Department of Criminal Justice
Criminal Law Minor
Build a focused understanding of criminal law, courts, investigations, evidence, and constitutional procedure while adding an 18-hour minor that complements a wide range of academic and career paths.
18
Credit Hours
A focused pathway through criminal law, investigations, evidence, courts, and procedure.
Understand How Criminal Law Works in Practice
Criminal law defines prohibited conduct, establishes individual rights and responsibilities, and provides the legal framework through which criminal cases move from investigation to courtroom resolution.
Tarleton’s Criminal Law minor provides students with a structured introduction to courts, substantive criminal law, criminal investigations, evidentiary rules, and constitutional criminal procedure.
The minor can complement majors whose graduates may work with laws, investigations, regulation, public policy, compliance, government, public safety, or other professions in which understanding the legal process provides an advantage.
Law + Evidence + Procedure
Follow a criminal case from investigation through the courts.
Why Study Criminal Law?
Criminal justice decisions are shaped by statutes, constitutional protections, rules of evidence, investigative procedures, and court processes. Understanding these foundations can strengthen analytical thinking and help students evaluate how legal rules operate in real cases.
Understand Legal Rules
Study the elements of criminal offenses, legal responsibility, penalties, and the structure of criminal law.
Follow the Legal Process
Examine investigation, evidence, adjudication, constitutional procedure, and the operation of criminal courts.
Build Analytical Skills
Learn to evaluate facts, evidence, legal standards, competing interpretations, and procedural questions.
What You Will Study
Criminal Law
Offenses, criminal responsibility, legal concepts, classifications, and penalties.
Investigation
Evidence collection, interviews, interrogation, forensic resources, and case preparation.
Evidence
Acquisition, admissibility, presentation, and challenges involving criminal evidence.
Criminal Procedure
Constitutional principles involving the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments.
Criminal Law Minor Curriculum
Complete five required courses and select one upper-level criminal law option for a total of 18 semester credit hours.
CRIJ 1306
Court Systems and Practices
3 Hours
CRIJ 1310
Fundamentals of Criminal Law
3 Hours
CRIJ 2314
Criminal Investigation
3 Hours
CRIJ 3315
Rules of Criminal Evidence
3 Hours
CRIJ 4326
Criminal Procedure
3 Hours
SELECT ONE
CRIJ 4383
Special Topics in Criminal Law
OR
CRIJ 4361
Texas Wildlife Law
Planning tip: Meet with an academic advisor before declaring the Criminal Law minor to determine how these 18 hours fit with your major requirements, electives, transfer credit, and graduation plan.
Where Can Criminal Law Knowledge Be Useful?
The minor can add useful legal and procedural knowledge to academic programs that lead to work with courts, investigations, government, policy, regulation, compliance, or public safety.
Law & Legal Services
Pre-law preparation, legal support, prosecution defense-related support, and court administration.
Investigations
Law enforcement, criminal investigations, regulatory investigations, and evidence-related work.
Government & Policy
Public administration, legislative work, regulatory agencies, policy analysis, and government service.
Compliance & Security
Organizational compliance, risk management, corporate investigations, and security-related roles.
Ready to Add the Criminal Law Minor?
Academic Advising can help determine how the 18-hour minor fits with your major, electives, transfer coursework, prerequisites, and anticipated graduation date.
Current students should also review their assigned advisor in EAB Navigate before scheduling an appointment.
Office of Academic Advising
Phone:
254-968-9746
Email:
advising@tarleton.edu
Department of Criminal Justice
Phone: 254-968-9024
E-mail: cjadmin@tarleton.edu
Add Criminal Law Expertise to Your Degree
Develop a stronger understanding of courts, criminal law, investigations, evidence, and constitutional procedure through an 18-hour academic minor.