Undergraduate FAQ

Why can’t I register for a class that shows available seats?

Open seats are likely showing because the class has been cross listed with another discipline, like Sociology or African American Studies, that has been allocated a share of seats. It’s also possible that the class you are trying to enroll into has been designated as a graduate section, in which case those open seats are not available to undergraduates. Finally, using the XE registration on Blackboard, click on the name of the course, then check the “restrictions” tab and “pre-requisites” tab to see if something keeps you from enlisting.

Can the class be made larger so that I can register for it?

We cannot add extra seats for individual students. Please check the schedule of classes everyday during the first two weeks of the semester to see whether seats have become available in the class that interests you. We strictly follow the fire codes that dictate the seating limits for classrooms.

The registration screen says I need “permission to enroll.” How do I get that?

The permission will be entered into the system by the CLJ Advising Team. Email the CLJ Advising Team to get permission to enroll: ascljadvising@uic.edu

As of Fall 2019, CLJ 301 has been removed.   Now all CLJ 400-level courses, except CLJ 402, satisfy the WID requirement (if you receive a “C” grade or better in the class). This class counts as 1 of the 5 required elective courses that you must take at the 300 or 400-level to complete the major.

When do I have to declare a major in the college of LAS?

You must declare a major upon completing 60 credit hours.

When can I declare a CLJ major?

You can declare the CLJ major when you apply for admission to UIC (effective Fall 2015) or at any point after admission.

How do I declare a CLJ major?

To declare a CLJ major, please email lascljadvising@uic.edu

How long does it take for my CLJ major to appear on my Degree Audit Report?

Your new CLJ major audit will appear on your Degree Audit Report the semester after you declare CLJ as your major. In the meantime, please follow these steps to run a “what-if” audit:

1. Log in at www.my.uic.edu
2. On the top menu bar, click “Student”
3. Scroll down to find the icon for uAchieve (or use
the Search box to find it) and select it
4. Choose to “Request Audit”
5. Select “Select a Different Program” and fill out the drop down boxes:

• For School, select “Liberal Arts and Sciences”
• For Program, select “Criminology Law and Justice – 5130 BA”
• For Catalog Year/Term, select the most current catalog semester.
• Select “Run a Different Program”. Wait about 20 seconds, then select “View Audit”
• Once open, select “Open All Sections” to expand categories

What are the CLJ major requirements?

Go to the course catalogue for a full and updated list of our requirements.

Can I use CLJ 395 (Internship) or CLJ 399 (Independent Study) to meet major requirements?

1. For CLJ 395, students can use up to 3 credit hours of course work as ONE of the “CLJ elective courses at the 300 or 400 level”.
2. For CLJ 399, students can be eligible to use up to 8 credit hours of course work. Exact credit hours vary per the student’s situation. Please consult with the CLJ Advising Team (lascljadvising@uic.edu) to confirm how many credit hours of CLJ 399 you are eligible to use towards the CLJ major requirements.

How do I get WID credit?

I took a WID course in my other major, do I have to take a WID class in CLJ?

No. You only need to take one WID class to meet university requirements. You can do it in any major.

As of Fall 2019, all CLJ 400-level courses, except CLJ 402, satisfy the WID requirement (if you receive a “C” grade or better in the class). This class counts as 1 of the 5 required elective courses that you must take at the 300 or 400-level to complete the major.

How do I declare a CLJ major?

Email the CLJ Advising Team—lascljadvising@uic.edu— to fill out the “change of major” form. They will approve the major declaration and file the form with LAS.

How long does it take for my CLJ major to appear on my DARS report?

It can take up to a semester; after that, check with an LAS advisor about the status of your declaration.

How many classes do I need to take in the CLJ Dept. to graduate?

Transfer students MUST complete 18 hours in the CLJ Department.

I have completed coursework in the major at a two-year college. Is there a way to anticipate which CLJ-related classes will be accepted by UIC as course equivalencies (i.e., as counting toward CLJ major requirements)?

Yes. Go to Transferology to look up which classes taken at two-year colleges will be credited by UIC as counting toward completion of college or major requirements. Transfer equivalencies from four-year institutions will be determined after you apply to UIC.

I got a “D” in a required class. Do I need to retake the class?

No, you will receive credit toward the major for the course as long as you do not fail the course.

When am I allowed to retake a class?

You are allowed to register yourself a second time for a course in which you previously received a “D” or “F” grade. Repeating a course more than once requires the College Dean’s written permission. See 6.4 of the UG Academic Policy Guide for details.

I took my methods sequence in my other major, do I have to take CLJ 261 and CLJ 262?

No. Your methods sequence meets the CLJ major methods requirements.

What are the equivalencies between CLJ 261/262 and other social science disciplines?

• CLJ 261 = SOC 300; CL262 = SOC 201
• CLJ 261 = PSCH 242; CLJ 262 = PSCH 343
• CLJ 261 = POLS 200; CLJ 262 = POLS 201

I took a WID course in my other major, do I have to take a WID class in CLJ?

