Criminal Law, Justice & Policy Concentration
The concentration in Criminal Law, Justice and Policy is designed for students who plan to practice criminal law as a prosecutor or defense attorney or to work at a policy level by advising legislatures on criminal justice reform measures. Students must have a minimum grade of 2.33 in each graded course used to earn this concentration. The courses provide in-depth exposure to all aspects of criminal law and procedure, with an emphasis on both skills and policy. Experiential learning is an important part of this concentration.
A student seeking a substitution should consult with faculty advisor Prof. Cynthia Alkon.
To earn the Criminal Law Concentration, students must complete the following required and elective courses:
Core courses (all are required)*
- Criminal Procedure (3)
- Criminal Procedure Trial Rights (3)
- Evidence (4)
- Trial Advocacy Practicum (3) or Trial Advocacy Criminal Cases (3)
- Negotiation Theory & Practice Practicum (3)
Elective courses (at least two required)
- Advanced Criminal Procedure (2 or 3)**
- Courthouse Perspectives (1)
- Crimmigration (1)
- Death Penalty Seminar (2)
- Domestic Violence Seminar (2)
- Ethics for the Criminal Law Practitioner (1 or 2)
- Immigration Law (3)
- Innocence Project (2)
- Juvenile Justice (2)
- LARW III: Criminal Law Drafting (2)
- LARW III: Appellate Drafting (2)
- LARW III: Criminal Procedure (2)
- LARW III: Public Policy Drafting (2)
- Law & Psychology Seminar (2)
- National Security Law (3)
- Post-Conviction Actual Innocence Claims (2)
- Race & the Law Seminar (2)
- Scientific Criminal Evidence Workshop (1)
- Sentencing Law and Policy Seminar (2)
- Texas Criminal Law Practicum (2)
- Texas Criminal Procedure (3)
- White Collar Crime (3)
- Other courses that may be designated as satisfying this requirement (1/2/3)
Experiential Learning courses (at least one required)
- Criminal Defense Clinic (2-4)
- Externship in a prosecutor’s office, public defender/criminal defense counsel office or court with a criminal docket (2)
Notes:
* Note that some of these courses are courses generally required for the J.D. degree. Completion satisfies both the J.D. degree and the Criminal Law, Justice & Policy Concentration.
** This course can be taken either as a 3 unit elective or a 2 unit seminar, but not as both.