The Criminal Justice certificate offers a critical examination of the many facets of the criminal legal system, including law enforcement, courts, and corrections. It introduces students to basic concepts about our legal system and its impact on individuals and society. The certificate takes an interdisciplinary approach based on the understanding that “criminal justice” consists of multiple, interdependent subsystems.
Courses from several disciplines and an intensive fieldwork/internship/research experience offer students the opportunity to learn about the dynamics of this field. Students engage in practical experiences in a variety of areas including those focused on mental health, social justice, substance abuse disorders, youth initiatives, prevention programs, legal representation, policing, community corrections, and programs that focus on people who have been victimized. These experiences develop skills transferable to future professional, community, and educational pursuits.
How to Get in
Any UW-Madison undergraduate may earn this certificate as part of their overall degree. Students may declare by completing the declaration form or by making an appointment with a Center for Law, Society, and Justice advisor via StarFish.
Requirements
The Certificate requires a minimum of six courses and a minimum of 16 credits. The courses must be distributed as follows:
Complete one course from each of the three defined groups and at least three (3) additional elective courses:
Criminal Justice System
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LEGAL ST/SOC 131 | Criminal Justice in America | 3-4 |
Race and Justice Studies
At least one course in the certificate must have substantial content dealing with race and justice studies. Additional courses taken in this group will be counted towards the elective requirement. The following courses fulfill the Race and Justice Studies requirement.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFROAMER 272 | Race and American Politics from the New Deal to the New Right | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 625 | Gender, Race and the Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| HDFS 474 | Racial Ethnic Families in the U.S. | 3 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 143 | History of Race and Inequality in Urban America | 3 |
| LEGAL ST 400 | Topics in Legal Studies and the Social Sciences (*Incarceration and Inequality) | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/AFROAMER 434 | Criminal Injustice in America | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/AFROAMER 435 | Civil Rights: Policing, Prisons, Voting, Housing, Employment | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/CHICLA/SOC 440 | Ethnicity, Race, and Justice | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/CHICLA/SOC 443 | Immigration, Crime, and Enforcement | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/SOC 451 | Race, Family & the State | 3 |
| PUB AFFR 520 | Inequality, Race and Public Policy | 3 |
| SOC WORK 420 | Poverty and Social Welfare | 3 |
| SOC WORK 640 | Diversity, Oppression, and Social Justice in Social Work | 3 |
| SOC/AMER IND/C&E SOC 578 | Poverty and Place | 3 |
| SOC 633 | Social Stratification | 3 |
Fieldwork/Internship/Research Seminar
The primary internship course administered by our program is LEGAL ST/SOC 694 The course requires a concurrent internship. To be eligible for the course, students complete a pre-internship process the semester prior to the internship. The pre-internship process begins with a required orientation. More information can be found on our website.
The other listed internship and research opportunities are administered by other programs. Some may be limited to students who are declared in those specific programs. All require advance lead time and authorization for enrollment by the specific program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LEGAL ST/SOC 694 | Criminal Justice Field Observation | 3 |
| GEN&WS 660 | Internship in Gender and Women's Studies | 3 |
| HDFS 592 | Research Experience in Human Development and Family Studies | 1-3 |
| INTER-AG 473 | Health Impacts of Unmet Social Needs | 3 |
| INTER-HE 601 | Internship | 3 |
| INTL ST 523 | Study Abroad: International Internship or Research in the Sciences | 1-3 |
| POLI SCI 315 | Legislative Internship | 3 |
| PUB AFFR 327 | Administrative Internship | 3 |
| RP & SE 630 | Internship in Rehabilitation or Special Education | 2-6 |
| SOC 320 | Research Practicum in Sociology | 1-3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 693 | Practicum in Analysis and Research | 3 |
| SOC WORK 400 | Field Practice and Integrative Seminar I | 2-6 |
Electives
Students must take three additional courses to meet the six course minimum and to reach at least 16 credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFROAMER 272 | Race and American Politics from the New Deal to the New Right | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 625 | Gender, Race and the Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| COUN PSY 237 | Mental Health, Self-Awareness, and Social Justice: Working in Diverse Communities | 3 |
