Criminology, BA

Criminology is the scientific study of the making and breaking of laws, including society's reaction to both. This discipline focuses on all of the relevant parties involved in crime including the victim, offender, society, and the criminal justice system. More specifically, students who select the Criminology major will spend time exploring issues such as: the causes of crime; why certain groups become victims of crime; the consequences of crime for the victim, offender, and community; how the criminal justice systems respond to crime, victims, and offenders; how crime is defined in & outside the United States; the relationship between law & society; and, how crime might be prevented. The Criminology program will prepare students to work in a variety of areas related to crime and in various parts of the criminal justice system, as well as preparing them to enter graduate and professional programs in criminology, criminal justice, social work, and law.

Criminology Requirements

The Criminology Major requires 45 total credits: twenty-one (21) credits of required major courses, nine (9) credits of support courses, and three (3) credits of Criminology electives. One area of concentration, comprised of twelve (12) credits, is also required. Concentration areas are: General Criminology, Criminal Justice System, Juvenile Justice, or Restorative Justice.

Required Major Courses

CRI 1110INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINOLOGY

3

CRI 2250/SOC 2250VICTIMS OF CRIME

3

CRI 2400READING & UNDERSTANDING RESEARCH IN CRIMINOLOGY

3

CRI 3130COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY

3

CRI 3300/SOC 3300LAW AND SOCIETY

3

CRI 4300CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY

3

CRI 4900SENIOR SEMINAR IN CRIMINOLOGY

3

Criminology Support Courses

SOC 1010INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

3

SOC 4110/HSR 4110QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS

3

MTH 2070ELEMENTARY STATISTICS

3

Criminology Electives - Choose 1 from the list below

 
Any CRI course not fulfilling a CRI concentration requirement

3

PSY 3410FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY

3

PSY 4250ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY

3

REL 3460/CRI 3460RELIGION & JUSTICE

3

SCI 1001FORENSIC SCIENCE

3

CRI 4850INTERNSHIP

3

General Concentration

2 Criminology Courses at the 2000 level

2 Criminology Courses at the 3000 or 4000 level

Criminal Justice System Concentration Required Courses

CRI 2430AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

3

CRI 3410ETHICAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

3

Criminal Justice System Electives, Choose two from the following:

CRI 2450THE UNITED STATES COURT SYSTEM

3

CRI 2310HISTORY OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN THE UNITED STATES

3

CRI 2440LAW ENFORCEMENT & THE COMMUNITY

3

POS 3400UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION & SUPREME COURT

3

Juvenile Justice Concentration

Required

CRI 2430AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

3

CRI 3150JUVENILES AND CRIME

3

CRI 3230RESTORATIVE JUSTICE & JUVENILE OFFENSES

3

PSY 3230ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY

3

Restorative Justice Concentration

Required

CRI 3310/SOC 3310CONFLICT AND RESOLUTION

3

CRI 4150PEACE STUDIES

3

REL 3460/CRI 3460RELIGION & JUSTICE

3

Restorative Justice Elective, Choose one from the following:

CRI 4280/PSY 4280MEDIATION

3

CRI 3210RESTORATIVE JUSTICE & VIOLENT OFFENSES

3

CRI 3230RESTORATIVE JUSTICE & JUVENILE OFFENSES

3