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

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. 

Requirements for Criminology Major: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Science

System General Education Requirements

• Goal #1 Written Communication: SGR #1 Electives Credits: 6  
• Goal #2 Oral Communication:
  SGR #2 Elective Credits: 3
    
• Goal #3 Social Sciences:
  SGR #3 Electives Credits: 6
    
• Goal #4 Arts and Humanities:
  SGR #4 Electives Credits: 6
    
• Goal #5 Mathematics:
  SGR #5 Elective Credits: 3
    
• Goal #6 Natural Sciences:
  SGR #6 Electives Credits: 6
    

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements

• One declared minor outside of the major discipline OR a second major OR a teaching specialization. The minor may be a traditional minor within one department or school or it may be interdisciplinary involving more than one department or school. 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: 6+

• Modern Foreign Language Including the 202-Level Credits: 6+ 

Bachelor of Science Requirements: 10+

• Natural Sciences  Credits: 10+
  • Any two lab sciences.
  • Coursework must include 2 prefixes.
  • MATH and STAT courses do not count toward the science requirement.

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.

Major Requirements

• CJUS 201 - Introduction to Criminal Justice (COM) [SGR #3, HSDC] Credits: 3
• CJUS 431 - Criminal Law (COM) Credits: 3
• SOC 100 - Introduction to Sociology (COM) [SGR #3, HSDC] Credits: 3
• SOC 283 - Working with Diverse Populations Credits: 3

• or SOC 350 - Race and Ethnic Relations (COM) Credits: 3  

• SOC 307 - Research Methods I (COM) Credits: 3
• SOC 308 - Research Methods II (COM) Credits: 3
• SOC 351 - Criminology (COM) Credits: 3
• SOC 400 - Social Policy (COM) Credits: 3
• SOC 460 - Advanced Criminology (COM) Credits: 3 (Capstone)

Electives

Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Total Required Credits: 120

Summary of Program Requirements

*System General Education Requirements for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree shall include a minimum of 30 credit hours. Some general education coursework may be counted for Major Requirements, Supporting Coursework, and College Requirements.
**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.

• Criminology (B.A.)
• Criminology (B.S.)