No. You only need to take one WID class to meet university requirements. You can do it in any major. BUT CLJ’s WID course (CLJ 301) is linked to a 400 level CLJ course. CLJ 301 is a 0 credit class taken S/U. It is linked to one of our 400 level 3 credit courses. This class counts as 1 of the 3 required elective courses that you MUST take at the 300 or 400 level to complete the major.

How do I declare a CLJ minor?

Submit this form to declare a CLJ minor.

What are the CLJ minor requirements?

Go to the course catalogue for our most updated requirements.

*EFFECTIVE FALL 2019, requirements for the CLJ minor have undergone some changes. If your catalogue year (the year you declared CLJ as a minor) is before Fall 2019, this effects you.

How do I declare a Law and Society minor?

Submit this form to declare a Law and Society minor.

What are the law and society minor requirements?

Go to the course catalogue for our most updated requirements.

Can I count courses from my non-CLJ major toward requirements for my Law and Society minor?

It depends. The basic rule is “No Double Dipping.” This means that if a course is required by your non-CLJ major, or if it is being used to fulfill elective credit requirements toward your non-CLJ major, it cannot be used to satisfy requirements for the Law and Society minor.

What are the requirements to take an internship?

Head to our internship page to see all updated requirements and information

What are the requirements to take an independent study?

• Student must be a CLJ Major or Minor
• Overall GPA of 3.5/4.0 and a CLJ GPA of 3.0/4.0
• Have completed CLJ 200, CLJ210, CLJ220, CLJ261, CLJ262 and one of the following: CLJ 345, CLJ 350, CLJ 355

How do I arrange an Independent study?

An Independent Study for CLJ 399 credit is supervised by a member of the CLJ faculty who has agreed to act as your faculty sponsor. To find a faculty sponsor, meet with CLJ faculty members to talk about your research interests and/or whether you might assist on their research projects. The faculty sponsor needs to approve of your “work plan” and the number of credits (2- 6) for which you wish to register. Once this is done have the faculty member complete the Independent Study Agreement form. This form can be found online at the “Forms” tab. After the form is complete, students should send packets to either advisor or the lascljadvising@uic.edu. Note: you must register yourself for CLJ 399; the CLJ Advising Team only enters a permission to enroll, but not the actual registration into the course.

Can I use CLJ 399 (Independent study) to meet major requirements?

Yes, up to 3 credits of CLJ 399 may be used toward major requirements. CLJ 399 can be used as ONE of the “3 elective courses at the 300 or 400 level.

How many total hours of CLJ 399 will be accepted for college credit?

The college will accept a total of 8 COMBINED CLJ 399 and CLJ 395 hours toward your UIC degree.

By when do I have to have paperwork completed in order to have my independent study processed?

Have the Independent Study Agreement completed and submitted to the Social Science Advisor by the end of the 8th day of the semester.

Can CLJ 399 be taken Pass/Fail?

CLJ 399 must be taken for a letter grade, unless it will not count toward completion of CLJ major or minor degree requirements.

How do I qualify for Departmental Distinction?

You must have a 3.5/4.0 cumulative GPA in all CLJ courses and a 3.25/4.0 cumulative GPA in all university courses at the time of graduation.

How do I qualify for Departmental High Distinction?

You must have a 3.5/4.0 cumulative GPA in all CLJ courses and a 3.25/4.0 cumulative GPA in all university courses and complete a paper for CLJ 399 (Independent study), which will be reviewed by a faculty advisor and the Departmental Undergraduate Committee. GPA requirements must be met both during the semester that the student submits the paper and at the time of graduation.

Qualified students should contact the CLJ Director of Undergraduate Studies one semester in advance of graduation to discuss the process. The Director can also share copies of past High Distinction papers with prospective honorees.

When is the High Distinction paper due?

Papers are due the thirteenth week of the semester; deadline extensions may be granted, however, papers arriving after the thirteenth week will have a limited time-frame in which to be revised, should the review committee request it (assuming the student is in their last semester). Consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies for more guidance on the committee’s expectations and the paper’s deadline.

Are there guidelines for students submitting a paper in consideration of High Distinction?

Yes. A paper submitted in consideration of High Distinction Honors should be substantial, clearly written, well-organized, and persuasively argued and supported. Papers may (a) focus on synthesizing the literature of a CLJ area (e.g., “racial profiling”), (b) report on the student’s own empirical investigation (e.g., a secondary data analysis, original survey, field research project, or experimentally designed study), or (c) address an issue of public policy relevance to CLJ (e.g., “alternatives to incarceration”). The paper’s thesis statement should be set forth early in the paper and supported through use of evidence and/or relevant literature (theoretical or empirical). All sources should be correctly cited. Students can use either MLA or APA formatting. Successful papers will likely have gone through at least one revision, in coordination with the sponsoring faculty member or someone from the Writing Center.

What is the High Distinction paper review process?

