The Center for Education, Advocacy & Social Justice offers minors in the following fields:
- Legal Studies
- Peace and Justice Studies
- Restorative Justice
- Sociology
Learn more about each minor below:
Legal Studies
The Legal Studies Minor aims to provide students with a broad conceptual framework for understanding the institutions and practices of the law in society. It is not designed to provide legal or paralegal training as found in law schools or paralegal institutes. Instead, the Legal Studies minor encourages students to think about how the law works for individuals as well as how our legal system supports and is affected by other civil institutions. The Legal Studies minor gives students a chance to explore major legal issues from a multidisciplinary perspective, drawing on courses offered in political science, history, criminal justice, digital forensics, business, psychology, and religious studies/philosophy. The Minor can help students decide about future career paths as well as alert them to the responsibilities of being an American citizen in the 21st century.
Courses taken in the program may be used to satisfy major, minor, other credential, or general education requirements. No more than 9 credits may be in the candidate's major. No more than 9 credits may be in a candidate’s second minor.
Students must earn a grade of C- (1.70) or better to successfully complete the requirements for the minor. An Independent Study may be available with appropriate permissions; Special Topics courses are repeatable for credit. Courses are 3 credits unless indicated and may not be offered every semester.
Requirements for the Minor in Legal Studies **
**Students who plan a career in the law are especially encouraged to take PHIL-109 and/or PHIL-128
- Two Courses from Group I: Government and the Law (6 credits) chosen from the below list:
- PSCI -113: Introduction to American Government
- PSCI -130: The Rule of Law
- PSCI-212: American State and Local Government
- PSCI-314: Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties
- PSCI-316: Constitutional Law and Public Policy
- One Course from Group II: Ethics and Theories of Justice (3 credits) chosen from the below list:
- CRJU-215: Ethics in Criminal Justice
- CRJU-325: Restorative Justice
- PHIL-109: Philosophical Thinking
- PHIL-124: Introduction to American Philosophy
- PHIL-222: Intro to Philosophy and Ethics
- RLST-216: Fundamental Moral Theology
- RLST-217: Contemporary Moral Issues
- RLST-218: Biomedical Moral Issues
- RLST-240: Introduction to Social Justice
- RLST-262: God and the Struggle for Civil Rights
- Three Courses from Group III: Law, Legal Thinking, and Society (9 credits) chosen from the below list:
- May take any one Business Law course:
- BUSN-120: Law and the Business Enterprise
- PSCI-117: Principles of Business Law
- May take any one course featuring International Law:
- PSCI-140: Introduction to World Politics
- LEGL 201: Legal Technology: Processes/Ethics
- PSCI-242: International Organization: Law & Public Policy
- LEGL 202: Advanced Legal Writing
- CMDF-105: Digital Forensics I (suggested prereq CMTC-190)
- LEGL 301: Trial Practice
- CMDF-140: Legal Issues/Digital Forensics I
- LEGL 302: Legal Service and Society
- CMDF-240: Legal Issues/Digital Forensics II (prereq CMDF-140)
- PHIL-128: Introduction to Symbolic Logic
- MCOM-360: Media Law
- PSCI -113: Introduction to American Government (if not taken CRJU-210: Gender and the Law (cross-listed with SOCI- 210) as a Group I elective)
- CRJU-220: Juvenile Justice PSCI -130: The Rule of Law (if not taken as a Group I elective)
- CRJU-223: Criminal Law PSCI-212: American State and Local Government (if not taken CRJU-225: Criminal Procedure as a Group I elective)
- CRJU-235: White Collar Crime PSCI-314: Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties (if not taken CRJU-321: Criminology as a Group I elective)
- CRJU-322: Sex Crimes PSCI-316: Constitutional Law and Public Policy (if not taken CSEC-140: Legal Issues in Cyber Security as a Group I elective)
- CRJU-245: Inside Out
- PSYC-235: Forensic Psychology (prereq: PSYC 101)
- HIST-322: Genocide in the Modern World
- SOCI 210: Gender and the Law
- LEGL 101: Introduction to Paralegal Studies
- SPMA-320: Sports Law
- LEGL 102: Legal Research
- LEGL 103: Civil Litigation
- May take any one Business Law course:
Peace and Justice Studies
The Religious Studies and Philosophy, Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Human Services Programs work together to offer students an Interdisciplinary Minor in Peace and Justice. The goal of the minor is to ground students in issues of peace and justice through increased knowledge in areas such as non-violent social change, conflict resolution, and economic justice. Formal application must be made for the minor.
