Note: The information below provides convenient links to some of the courses required for this degree; however, it should not be used as a course registration guide. Please refer to the official Lander University Academic Catalog for the most accurate and up-to-date program requirements.
The minor in criminal justice is designed to complement students with a major in any discipline other than Criminology in order to broaden and enhance career opportunities. This minor will provide students with knowledge and understanding of the various areas within the criminal justice system and of criminology. Students pursuing this minor may seek employment with the various federal, state, or local governmental or social service agencies which deal with prevention programs for youth and/or at-risk youth, and/or working with populations having criminal behaviors.
The Homeland Security Minor is intended for students who are considering a career working in government or nongovernmental arenas related to homeland security. Careers within the diplomatic corps; emergency management; the intelligence community; law enforcement at local, state, or national levels; military service; public administration; or private businesses focused on security are some areas with jobs related to homeland security.
The minor provides a breadth of coverage of homeland security and security studies. Beyond the required introductory course, students must take courses that add to understanding of intergovernmental relations, national security history, the sociological aspects of security, and U.S. defense policy and intelligence. The minor offers coursework on contemporary topics such as cybersecurity, emergency management, and terrorism and aspects of criminology in order to build skills in policy analysis. As a whole, the minor enables students to think about how governments and non-governmental actors respond to new levels of securitization in a globalized world.
The homeland security minor consists of 18 semester hours distributed as follows:
The objective of the minor in international studies is to learn about the contemporary world (i.e., post-1900) and the relationship of the United States to the world. Students will be exposed to major international issues and challenges as well as to cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary perspectives. Students pursuing the minor are encouraged to participate in Lander’s approved study abroad programs, although this is not a requirement for completion of the minor.
Courses from chosen area, either A or B - 9 semester hours
Courses from the other two - 9 semester hours
Thus, students must concentrate their coursework in either history or political science. In addition, they must choose at least three additional courses for the minor from any of the areas below. Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in all minor courses.
Area A. History
Special topics courses (HIST 441) are also acceptable if the contemporary age (1900-present) is the primary focus of appropriate course content.
Area B. Political Science
Special topics courses (POLS 361) and internships with an international focus (POLS 490) are also acceptable if the contemporary age (1900-present) is the primary focus of appropriate course content.
Area C. Approved Electives and Study Abroad
Students may count a variety of electives toward the minor in international studies. This includes courses taken at Lander as well as through the Lander-approved study abroad programs. The following Lander courses are pre-approved for the minor:
Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad and may count up to nine hours of coursework taken through Lander-approved programs, such as at the University of Winchester in the United Kingdom. Faculty must approve all coursework taken in study abroad programs.
The minor in non-profit management seeks to prepare students for careers with a non-profit organization or local, state, or federal governmental agency that provides social services to a specific population. Given that non-profit organizations provide similar services as some governmental agencies and seek funding through government grants, there is much interaction between governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations or non-profits, some of which are charitable institutions. The minor’s curriculum seeks to make students familiar with governmental structure and regulations, the policy-making process within government and non-profits, and social welfare policies of serving populations in need.
Non-profit management has become a popular specialization within several disciplines and links to many career paths, so this minor may be valuable for students considering graduate school programs such as a master’s degree in public administration (M.P.A.), master’s degree in social work (M.S.W.), or a graduate degree in human services.
Prerequisites for the minor’s coursework:
A minor in non-profit management consists of 15 semester hours distributed as follows:
Four of the following courses:
*Permission of instructor is required for internships. To count for the minor, the instructor will require that the student interns with a non-profit organization.
The pre-law minor has three groups of courses. Students must take both courses in the first group (Group A), two of the courses in the second group (Group B), and two of the courses in the third group (Group C). The first group consists of courses providing the most important skills a law student or lawyer needs. The second group consists of courses providing background knowledge helpful for law students or lawyers. The third group consists of the law courses offered at the undergraduate level.
The pre-law minor consists of 18 semester hours with the following distribution:
GROUP A (6 semester hours)
GROUP B (6 semester hours)
Students must choose two of the following courses:
GROUP C (6 semester hours)
Students must choose two of the following courses:
The public administration minor provides education in public service management for students who major in disciplines other than political science. This minor provides background for students wishing to work in government, non-profit organizations, or pursue a master’s degree in public administration.
The 18 hours of minor requirements are:
*These courses have separate major program prerequisites. See the catalog or check with the instructor.
Sociology is an important discipline of study regardless of career choice. Students not wishing to major in sociology might wish to make it their minor. A minor in sociology consists of 15 semester hours distributed as follows:
To ensure competency in the basic sociological skills, a sociology minor must earn at least a “C” in SOCI 101, 202, 398, and 399 and have an average GPA of 2.0 in sociology electives. Students must also pass MATH 211 with a “C” or better before enrolling in SOCI 398.