2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]


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Criminology (B.A./B.S.)



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Program Coordinator/Contact

Elizabeth Koob, Professional Advisor
School of Psychology, Sociology and Rural Studies
Agricultural Engineering 110
605-688-6296

Program Information

Criminology is the study of crime as a complex and multi-layered social phenomenon including its causes and consequences. Criminologists explore criminal behavior and societies’ responses to crime. Without a clear understanding of why people commit crime, society cannot effectively rehabilitate criminals. The theoretical aspects of criminology encompass the research design and philosophy of science components of evidence-based science. The program focuses on the scientific research and evaluation processes that generate evidence to support improved practice in the field, to address the underlying methodological and structural components of crime and criminality, and to bolster criminal justice processes. The Criminology major will prepare students interested in a variety of careers related to crime and the control of crime as well as others more focused on the study of criminality.

Student Learning Outcomes

In the Criminology major, students will:

  • Identify structural patterns of social inequality and their effects on groups and individuals and explain the intersections of race, social class, gender, and other social factors as they relate to the development of criminal behavior, the criminal justice system, and values of social justice.
  • Explain how criminal justice structures change as a result of social forces including: the actions of social groups through social movements and collective action; the impact of macro-level changes such as industrialization, secularization, and globalization; and struggles over social institutions that are linked to social and economic development and mobility.
  • Demonstrate how to apply sociological and criminology theories and concepts to the social world around them by using the sociological imagination to analyze criminal acts in context and to generate and evaluate solutions; and by applying other criminology theories and concepts to understand how crime evolves and is controlled, both locally and globally.
  • Describe the role of theory in building criminological knowledge and evaluate the limitations of different theoretical frameworks and critically evaluate claims about criminology and criminal justice systems by identifying and appraising assumptions underlying theory construction and social policy.
  • Demonstrate the ability to conduct and critique empirical research in criminology through the articulation of the effective use of evidence, the generation of research questions or hypotheses from criminological theories and concepts, and the recognition of the limits of the scientific method in understanding social behavior related to crime.
  • Demonstrate informational, technological, and quantitative literacy and be able to express criminological and criminal justice-related ideas in a clear and coherent manner, in both written and oral communication, to the general public.

Academic Requirements

Students must earn a “C” or better in courses in the major and maintain at least a 2.20 cumulative GPA. Students pursuing the Criminology major are not eligible for the Criminal Justice minor. 

Course Delivery Format

Courses are delivered in multiple formats including face-to-face lecture and laboratory courses, as well as online courses.

Requirements for Criminology Major: 120 Credits


Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Science

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements


  • One declared minor outside of the major prefix OR a second major OR a teaching specialization. The minor may be a traditional minor within one department or it may be interdisciplinary involving more than one department. The minor can be in a different college. The minor must be declared no later than the student’s third semester of enrollment.
  • Capstone course in the major discipline
  • Upper division coursework Credits: 33

Bachelor of Arts Requirements: 9+

Bachelor of Science Requirements: 13+

System General Education and/or major coursework may satisfy some or all of the above requirements. Consult program advisor for details. See the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences  for additional information about Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science specifications.

Total Required Credits: 120


Summary of Program Requirements


Bachelor of Arts

 
System General Education Requirements 30 Credit Hours
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements* 9+ Credit Hours
Major Requirements 39 Credit Hours
Electives** 42 Credit Hours

Bachelor of Science

 
System General Education Requirements 30 Credit Hours
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements* 13+ Credit Hours
Major Requirements 39 Credit Hours
Electives** 45 Credit Hours

*System General Education Requirements, Major Requirements, and Supporting Coursework may satisfy some or all of the above requirements.  
**Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Academic Advising Guide Sheet


The goal of the academic advising guide sheets and sample plans of study is to promote undergraduate student success by guiding all students to timely completion of an undergraduate degree. Students are not limited to the course sequence provided for their academic program. Instead, the sample plan of study is one possible path to completing your degree and is meant to be used as a guide for planning purposes in consultation with an academic advisor. The plans also help students prepare for meetings with their academic advisor and track their progress in their selected academic program.

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