| COUN PSY 531 | Prevention and Intervention in Mental Health Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| COUN PSY 655 | Clinical Communication Skills | 3 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 143 | History of Race and Inequality in Urban America | 3 |
| HDFS 474 | Racial Ethnic Families in the U.S. | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/RP & SE 135 | Disability and the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/ENGL 160 | Truth and Crime | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 235 | Prisons: From Antiquity to Supermax | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/CURRIC/ED POL 250 | Incarceration and Education | 3 |
| LEGAL ST 400 | Topics in Legal Studies and the Social Sciences | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST 409 | Human Rights in Law and Society | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/GEN&WS 422 | Women and the Law | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/GEN&WS/SOC 425 | Crime, Gender and Justice | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 426 | The History of Punishment | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/AFROAMER 434 | Criminal Injustice in America | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/AFROAMER 435 | Civil Rights: Policing, Prisons, Voting, Housing, Employment | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/CHICLA/SOC 440 | Ethnicity, Race, and Justice | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/ELPA 442 | Civil Rights Laws, the Courts, and Public Education | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/CHICLA/SOC 443 | Immigration, Crime, and Enforcement | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST 444 | Law in Action | 3 |
| LEGAL ST 450 | Topics in Legal Studies and the Humanities | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 459 | Rule of Law: Philosophical and Historical Models | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/L I S 460 | Surveillance, Privacy, and Police Powers | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 477 | History of Forensic Science | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/LAW/SOC 641 | Sociology of Law | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/L I S 663 | Introduction to Cyberlaw | 3 |
| POLI SCI 314 | Criminal Law and Justice | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 412 | The American Constitution: Rights and Civil Liberties | 4 |
| PSYCH/GEN&WS 322 | Sexual & Relationship Violence Research & Activism | 3 |
| PSYCH 401 | Psychology, Law, and Social Policy | 3 |
| PSYCH 405 | Adult Psychopathology | 3-4 |
| PSYCH 526 | The Criminal Mind: Forensic and Psychobiological Perspectives | 4 |
| PSYCH 601 | Current Topics in Psychology (*Juvenile Delinquency; Legal Psych) | 3 |
| PSYCH 626 | Issues in Prisoner Reentry | 3 |
| SOC 421 | Processes of Deviant Behavior | 3-4 |
| SOC 441 | Criminology | 3-4 |
| SOC 446 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3-4 |
| SOC/AMER IND/C&E SOC 578 | Poverty and Place | 3 |
| SOC 633 | Social Stratification | 3 |
| SOC WORK 420 | Poverty and Social Welfare | 3 |
| SOC WORK 453 | Substance Use Disorders | 3 |
| SOC WORK 462 | Child Welfare | 3 |
| SOC WORK 578 | Housing Precarity and Social Policy | 4 |
| SOC WORK 612 | Psychopathology in Generalist Social Work Practice | 2 |
| SOC WORK 623 | Interpersonal Violence | 3 |
| SOC WORK 627 | Sex Trafficking and Sex Trading | 2 |
| SOC WORK/AMER IND 636 | Social Work in American Indian Communities: The Indian Child Welfare Act | 3 |
| SOC WORK 640 | Diversity, Oppression, and Social Justice in Social Work | 3 |
| SOC WORK 646 | Child Abuse and Neglect | 2 |
| SOC WORK 656 | Child Welfare Practice in Foster and Kinship Care, Permanency, and Adoption | 2 |
Residence and Quality of Work
- At least 8 certificate credits must be completed in residence
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on all certificate courses.
Certificate Completion Requirement
This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.
Learning Outcomes
- Develop an appreciation for how the criminal justice system works and how it affects American society as a whole.
- Develop and improve critical thinking and analytics in written and oral communication skills.
- Develop an appreciation of mental health and substance abuse as they intersect with the criminal justice system.
- Develop skills transferable to future professional, community and educational pursuits.
- Develop an understanding of the effects of race and minority status in the criminal legal system.
Advising and Careers
Advising Appointments
Please use Starfish to schedule an appointment with a Center for Law, Society, and Justice academic advisor.
If you are not a current UW–Madison student, please email us at cjcp@ssc.wisc.edu to schedule a meeting.
Careers
Students who earned the Criminal Justice certificate have secured jobs at law firms, nonprofit organizations, treatment providers, public defender offices, district attorney and prosecutor offices, community corrections providers, social justice agencies, legal clinics, law enforcement agencies, and programs providing services to persons impacted by incarceration.
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students