B.A. in Criminology
Go beyond the legal definitions of criminality with a bachelor of arts in criminology. The understanding of criminal activity changes as society continues to change, and the need to understand how and why such behavior occurs will continue to grow.
Criminology treats crime as the product of complex social forces, seeking to understand its nature and causes as well as the successes and failures/limitations of criminal justice approaches and processes. Students acquire knowledge of social structure and culture along with analytical tools that are highly valued in careers in criminal justice, social services, and business. The major also provides an excellent foundation for those who wish to pursue graduate or professional study, such as law.
Criminology majors take coursework that is rooted in the discipline of sociology. This includes foundation courses plus electives on topics such as police culture and socialization, punishment and social control, terrorism, corporate and white collar crime, hate crime, the sociology of violence, and more. Students often couple their major with a minor that is tailored to their professional interests, such as Psychology, Political Science, Forensic and Investigative Science, foreign language minors, and numerous other options. They also apply for internships with government agencies, law offices, or non-profit organizations to gain important experience in competitive fields.