Criminology Degree Program
"Why do people commit crimes?"
"Is there such a thing as a born killer?"
Criminology, the sociology-based study of crime and the criminal justice system explores the answers to questions such as these. Criminology provides majors with multiple techniques for investigating and reacting to important questions about the causes and consequences of crime and the mechanisms of the criminal justice system.
Criminology helps to prepare students for a variety of career options and for graduate or professional education. Some graduates enter directly into the work force in law enforcement, crime prevention, corrections, criminal justice administration, research, delinquency prevention and control services, probation or parole.
Undergraduate criminology majors can also be employed in non-crime related sectors such as health and social services, community work, federal, state or local government.
If you are considering a degree in Criminology it helps to be interested in sociology, psychology and the law. You should also be able to read and process a lot of information.
So, are you ready to...?
- Study psychology
- Learn theories of crime
- Understand criminal law and policy
- Analyze case studies (detailed descriptions of particular examples)
- Learn research methods
- Look for meaning in facts and figures
- Complete and internship
This is what you need to get started:
LAS Requirements
- Computer Competence
- Writing Intensive
- Language -- (6 hrs. 200+)
- Physical Education (2 hrs.)
- Freshman Writing -- EN 102
- Humanities Program -- ID 103
- Interdisciplinary Studies/ Change and Tradition
- Public Speaking -- SH 198
- Division Courses
- Humanities
- Fine Arts
- Social Sciences
- Natural Sciences
- Quantitative and Formal Reasoning
Sociology Requirements
I. Core Requirements (15 hours)
SO 101 Introductory Sociology
SO 205 Contemporary Social Issues
SO 391 Social Theory Seminar (prereq: SO 101 and Junior standing)
SO 486 Senior Seminar or SO 499 Honors Thesis (prereq: SO 391, SO 393) - taken Senior year
Additional Requirements
At least one course from each of the four following concentration areas:
All 300 level courses and above require SO 101 or permission of the instructor
II. Required Courses (12 hours)
SO 321 Crime and Society
Three of the following:
SO 311 Law and Society
SO 345 Social Deviance
SO 351 Punishment and Society
SO 353 Juvenile Justice
Elective Courses (9 hours)
Select three of the following:
SO 301 Families and Gender Roles or SO 341 Self and Society
SO 303 Political Behavior, Polity and Society or SO 349 Social Movements
SO 319 Mental Illness, Culture and Society
SO 327 Community Organization or SO 347 Urban Society
SO 325 Class, Status and Power or SO 309 Sociology of Economic Life
SO 339 Violence, Media, Culture or SO 343 Popular Culture
Global and Social Diversity (3 hours)
Select one of the following:
SO 355 International Crime
SO 323 Racial and Ethnic Relations or SO 329 Sociology of Racism
SO 331 Latin American Societies or SO 335 The Global Society
Selected Topics
SO 360 Selected Topics in Criminology. This course may be substituted for one of the above additional course requirements with the permission of the Department Head, and can be taken any time after the Freshman year.
Internship
SO 484 (3 hours) or SO 485 (6 hours). Students must complete at least one three-credit hour internship in a criminal justice related setting or organization.