Tarleton Criminal Justice • Experiential Learning
Study Abroad in Prague, Czech Republic
Criminal Justice in the Heart of Europe
Spend two weeks in Prague, Czech Republic, studying criminal justice, law, history, democratization, human rights, and culture through direct engagement with criminal justice institutions, local professionals, historic sites, and the city itself.
Program at a Glance Why Prague? Experiential Learning Academic Credit Prague Program Partner Global Education Contact Us
Summer semester
Program at a Glance
2
Weeks in July
Open to all majors
3
Credit Hours
All Levels
Undergraduate • Master’s • Doctoral
One program. Multiple degree levels. The three-credit study abroad course may satisfy a required Criminal Justice course for undergraduate and master’s students and may be used as an elective for doctoral students, subject to the student’s individual degree plan and academic advising.
A Living Classroom
Why Prague?
Prague provides an exceptional setting for comparative criminal justice because students can examine how a modern democratic justice system developed following decades of Communist rule and the peaceful political transformation known as the Velvet Revolution.
Students explore how history, political institutions, law, policing, corrections, courts, victim services, and social policy intersect in the Czech Republic while comparing those institutions with the United States.
Prague’s historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose Old Town, Lesser Town, and New Town preserve architecture and urban development spanning centuries. Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, St. Vitus Cathedral, and Old Town are among the city’s most significant historic landmarks.
Beyond the Classroom
Criminal Justice Becomes Experiential Learning
Instead of learning only from textbooks, students enter criminal justice institutions, meet professionals, listen to local experts, examine historical sites, and connect Czech experiences with concepts studied in their Tarleton courses.
Justice Institutions
- Prison visit
- Police academy
- Court visit
- Criminal justice professional lectures
Victims & Social Services
- Human trafficking lecture
- Victim service provider visit
- Harm reduction center
- NGO and community perspectives
History & Democracy
- Terezín
- Lidice
- American Center
- Communism and the Velvet Revolution
- War and state crimes
Culture & Heritage
- Prague Castle
- Old Town
- Wenceslas Square
- Kutná Hora UNESCO sites
What Will You Learn?
- Compare U.S. and Czech criminal justice institutions.
- Understand how political transition shapes justice systems.
- Examine policing, corrections, courts, victim services, and harm-reduction strategies.
- Connect historical events with contemporary criminal justice and human-rights issues.
- Evaluate criminal justice policy through an international and comparative perspective.
- Develop intercultural communication and global professional competencies.
- Build relationships with Tarleton students and faculty across degree levels.
Earn Academic Credit While Exploring the World
Undergraduate
CRIJ 4387
Study Abroad
Three undergraduate credit hours that may apply toward the Criminal Justice degree as a required course, depending on the student’s degree plan.
Master’s
CRIJ 5382
Study Abroad
Three graduate credit hours that may satisfy a required course within the Master of Criminal Justice program, depending on the student’s degree plan.
Doctoral
CRIJ 6350
Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
Three doctoral credit hours that may be applied as an elective within the Criminal Justice Ph.D. program, subject to degree-plan requirements.
History Is Part of the Curriculum
The program connects criminal justice with the historical experiences that shaped contemporary Czech society. Students examine the legacy of World War II, the Holocaust, Communist rule, democratization, and the Velvet Revolution alongside modern justice institutions.
A visit to Kutná Hora expands the experience beyond Prague and includes significant cultural sites such as St. Barbara’s Church and the Sedlec Ossuary. Students also visit Terezín and Lidice to examine how historical memory, state power, victimization, human rights, and justice remain relevant to contemporary policy.
Local Expertise • Tarleton Connection
Meet Eva Illnerová
Tarleton MCJ Alumna • Prague Program Provider • Director, ECCE-Prague Ltd.
Eva grew up in Prague during the Velvet Revolution and brings firsthand understanding of the Czech Republic’s transformation from a Communist state to a democratic society. Her academic background includes anthropology and criminal justice, and she is currently pursuing doctoral study at the Czech Police Academy in Prague.
As Director of ECCE-Prague Ltd., she has extensive experience organizing study abroad programs for American universities, including Tarleton State University. Her local knowledge helps connect students with criminal justice institutions, experts, cultural experiences, and historical perspectives that would be difficult to access through traditional tourism.
“Only when you travel, you can truly compare and see what matters.”
What Experiential Learning Adds to Your Degree
Global Perspective
See how law and justice operate outside the United States and question assumptions that can be difficult to recognize at home.
Professional Exposure
Interact with police, correctional professionals, attorneys, service providers, NGOs, and local experts.
Academic Application
Apply criminology, policy, research, human-rights, and comparative-justice concepts directly to institutions and communities.
Personal Growth
Develop independence, adaptability, intercultural communication, confidence, and relationships with students at multiple academic levels.
Global Education & Study Abroad Support
Tarleton Global Initiatives and Services
Tarleton’s Office of Global Initiatives and Services supports students preparing for education abroad. The office provides study abroad resources, pre-departure preparation, program information, and assistance navigating the university’s study abroad process.
Future participants should begin planning early. Students should consult their academic advisor about degree applicability and review study abroad requirements related to applications, passports, financial planning, scholarships, accessibility, required training, and international travel preparation.
Study Abroad Office
Global Initiatives and Services
Barry B. Thompson Student Center
Room 15
Phone: 254-968-9656
Email:
studyabroad@tarleton.edu
Interested in the Prague Study Abroad Program?
Contact one of the faculty directors for academic questions, program details, and information about future Prague study abroad opportunities.
Dr. William “Casey” Heath
Faculty Director
heath@tarleton.edu
Dr. Rhonda Dobbs
Faculty Director
dobbs@tarleton.edu
Your Criminal Justice Classroom Can Be 5,000 Miles Away
Study criminal justice where history, democracy, law, and culture intersect—and return to Tarleton with a broader understanding of the profession and the world.
