Criminal Justice Certificate

Contact: Katherine Young, Ph.D
Email: youngkat@hawaii.edu

The purpose of the Criminal Justice Certificate is to provide students with key knowledge for understanding the relationship between crime and society with an emphasis on how social forces and institutions influence the administration of justice. Students will take foundational courses in administration of justice, which provide a core understanding of the relationship between crime and society, the main components of the criminal justice system, and the intersections of race, gender, class, and justice in society; and electives that allow them to focus on specific areas of criminal justice related to their educational and career goals. The Criminal Justice Certificate is designed for students who wish to pursue careers in the criminal justice system and related areas, including law enforcement, social services, and justice advocacy. The Criminal Justice Certificate also prepares students for graduate programs in criminal justice, criminology, law, social justice, and justice studies.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of crime, criminal behavior, and their relationship to society.
• Identify society’s influence on how crime is defined, controlled, and punished.
• Evaluate the roles of power and social institutions in conceptions of crime and justice in society.
• Articulate the significance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the criminal justice system and the administration of justice.
• Analyze criminal justice policies and practices in relation to social stratification.
• Communicate effectively in written and verbal forms.

Requirements (24 Credits)

Core (9 credits):

• AJ 101 Intro to Admin of Justice (3)
• AJ 320 Crime and Society (3)
• AJ 322 Criminal Justice (3)

Diversity Focus:

Choose two courses, 6 credits

• AJ 301 Justice, Power, and Democracy (3)
• AJ 302 Capitalism & Economic Justice (3)
• AJ 303 Feminism and Justice (3)
• AJ 330 Race and Violence (3)
• AJ 333 Indigenous Justice (3)

Criminal Justice Electives:

Choose three Courses, 9 credits

• AJ 307 Animal Cruelty (3)
• AJ 321 Policing and Punishment (3)
• AJ 323 Criminal Law and Procedure (3)
• AJ 327 Global Crime (3)
• AJ 361 Advocacy and Criminal Justice (3)
• SOC 324 Criminology (3)
• SOC 326 Juvenile Delinquency (3)
• SOC 328 Gender, Crime, and Justice (3)
• SOC 365 Sociology of Deviance (3)

Notes:

1. Minimum GPA for all certificate courses is 2.0 (C)