Students should notify the Director of Undergraduate Studies of their intent by the middle of the semester in which they plan to submit a paper in consideration of High Distinction. Papers submitted for High Distinction Honors are reviewed by a committee comprised of at least three CLJ faculty members. The committee is asked to determine whether a paper should be accepted as originally submitted or is in need of being revised before acceptance. Revisions must be completed and reviewed by the committee before final certification of the student’s academic record, which usually occurs one week after the ending of the semester in which the student graduates from UIC. Recipients of High Distinction will have the honor noted in their official final transcripts.

What on-campus services are available to me as a UIC student if I seek academic assistance?

There are many sources of assistance for students as they pursue their academic objectives. Those include the following listed below…

Academic Center for Excellence
ACE offers full— and half—semester courses on such topics as critical reading and thinking, vocabulary enrichment, academic and professional writing. ACE also provides academic coaching, math and science tutoring, and ESL courses for both graduate and undergraduate students.

African American Academic Network
AAAN provides recruitment and admissions assistance, academic advising and student development services, and maintain a learning resource center for students.

Asian American Resource and Cultural Center
The AARCC offers individualized guidance for Asian American students in reaching their academic, personal, and professional potential, advising for organizations, presentations and workshops, and a peer mentoring program.

Disability Resource Center
The University of Illinois at Chicago is committed to maintaining a barrier-free environment so that individuals with disabilities can fully access programs, services, and all activities at UIC. The DRC offers a wide range of servicesincluding eligibility documentation, assistive technology, deaf/hard of hearing services and classroom access to exam accommodations, note taking, computing resources and transportation.

Latin American Recruitment and Educational Service Program (LARES)
Lares is a recruitment and academic assistance program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was established to recruit, advise and provide educational assistance to Latino students at both the high school and college levels. LARES was primarily designed to assist Latino students who are interested in pursuing higher education and who are in need of guidance and support.

Native American Support Program
The Native American Support Program (NASP) strives to increase the enrollment, retention and graduation rates of Native American students. NASP offers academic advising, financial aid assistance, student liaison services, recruitment and retention services, leadership and professional development, and genealogy assistance and tribal enrollment assistance.

TRiO/Academic Support Program
The goal of TRIO/ASP is to help increase the retention and graduation of low-income, first-generation college students and to foster an institutional climate supportive of their success. They seek to accomplish these goals through supportive services that foster academic achievement, personal growth and development, self-actualization, self-confidence, and leadership.

Writing Center
The Writing Center is committed to the campus-wide improvement of student writing through peer tutoring. The center offers a variety of writing support services such as: individualized tutoring, writing assistance to students who are native speakers, bilingual, and English learners.

I am getting close to graduating. When is the best time to meet with my major advisor to evaluate my progress in the major?

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their major advisor the semester BEFORE their intended last semester. For example, if a student plans to graduate at the end of Fall semester, he or she should make an appointment for a graduation check the Spring semester prior. This ensures a thorough, quality audit and allows time for the advisor to prepare appropriately.

Can I get an audit during drop-in advising?

You can get a quick DARS review during drop-ins. This is not the same as a full degree audit. Full audits are only conducted during 30-minute appointments.

How do I make an appointment for a graduation check?

Students should use iAdvise to make an appointment. We will do graduation checks during our select drop-in advising days as well.

When do I declare my intent to graduate?

Students typically have until the 1st week of their final semester to declare their intention to graduate. The application is found on the student self-service portal/myuic.

Am I required to get an audit or see my advisor to declare my intention to graduate?

No. You can declare online without seeing an advisor. We do, however, strongly recommend students make an appointment for an audit during the semester prior to their anticipated final semester.

Where can I learn more about LAS graduation and commencements?

For more information about LAS graduation and commencements, visit the LAS Commencement page.

What is the purpose of the CLJ Undergraduate List Serv?

All majors are subscribed to the CLJ Undergraduate List Serv at the beginning of each regular semester. The List Serv sends out announcements that pertain to Departmental events, internship fairs, career fairs, reminders of important dates, scholarship opportunities, and more. It is in your interest to be subscribed to the list serv in order to “stay in the loop.”

How do I subscribe to the Undergraduate List Serv?

Send an email to listserv@uic.edu and in the body of the message type: sub CLJUGNEWS

How do I unsubscribe from the CLJ Undergraduate List Serv?

Are you sure you want to go through with this? If so, send an email tolistserv@uic.edu and in the body of the message type: signoff CLJUGNEWS

How can I contact the CLJ advising office?

• CLJ Advising Team offers drop-in advising periodically throughout the semester during times of high advising demand. Reach out to lascljadvising@uic.edu for exact dates.
• Appointment availability is M-F from 9am-4pm. Head to iAdvise to schedule appointments.

What is the CLJ advisor’s email address?

The CLJ Advising Team can be reached directly by email at lascljadvising@uic.edu. In order to receive a response within one to two business days, be sure to contact the Office from your UIC email account and include your UIN.