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California State University, Long Beach
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Minor in Forensic Studies

27 Units in Criminal Justice and Related Forensic Studies Courses

The minor in forensic studies is designed to provide students of the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and human services with an understanding of the nature of criminal evidence and an appreciation of how forensic investigative methods are used in quest for justice. The minor may be combined any major at CSULB, although criminal justice majors may not “double count” CRJU 230, 412, 430, 440, 441, 442, 443, or 492 for credit toward their major courses and the minor in forensic studies. All classes in the minor must be completed with a grade of "C" or better.

Students who would like to declare the minor in forensic studies must have completed the two prerequisite courses (CRJU 100 & CRJU 110) and have an overall GPA of 2.5. Alternative admission requirements may apply during times when the department is impacted.

A. Two (2) Required Prerequisite Courses
(Totaling 6 units)
Course Number Course Name Prerequisites Former CRIM Course Equivalent
CRJU 101

Criminal Justice and Society (3)

1 GE Foundations Course (may be taken concurrently)

CRIM 100
CRJU 110

Justice Research, Writing, and Reasoning (3)

ENGL 100

None;
New Course

B. Five (5) Required Criminal Justice and Forensics Courses
(Totaling 15 units)
Course Number Course Name Prerequisites Former CRIM Course Equivalent
CRJU 230*

Survey of the Forensic Sciences (3)

None

None;
New Course

CRJU 301

Criminal Courts and Judicial Processes (3)

CRJU 101 & CRJU 110 (may be taken concurrently)

CRIM 351
CRJU 350 Constitutional Criminal Procedure (3) CRJU 301 CRIM 451
CRJU 412* Criminal Investigations (3) CRJU 101 & CRJU 110 CRIM 361
CRJU 440* Criminalistics: Forensic Science in the Crime Laboratory (3) CRJU 230 CRIM 462
C. Two (2) Restricted Option Forensic Courses
(Any Two of the following courses totaling 6 units)

Course Number

 Course Name Prerequisites Former CRIM Course Equivalent
CRJU 430*

Criminal Evidence and Trials (Mock-Trial) (3)

CRJU 301

None;
New Course

CRJU 441* Investigating High-Tech Crimes (3) CRJU 230 CRIM 463
CRJU 442* Forensic Psychology and the CJ System (3) CRJU 301 None;
New Course
CRJU 443* Forensic Pathology & the Medico-Legal Investigation of Death (3) CRJU 230 None;
New Course

Alternatively -- students minoring in forensic studies may satisfy one or both of the restricted option requirements by:

  1. taking any approved CRJU 490* special topic courses in forensics (e.g., Criminal Profiling; Investigating Sex Offenses; Firearm and Toolmark Identification; etc.); or

  2. taking any approved forensics courses offered by other disciplines that have an applied forensic focus (e.g., Forensic Accounting; Forensic Art and Photography; Forensic Nursing, etc.); or

  3. completing CRJU 492* (Internship) in an approved forensic setting.
* Note: Criminal Justice majors who take any course marked with an asterisk in fulfillment of the requirements of the minor in forensic studies may not use the courses to also fulfill the upper-division requirements of the criminal justice major.