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• DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

  Bachelor of Science
  Major in Criminal Justice

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DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Belth Pelz, PhD, Chair

Room 1001-South, 713-221-8943

Faculty

Associate Professor:		Belbot, Pelz
Assistant Professors:		Gay, Glazier, Long, Walsh
Instructors:		Engram, Phelan
Lecturer:		Jakovich

Programs of Study

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

Mission and Objectives

The mission of the Department of Criminal Justice is to develop and sustain a Criminal Justice program that reflects a cooperative relationship between the University of Houston-Downtown and the community. The Department is committed to providing quality academic preparation that is designed to extend the knowledge and intellectual maturity of its students. In addition, we strive to influence the quality and nature of research in the field and to serve the community by influencing the development of programming and public policy in the area of criminal justice.

The educational philosophy of the Department emphasizes an integration of intellectual growth and skill development in the preparation of our majors. The Criminal Justice program is designed to combine the applied aspects of the field with the theoretical components necessary for the development of sound, testable programming and public policy. This includes demonstrated competency in criminological, methodological and administrative theory as well as analytical and technical skills. Students are expected to analyze, question, reconsider and synthesize old and new knowledge and skills.

We believe our responsibility to our students extends beyond course work to include providing research, internship, mentoring and networking opportunities that will enable them to better succeed in their pursuit of careers in the field of Criminal Justice. Sustained interaction with the professional community and representative of the community at large assists us in achieving this goal.

Honor Societies

Alpha Phi Sigma-National Criminal Justice Honorary
Pi Gamma Mu-International Social Sciences Honorary

Bachelor of Science
Major in Criminal Justice

Robert Walsh, MS, Coordinator

Room 1019-South, 713-221-8501

Course work leading to this baccalaureate degree will provide the student with strong communication and analytical skills. This is accomplished (1) through a comprehensive and extensive set of general education requirements; (2) through a critical and in-depth interdisciplinary analysis of the causes of crime, the definition and measurement of crime and society’s formal and informal efforts at preventing and controlling crime; and (3) by treatment of the field of criminal justice as an applied science where the student is taught to integrate theory construction, empirical validation and practical application.

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Degree Requirements

The criminal justice major requires a minimum of 120 hours.

At least 25 percent of the semester credit hours must be earned through instruction offered by UH–Downtown. Twenty-one hours of criminal justice must be at the upper level, and 21 hours must be completed as course work at UH–Downtown. The last 30 of the total hours and 18 of the upper-level hours toward the degree must be successfully completed in residence at UH–Downtown. The degree requires a minimum of 36 upper-level hours. An overall minimum grade point average of 2.0 at UH–Downtown is required for graduation, and a minimum average of 2.0 must be maintained in the upper-level hours in the major.

Common Core Requirements (42 hours)

See listing under General Education Requirements in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

General Education Requirements (9–12 hours)

Specific General Education Application and Enhancement Requirements for the Criminal Justice degree are:

Writing Skills (3 hours)
ENG 3302		Business and Technical Report Writing or
ENG 3308		Legal Writing

Nonverbal Analytical Skills (3 hours)
SOS 3312		Statistics in the Social Sciences

Ethics and Morality (3 hours)
CJ 3311		Ethics of Social Control or
PHIL 3301		Moral Issues, Personal and Professional

World Community (3 hours)

One course which addresses topics beyond American society. Consult a degree advisor for specific courses which complement this degree. Courses commonly used to fulfill this requirement in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences include courses in geography, foreign languages and literatures, and history, political science and humanities courses which focus on other cultures. This requirement may be fulfilled through elective hours or in some other course applied to the degree.

Criminal Justice Core (15 hours)
CJ 1301		Crime, Law and Society
CJ 2301		The Police System
CJ 2302		The Criminal Court System
CJ 2303		The Correctional System
CJ 3301		Criminology

Criminal Justice Electives (27 hours)

Chosen from among criminal justice courses not applied to the criminal justice core. At least 18 hours must be at the upper level.

Supplemental Concentration (12 hours)

Students must select 12 hours of non-criminal justice course work of which nine hours must be 3000–4000 level courses which will supplement their chosen area of specialization within criminal justice. The courses must be approved by a faculty advisor.

Electives (12–15 hours)

From any department at any level, with the following restrictions: Developmental courses (ENG 1300, MATH 0300, MATH 1300 and RDG 1300) may not apply to graduation requirements. No more than 25 percent of the hours presented for graduation may be credits in business. Electives are an important part of the degree program and should be selected in consultation with an academic advisor. (If the world community requirement is fulfilled by any course that meets another degree requirement, the total of elective hours is 15.)

Minor in Criminal Justice (18 hours minimum)
CJ 1301		Crime, Law and Society
CJ 2301		The Police System
CJ 2302		The Criminal Court System
CJ 2303		The Correctional System
CJ 3301		Criminology
and 3 hours of upper-level criminal justice courses

Academy Credit

Criminal Justice majors who have completed the Basic Peace Officer’s Academy may apply this experience to the degree plan in the following manner:

• Persons completing the Houston Police Department or Harris County Sheriff’s Department Academy prior to 1984 will be given six lower-level criminal justice hours.
• Persons completing any TCLOSE certified academy after 1984 will be given nine lower-level criminal justice hours.

Criminal Justice Center

606 South, 713-221-8690

The University of Houston–Downtown has one of the largest criminal justice centers in Texas. The mission of the Criminal Justice Center is to provide quality adult education to people desiring to enter public and private sector criminal justice professions and continuing education to criminal justice practitioners. In addition, students, faculty and staff of the center donate thousands of hours annually to activities leading to the improvement of the criminal justice professions and the community at large. The center has conducted more than 100 police academy classes, trained more than 15,000 students for the criminal justice professions, and won regional and national awards for excellence. Its location near the Harris County courthouse and criminal justice complex makes it an ideal training site. The Criminal Justice Center has four major program areas:

Law Enforcement Program

Entry-level training for prospective police officers is provided by the center’s Police Academy. The academy is certified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) and is approved for veterans benefits through the Texas Education Agency. Between 40 to 50 specialized and advanced courses are offered annually for police officers and other public sector practitioners. Basic and advanced management training ranging from one to 14 weeks in length is provided through the Police Management Institute.

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Loss Prevention Program

Entry-level training for security personnel is provided by the Security Academy, which is approved by the Texas Board of Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies. Approximately 20 specialized and advanced courses are offered annually for security personnel. Basic and advanced management training ranging from one week to 14 weeks in length is provided through the Security Management Institute.

Applied Research Program

The Criminal Justice Center conducts applied criminal justice research for police agencies and corporations. Activities range from responding to a single request for information about new technology or regulations to conducting comprehensive research involving organizations or areas of criminal behavior. Quick response is provided through access to computer databases. In addition, the center acts as a volunteer resource for community organizations and the media on criminal justice issues.

Specialized Certification Courses and Seminars

Specialized training and certification opportunities are provided through unique seminars and courses. In cooperation with the International Foundation for Protection Officers, the center co-sponsors the Certified Protection Officer Program. In cooperation with the Houston Police Department and the Houston Chapter of the American Society for Industrial Security, it co-hosts an annual Joint Professional Development Conference. Certification courses are available in such diverse areas as arson investigation, investigative hypnosis, emergency medical care and technician training, and management.