S Course Finder • Penn Carey Law

Course Details

Criminal Law (Ferzan) - Sec 2

Spring 2026   LAW 503-002  

« Back to Search Results

Faculty
Kimberly Kessler Ferzan

Earle Hepburn Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy; Co-Director, Institute of Law & Philosophy

kferzan@law.upenn.edu
Additional Information

Grading
10% Participation,
80% Exam,
10% Other (Short assignments)

Exam
Multiple Choice,
Short Answer,
Essay,
In Class,
Partial Open Book (Only hard copy materials allowed.)

Satisfies Senior Writing Requirement

No

Location

Class meets in person.

Course Continuity
Students are encouraged to stay home if you are ill or experience flu-like symptoms. If you miss a class for any reason, it is still your responsibility to make up the work missed.

I offer the following to students who miss class due to illness:

- Class sessions are regularly recorded. I will make these recordings routinely available on the course site to everyone in the class.

Meeting Times/Location
MTRF 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Gittis Hall 213

Category
First-Year

Credits
4.0

This course will examine the criminal law as a device for defining and controlling harmful behavior. Attention is given to the theoretical justifications for and the effectiveness of punishment, the foundations of culpability, the basic principles of criminal liability, and the definition of offenses and defenses. Attendance and preparation are required.

Course Concentrations

Criminal Law and Procedure Learning outcomes: Demonstrate a core understanding of criminal law and procedure; Perform legal analysis in the context of criminal law and procedure; Communicate effectively on topics related to criminal law and procedure; Demonstrate an understanding of the role criminal law and procedure play in society and their impact on other areas of law and society.


Textbooks

"Criminal Law Case Studies" by Paul Robinson
Edition: 7th Edition
Publisher: West Law
ISBN: 9798887868332
Required

"Criminal Law and its Processes: Cases and Materials" by Sanford H. Kadish (late), Stephen Schulhofer, Rachel E. Barkow
Edition: Eleventh Edition
Publisher: Aspen Pub
ISBN: 9781543810776
Required

"Understanding Criminal Law" by Joshua Dressler
Edition: Ninth Edition
Publisher: Carolina A
ISBN: 9781531021726
Recommended