Department Chair: Will LeSuer
Office: 1174 Ullsvik Hall
Phone: 608.342.1033
E-mail: lesuerw@uwplatt.edu
Mission Statement
The Department of Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigation educates using applied learning, critical thinking, and an interdisciplinary approach to prepare students for lives of service, civic engagement, and the promotion of justice.
Majors
Minors
Certificates
- Law (see Department of History and Social Sciences)
- In cooperation with the Department of Psychology, undergraduate Criminal Justice majors may complete the coursework needed for the State of Wisconsin Social Worker Training Certificate, managed by the Department of Safety and Professional Services, through the State of Wisconsin. The SWTC is only valid in the state of Wisconsin.
Criminal Justice
Department website: https://www.uwplatt.edu/program/criminal-justice
About the Criminal Justice Program and Major
The major in criminal justice provides a basic understanding of the criminal justice system and the society in which it functions. The Core General Education Requirements develop a broad educational background, along with foundational criminal justice courses. In-depth knowledge can be obtained by careful selection of courses in policing, corrections, criminological theory, law, forensic investigation, substance use disorders counseling, private security, and more.
The UW-Platteville Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigation programs have received national recognition for the superior quality of their internship programs. As a result, participation in internship programs is competitive. The programs reserve the right to refuse a student an internship if they are not a suitable candidate on the basis of scholarship, verbal ability, or character. To be eligible for internship, the student must have earned at least 60 credits plus 12 upper division Criminal Justice/Forensic Investigation credits and a 2.50 G.P.A.
In cooperation with the Department of Psychology, undergraduate Criminal Justice majors may complete the coursework needed for the State of Wisconsin Social Worker Training Certificate, managed by the Department of Safety and Professional Services, through the State of Wisconsin. The SWTC is only valid in the state of Wisconsin.
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Criminal Justice program should:
- Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental concepts related to the interrelationship of various components within the criminal justice system
- Apply criminological theories in explaining criminal behavior
- Demonstrate the ability to formulate a problem/topic, assemble relevant research and resources, and analyze data
- Evaluate social, cultural, and technological change and its impact on the criminal justice system
- Understand, analyze, and evaluate social research; demonstrate a working knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of substantive areas within the discipline of criminal justice
- Analyze the multifaceted nature of societal diversity and how it pertains to crime, offenders, victims, and the criminal justice and legal systems
General Requirements
Bachelor of Science Degree
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| 120 |
| 33 |
| 7-12 |
| 36 |
Bachelor of Arts Degree
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| 120 |
| 33 |
| 6-14 |
| 36 |
Forensic Investigation
Department website: https://www.uwplatt.edu/program/forensic-investigation
About the Forensic Investigation Program and Major
The Forensic Investigation major provides a thorough practical and theoretical study to the application of science within the investigative process. Students will explore the role that science plays in recognizing, documenting, collecting, and preserving physical evidence at crime scenes, and how this evidence is evaluated within a courtroom setting.
The UW-Platteville Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigation programs have received national recognition for the superior quality of their internship programs. As a result, participation in internship programs is competitive. The programs reserve the right to refuse a student an internship if they are not a suitable candidate on the basis of scholarship, verbal ability, or character. To be eligible for internship, the student must have earned at least 60 credits plus 12 upper division Criminal Justice/Forensic Investigation credits and a 2.50 G.P.A.
The UW-Platteville Departments of Chemistry, Engineering Physics, Biology, and Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigation cooperate in preparing students interested in becoming crime laboratory analysts.
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Forensic Investigation program should be able to:
- Explain how the discipline of forensic investigation contributes to the criminal justice system
- Utilize and describe methods of collection, preservation, analysis, and comparison in forensic investigation
- Identify the relevant legal and ethical issues involved in evidence collection and processing
- Demonstrate proper logic, grammar, and style for writing forensic reports
- Review forensic research for purposes of solving a forensic problem
- Demonstrate an understanding of the social, historical, scientific, and technological changes relevant to the study of forensic criminology
General Requirements
Bachelor of Science Degree
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| 120 |
| 33 |
| 7-12 |
| 36 |
