Learning Outcomes
-
Explain criminal behavior, criminal-legal systems, constructions of deviance and conformity, and mechanisms of social control. [Comprehension]
-
Apply criminological schools of thought to interpretations of the social world. [Application]
-
Design and conduct an empirical criminological research project using quantitative and/or qualitative methods. [Synthesis]
-
Assess causes and consequences of social inequality and power as they relate to crime, criminal behavior, and the criminal-legal system. [Evaluation]
Program Requirements
All students must satisfy a general education requirement consisting of ten (10) courses outside of the major department. The General Education Domain II-A (Analysis, Modeling, and Problem Solving) requirement is satisfied through the completion of the Criminology major.
Courses may have specified conditions for enrollment, such as prior completion of less advanced courses, permission of the instructor, or appropriate placement test scores. Students should refer to course descriptions in the department listings for prerequisite requirements.
Course Requirements
Concentration core requirements (6 courses):
Select six (6) elective courses from the following list, at least three (3) of which must be CRIM-designated and at least two (2) must be at the 300-level or above.
- ANTH 206 Forensic Anthropology
- ANTH 258 Critical Approaches to Men and Masculinities
- CRIM 120 The Fight for Social Justice: Institutional Battlegrounds
- CRIM 201 White Collar Crime
- CRIM 211 Crime and Inequality
- CRIM 222 Global Criminology
- CRIM 224 Juvenile Delinquency
- CRIM 233 Victimization and Justice
- CRIM 240 Drugs, Social Control, and the Law
- CRIM 270 Social Deviance
- CRIM 308 Understanding Violence
- CRIM 313 The Culture of Punishment
- CRIM 321 Intimate Partner Violence
- CRIM 330 Policing and Society
- CRIM 336 Sexual Violence
- CRIM 360 Media and Crime
- HSTY 186 History of Modern Violence
- HLTH 326 Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior
- MGMT 215 Legal Environment of Business
- NEUR 225 Biopsychology
- PHIL 102 Introduction to Ethics: Why be Moral?
- POSC 206 Constitutional Law: Powers of the Government
- POSC 209 The American Supreme Court
- POSC 250 American Legal Systems
- POSC 270 Race, Politics, and the Law
- POSC 272 Gender, Politics, and the Law
- POSC 276 Technology, Politics, and the Law
- POSC 315 Judicial Politics and Policy
- POSC 316 United States Constitutional Law and Politics
- POSC 337 Legislative Politics and Policy
- PSYC 212 Adolescent Development
- PSYC 222 Psychopathology
- PSYC 271 Principles of Behavior Modification
- PSYC 373 Psychology and the Law
- SOCI 130 Social Problems
- SOCI 203 Introduction to Critical Race Theory
- SOCI 205 Geographic Information Systems Mapping for the Social Sciences
- SOCI 213 Social Class
- SOCI 230 Law and Society
- SOCI 233 Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Justice
- SOCI 245 Race and Ethnic Relations
- SOCI 263 Social Inequality
- SOCI 288 Immigration in the United States
- SOCI 308 Political Sociology: Who Rules?
- SOCI 333 Society, Mental Health, and the Individual
Minor Requirements
The following courses are required to complete this minor:
Four (4) additional course from the following list, at least two (2) of which must have a CRIM designation:
- CRIM 120 The Fight for Social Justice: Institutional Battlegrounds
- CRIM 201 White Collar Crime
- CRIM 211 Crime and Inequality
- CRIM 222 Global Criminology
- CRIM 224 Juvenile Delinquency
- CRIM 233 Victimization and Justice
- CRIM 240 Drugs, Social Control, and the Law
- CRIM 270 Social Deviance
- CRIM 290 Topics in Criminology
- CRIM 301 Criminology Theory
- CRIM 308 Understanding Violence
- CRIM 313 The Culture of Punishment
- CRIM 321 Intimate Partner Violence
- CRIM 330 Policing and Society
- CRIM 336 Sexual Violence
- CRIM 360 Media and Crime
- CRIM 400 Topics in Criminology
- CRIM 490 Independent Study in Criminology
- HSTY 186 History of Modern Violence
- HLTH 326 Drug, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior
- POSC 206 Constitutional Law: Powers of the Government
- POSC 250 American Legal Systems
- POSC 315 Judicial Politics and Policy
- POSC 316 U.S. Constitutional Law and Politics
- POSC 337 Legislative Politics and Policy
- POSC 450 Internship in the Judicial System
- PSYC 322 Abnormal Psychology
- PSYC 373 Psychology and the Law
- SOCI 226 Sociology of Rap and Hip Hop
- SOCI 230 Law and Society
- SOCI 233 Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Justice
- SOCI 245 Race and Ethnic Relations
- SOCI 263 Social Inequality
- SOCI 333 Society and the Mentally Ill
NOTE: Sociology majors may not count the same course toward both the Sociology major and the Criminology minor.
Career Opportunities
Harm reduction specialist
Works to minimize the negative health, social, and legal impacts associated with risky & criminalized behaviors, such as drug use, by providing non-punitive support, resources, and education to promote safer practices.
Victim Services Advocate
Provides support, information, and resources to individuals who have experienced crime or trauma, helping them navigate a range of social, health, and legal services.
Re-entry Navigator
Assists individuals transitioning from incarceration back into the community by providing guidance, resources, and support to help them access housing, employment, education, and social services.
Juvenile Diversion Specialist
Helps guide young people stay away from the justice system by providing support, education, and resources to encourage healthier behavior and prevent future harm caused by punitive systems.
Court Clerk
Manages administrative tasks for the court, including maintaining records, processing legal documents, scheduling hearings, and assisting judges, attorneys, and the public with case-related information.
Law Enforcement
Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are tasked with managing public safety, enforcing laws, and investigating crimes.
Student Spotlight
"I came in with the desire to be a District Attorney, and have done everything in my power in order to achieve the career goal."
Talia C. Johnson, Criminology Major, Class of 2017
Meet Your Faculty
Vincent Ferraro, Ph.D.
Xavier Guadalupe-Diaz, Ph.D
Elizabeth Whalley
