In the 9 years that the 'Violence and Terrorism' course has been offered at California State University, it has grown from 1 section of 36 students to the present 13 sections of approximately 600 students each semester. The principal problem in offering such a course is arriving at a definition of terrorism that will make course material and discussions credible to the students. The following definition has been used in the course: 'Terrorism is the premeditated, deliberate, systematic murder, mayhem, and threatening of the innocent to create fear in order to gain a political or tactical advantage, usually to influence an audience.' Primary course objectives are to explore the organization, history, and ideology of domestic and international terrorist groups; to analyze terrorist tactics; to examine terrorism's impact on the quality of life in democratic states; to review terrorism's impact on human and civil rights; and to discuss the criminal justice system's response to terrorism. Secondary course objectives are to teach the basic concepts of criminal justice, to generate an interest in criminal justice among nonmajors, and to relieve personal anxiety about terrorism. Teaching methods include case studies, simulation and role playing, films, and values clarification exercises. 4 figures and 17 references.