Academic Programs

Criminal law is an exciting, profound, and challenging area of legal studies; it involves both substantive and procedural legal topics.  Substantive criminal law challenges students to contemplate some of the great philosophical questions:  who do we punish, for what activities, and how severely?  Criminal procedure law governs the criminal justice system and explores how society implements its norms of fairness by applying Constitutional requirements to state and federal systems for investigating and adjudicating crime.  No matter where your interest lies, Pace has a course that will suit your needs.

For students who desire only a general understanding of criminal law and procedure, the first year Criminal Law course and second year offerings in Evidence and Criminal Procedure may suffice.  Those who are interested in deeper study can register for such seminars as Juvenile Justice, Prisoners Rights, International Human Rights, Prosecution of War Crimes, Mental Disability Law, Immigration Law, and White Collar and Corporate Crime - all of which present opportunities to engage in independent writing and research.  For more information, please see our Criminal Law Courses page.

Students who are considering a career in a criminal justice related field or in any individual rights based client representation type of practice, such as employment discrimination, civil rights, immigration, personal injury, or family law, would benefit from taking part in our Experiential Learning program. Experiential learning consists of clinics, externships, simulation courses and skills enhancing classes that provide field placements and other opportunities to gain hands-on legal experience in conjunction with an academic classroom component.

If you are interested in learning about or are pursuing a career in criminal law – Pace offers a variety of academic course settings which provide a well-rounded examination of this legal area. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our Criminal Law faculty members.