will complete literature reviews, create research proposals, conduct observations/interviews, and construct surveys in addition to various assignments and activities.
Prerequisite: CRIJ 1301 or 1313.
CRIJ 4351 Police Supervision and Management
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Study of contemporary theories of management and supervision as they relate to law enforcement. Management concerns considered include planning, motivation, organizational communication, discipline, productivity, ethics, conflict, and job stress.
CRIJ 4360 Intimate Relationship Violence
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Violence involving acquaintance, spouse, child, and elder abuse is examined within a theoretical construct relating violence to social responses. Alternative causal theories, prevention, counseling, administration, innovative programs, and inter-agency coordination are addressed.
CRIJ 4365 White Collar Crime
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Critical examination of widespread forms of offending and offenders typically omitted from traditional criminology and criminal justice courses. Critical exploration of white collar, corporate, environmental and governmental crimes/criminals.
CRIJ 4390 Topics in Criminal Justice
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
CRIJ 4396 Directed Individual Study
1-3 Semester Credit Hours
See College description.
CRIJ 4398 Applied Experience
3 Semester Credit Hours
See College description.