Criminal Justice Minor

Students minoring in criminal justice take classes with a particular focus on such topics as the nature and causes of crime and delinquency, policing, courts, corrections, and the law. Also offered are special topics such as terrorism, white-collar crime, jury decision-making, and victims of crime.

Please see the UNLV Greenspun College of Urban Affairs Department of Criminal Justice web page at www.unlv.edu/criminaljustice for information about department programs, faculty and facilities.  Degree worksheets are available at www.unlv.edu/degree/minor-criminal-justice.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing an undergraduate program in Criminal Justice, a student will:

• Have demonstrated an awareness of the history and nature of the major components of the criminal justice system: police, courts, and corrections.
• Be familiar with the basis of the law and the legal system, as well as decision-making in the criminal justice process, the social and political context of the legal system, important constitutional issues, and how criminal law differs from other forms of law.
• Have demonstrated knowledge of the overall problem of crime in the United States, in terms of being familiar with different types of crimes committed in society, as well as possessing knowledge of the distribution of these crimes.
• Understand issues related to crime prevention and the rehabilitation of offenders.
• Be familiar with various methods of social science research including survey research, field research, experimental research, and evaluation research, and demonstrate awareness of the linkage between theory and research.
• Be able to conduct a research project from beginning to end, including how to locate existing sources of relevant information, operationalize concepts of interest, collect data, interpret findings, and present information in a professional manner.
• Be cognizant of various ethical concerns relevant to the study of criminal justice issues, and the distribution of justice in society.