The Departments of Psychology and Criminal Justice at Fort Hays State University offers specialized certificate programs that are designed to provide students with the opportunity to further develop their skills and knowledge in a particular area. Certificate in Criminal Psychology adds additional value to your undergraduate degree and can provide valuable experiences to prepare you for your future career in psychology. This certificate available on campus and online to FHSU undergraduate students.

Certificate in Criminal Psychology (12 credit hours):

Certificate Objectives:

• Identify the psychological and biological factors associated with criminal behavior
• Understand the complex nature of mental health and its influence on criminal behavior
• Examine psychological and sociological factors associated with criminal behavior
• Apply psychological theories to real-life case studies and/or examples

**Students will complete two courses from each department. 

Course options from Psychology department choose 2: 

(NOTE) Psychology Majors must take PSY 357 and PSY 369 while Criminal Justice Majors must take PSY 357 and/or PSY 369.

PSY 300 Abnormal psychology

PSY 340 Social psychology

PSY 357 Forensic psychology

PSY 369 Criminal psychology

PSY 425 Personality

Course options from Criminal Justice department choose 2: 

CRJ 365 Women and Crime

CRJ 374 Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System

CRJ 375 Serial Predators

CRJ 385 Victimology

CRJ 390 Sex Crimes

Note:

• No grade lower than a “C” is acceptable for the classes taken to complete the certificate 
• PSY100 is a pre-requisite for all psych courses

This is an FHSU advisory certificate. Advisory certificates are typically 9-15 hours of coursework.  The certificates are designed by FHSU faculty to provide students a guide to choosing courses that introduce and develop a subject knowledge and/or skills.  These certificates may be used to select a focus within a major, to develop additional knowledge and skills to complement a major, or to pursuing a topic of interest with open elective hours.  

Courses taken as part of an advisory certificate are listed on the student's transcript, however the advisory certificate is not listed on the transcript. Many FHSU departments provide a completion certificate that students may use to show they completed the advised coursework, and talk about what it added to their degree.  Non-degree students may complete the classes outlined in an advisory certificate and receive a completion certificate if offered by the department, however they are not enrolled in a degree plan or eligible for student aid.