Loyola Law School » Academics » Advocacy Institute » Practical Learning » Concentrations » Criminal Justice » Requirements

Concentration Requirements

Core Requirements

Prerequisites

Successful completion of the following required first year day/second year evening courses:

Advanced Required Courses

Successful completion of the following courses:

Advanced Advocacy Electives

Complete two from selected course offerings, at least one of which must address sentencing issues.

Experiential Requirement

Successful completion of an experiential course, team or externship from the group of offerings listed below. Minimum requirement of 2 units.  If a student seeks to complete this requirement through other experiential work, the student may petition the Criminal Justice Concentration Advisor, Prof. Cyn Yamashiro, for approval of the alternative experience. It will be at the discretion of the Criminal Justice Concentration Committees to approve or deny such a petition.

The asterisks above signify that the courses indicated can either be taken to fulfill the experiential course requirement OR the advanced advocacy elective requirement, but not both.

Research Skills Requirement

Students are required to complete the Criminal Justice Research Skills Practicum. The research practicum provides students with a basis in legal information sources for criminal justice and provides students with hands-on research experience on a criminal law case. Students will be expected to attend three in-person research training sessions held during the spring semester and complete assigned research projects. For more information about the Research Skills Practicum, please contact Amber Madole at Amber.Madole@lls.edu. 

Suggested Service Opportunity

Below are a list of criminal justice related volunteer opportunities which may be used not only to fulfill the LLS pro bono service hour requirement for graduation, but may also provide you with more hands-on experience and networking opportunities.

  • Assisting with ABA Roundtables on Criminal Justice
  • Assisting with the Advocacy Institute Newsletter
  • Assisting with the Fidler Institute on Criminal Justice
  • Assisting with the Loyola Advocacy Website
  • Coordinating Criminal Justice Speakers and Criminal Justice Workshops at LLS
  • Volunteering at a rape or domestic violence counseling center
  • Volunteering at the CJLP

Course Counseling and Completion

Students should meet the the faculty advisor for the Concentration regularly, at least once each semester to ensure the student is on track in completing the program and that the student is taking the best courses based their goals and interests. All course requirements must be completed by the conclusion of the student's degree program; a student may not fulfill a Concentration requirement after the term in which he/she has graduated.