Law and Human Behavior ,Certificate
Forensic Science, Justice, Juvenile Justice, Psychology, Social science, law, sociology
Are you interested in the intersection of law and human behavior? Enhance your ASU undergraduate degree with a certificate program that strengthens your knowledge and prepares you for admission to leading graduate programs including forensic psychology and law, or for entry into careers in social services and with justice-minded agencies.
Law and human behavior is an umbrella term that encompasses various aspects of the rapidly emerging field of forensic psychology, law and justice.
This certificate program focuses on the criminal justice aspects of forensic psychology, emphasizing victimology, offender treatment, criminal incapacity, mental health law, juvenile justice and delinquency, and the dynamics of how the criminal justice system intersects with behavioral science.
The program is designed to provide students of social services and social sciences with an understanding of important but understudied areas where justice policy is in desperate need of empirical, psychological research.
- College/school:
Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions
- Location: Downtown Phoenix, Tempe, West Valley
2025-2026 Catalog Year
| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
|---|
| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
|
CRJ 260 Criminal Law I: Introduction to Substantive Criminal Law
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
CRJ 410 Criminal Procedure I: The Law of Investigations
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
PSY 366 Psychological Disorders
(SOBE)
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
PSY 468 Psychology and Law
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
| Elective Course | ||
|
Special Topics courses (CRJ 494 and PSY 494) will be designated and approved by departments and schools. Students will need to work with an advisor in order to select appropriate special topics courses that are approved for credit in the law and human behavior certificate program.
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate.
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At least 12 credit hours must be taken in residence at ASU.
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Bachelor of Science in criminology and criminal justice majors who are also pursuing the Law and Human Behavior certificate may not use CRJ 309, CRJ 403, CRJ 406, CRJ 410, CRJ 434, CRJ 435, CRJ 484, and CRJ 494 towards both their degree and certificate.
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Students must complete the following prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" or higher (scale is 4.00 = "A") to enroll in the certificate program. These courses may be taken in-residence at ASU or transferred from other institutions, including community colleges. Because these courses are requirements for the bachelor's degree programs in psychology or criminology and criminal justice, their completion satisfies not only requirements of these two majors but also the prerequisite requirements for enrollment in the certificate program in law and human behavior.
Completion of the following prerequisite courses with grades of "C" or higher is required for enrollment in the certificate program:
- CRJ 100 Introduction to Criminal Justice
- PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
- first-year composition (ENG 102, 105 or 107)
- a course that meets the General Studies MATH or MA requirement (MAT 114, 117, 119, 170, 210 or 270)
- one of these two-course sequences in statistics and research methods:
- CRJ 302 and 303, or
- PSY 230 and 290
A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at ASU. Undergraduate certificates are not awarded prior to the award of an undergraduate degree. A student already holding an undergraduate degree may pursue an undergraduate certificate as a nondegree-seeking graduate student.
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:
- Apply psychological theory and research to explain the behavior of individuals in the criminal justice system.
- Demonstrate competency in explaining how the criminal court systems of the United States apply the law.
Graduates of the law and human behavior certificate program find a strong job market in the public and private sectors. Employment opportunities include supervisory and management positions in criminal justice agencies (federal, state and local), such as:
- evidence and crime scene supervisor (crime scene investigation activities)
- forensic psychologist
- intelligence analyst
- law enforcement officer
Advanced degrees or certifications may be required for academic or clinical positions.
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
|
UCENT 600
SCCJAdvising@asu.edu
602-496-1658
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
