Undergraduate Certificate in Law Enforcement

The Undergraduate Certificate in Law Enforcement applies a multi-faceted approach to higher education that enhances analytical thinking and inclusive, relevant approaches to learning and the development of professional skills; and focuses on specific, yet comprehensive, substantive areas of law enforcement that students can apply to their current or future careers in the field.

Students completing the certificate program will have the knowledge and skills to evaluate and respond to a variety of situations in law enforcement professions that require technical, analytic, substantive and ethical decision-making. They will understand the different environments and contexts in which law enforcement carry out their responsibilities.

Program requirements

• The Undergraduate Certificate in Law Enforcement requires 18 credit hours of coursework.
• No more than 6 credit hours of transfer coursework may apply to the certificate.
• Students must receive a minimum C grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy the certificate.

Required courses

Students must complete all of the required courses below, totaling 12 credit hours. All course descriptions can be found in the Undergraduate Academic Catalog.

• CRJU 1000 – Criminology and Criminal Justice: An Overview (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 2041 – Criminological Theory (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4043 – Law Enforcement (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4540 – Evidence-Based Approaches in Law Enforcement (3 credit hours)

Elective courses

In addition to the required courses listed above, students must complete 6 credit hours of elective courses. There are two elective categories: "Topic Area" and "Professional Skills." The Topic Area electives allows the student to explore a different aspect of law enforcement. The Professional Skills elective allows the student to hone skills related to law enforcement.

Topic Area: students must complete one course (3 credits) from the list below.

• CRJU 3310 – Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 3320 – Police-Community Relations (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 3520 – Juvenile Justice (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 3530 – Juvenile Delinquency (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4410 – Criminal Law and Constitutional Procedures (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4430 – Law and Society (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4450 – Homeland Security (3 credit hours)
• HIST 4380 – Crime, Policing and History (3 credit hours)
• PSCI 4427 – Law, Politics and Justice (3 credit hours)
• SOCY 4340 – Juvenile Delinquency (3 credit hours)
• SOCY 4700 – Sociology of Law (3 credit hours)

Professional Skills: students must also complete one course (3 credits) from the list below.

• ANTH 3550 – Forensic Anthropology (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4310 – Leadership Roles in Criminal Justice (3 credit hours)
• SCI 1001 – Computer Forensics I (3 credit hours)
• GEOG 4080 – Introduction to GIS (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4939 – Internship (only for Certificate or Minor and must be related to Law Enforcement and be pre-approved) (3 credit hours)

Other electives not already listed may be considered but the student must receive approval from the academic advisor prior to enrollment.