Students must earn a grade of C- (1.70) or better to successfully complete the requirements for the minor. Courses are 3 credits unless indicated and may not be offered every semester. The requirements include six (6) courses total which equals 18 academic credit hours. Four (4) of the courses are required courses and equal 12 academic credit hours. Two (2) of the courses are electives and equal 6 academic credit hours.
Requirements for the Multidisciplinary Minor in Peace and Justice Studies:
- RLST-244: Global Theology and the Cry for Justice
- RLST-245: Christian Social Ethics
- CRJU/HSVC/SOCI 120: Restorative Practices
- SOCI-200: World Justice and Care for Children
- Two Electives (6 credits) chosen from the below list:
- RLST-217: Contemporary Moral Issues
- RLST-220: Forgiveness and Reconciliation
- RLST-240: Introduction to Social Justice
- RLST-250/SOCI-250: Heart of the City (Service Learning Course)
- RLST-257: Leadership for Justice
- RLST-262: God and the Struggle for Civil Rights
- SOCI-103: Social Problems
- SOCI-127: Diversity
- SOCI-255: Culture and Society Global Studies Course (may be considered depending on topic)
- CRJU-245: Inside-Out* *Experimental Education Class which takes place in an actual prison setting. Requires approval from Dr. Lauren Barrow;
- Prerequisite: CRJU122: Introduction to Criminal Justice
All other courses would require approval from chairs of both programs.
Restorative Justice
The Restorative Justice Minor is an interdisciplinary minor designed to provide students with theoretical understanding and skill development in the established area of restorative justice practices in the community, nation, and the world. This minor will include skill development workshops offered by the Institute for Forgiveness and Reconciliation twice a semester and incorporated as components in courses required for the minor. Students must earn a grade of C- (1.70) or better to successfully complete the requirements for the Minor. An Independent Study may be available with appropriate permissions and Special Topics courses are repeatable for credit. Courses are 3 credits unless indicated and may not be offered every semester.
Requirements for the Minor in Restorative Justice:
- CRJU-120: Introduction to Restorative Practices
- Choice of one of the following:
- SOCI-101: Introduction to Sociology;
- SOCI-103: Social Problems;
- SOCI/HSVC-201: Social Inequality;
- or HSVC-257: Human Behavior in the Social Environment
- CRJU/HSVC/SOCI-325: Restorative Justice Seminar
- RLST-220: Forgiveness and Reconciliation
- Two Restorative Justice Electives (or other approved by Faculty Coordinator) (6 credits) chosen from the below list:
- CRJU-220: Juvenile Justice
- CRJU-245: Inside-Out
- HIST-322: Genocide
- HSVC-401: Internship in Human Services*
- RLST-240: Introduction to Social Justice
- RLST-244: Global Theology & Cry for Justice
- SOCI-127: Diversity Issues
- SOCI-401: Internship in Sociology*
Sociology
Students must earn a grade of C- (1.70) or better to successfully complete the requirements for the Minor. An Independent Study may be available with appropriate permissions and Special Topics courses are repeatable for credit; as is SOCI-401: Internship in Sociology. Courses are 3 credits unless indicated and may not be offered every semester.
Requirements for the Minor in Sociology:
- SOCI-101: Introduction to Sociology
- SOCI-127: Diversity Issues
- SOCI-201: Social Inequality
- Three Minor Program Electives (9 credits) chosen from the below list:
- CRJU-200: World Justice and Care for Children
- CRJU-210: Gender and the Law
- CRJU-226: Deviance and Social Control
- CRJU-230: Juvenile Delinquency
- HSVC-105: Introduction to Human Services
- HSVC-219: Child Welfare
- HSVC-257: Human Behavior and the Social Environment
- HSVC-281: Special Topics in Human Services
- HSVC-315: Life After War: The New Mission
- HSVC-322: Disability and Society Seminar
- HSVC-356: Social Welfare Policy
- SOCI-102: Sociology Through Film
- SOCI-103: Social Problems
- SOCI-104: Major Global Problems
- SOCI-114: Social Gerontology
- SOCI-125: The Family
- SOCI-126: Gender and Society
- SOCI-200: World Justice and Care for Children
- SOCI-210: Gender and the Law
- SOCI-216: Sociology of Health and Medicine
- SOCI-226: Deviance and Social Control
- SOCI-255: Culture and Society
- SOCI-281: Special Topics in Sociology
- SOCI-401: Internship in Sociology
- SOCI-481: Advanced Special Topics in Sociology
