3 credits
Fall 2026 Lecture Upper Division
This course provides an overview of the principles of criminal law, including the definitions of criminal acts, elements of culpability, defenses, and punishments. Emphasis is placed on constitutional protections, case analysis, and the application of legal reasoning to both real and hypothetical scenarios. Students will develop foundational knowledge of criminal law and strengthen analytical and communication skills through class discussions, written assignments, and group projects.
Learning Outcomes1Identify general criminal law concepts including the definitions of a criminal act, elements of culpability, and punishments. Understanding of these concepts are assessed through exams, group presentations of real-world examples, and writing assignments.
2Analyze arguments of various criminal hypothetical situations and understand the role the Constitution plays in providing certain criminal rights.
3Summarize federal and state criminal case examples and then share and analysis with the class.
4Analyze in a legal dispute how the parties disagree pertaining to the application of the law, to explore resolution of conflicting arguments, and to analyze the strength and weakness of arguments used to resolve legal disputes.
made by Purdue students.