Students majoring in criminology learn how to conduct and evaluate research, examine and contextualize the social bases of deviant and normal behavior and analyze the social institutions that impact criminal behavior. Graduates are prepared to examine crime, corrections and the criminal justice system from a critical, research-based stance and to see these issues through the sociological lens of social structures and social processes.
Upper-division criminology majors work with faculty on their own research projects, learning research skills from start to finish, and in off-campus supervised internships, earning credits while exploring career choices.
The objectives of the major program in criminology are to:
- develop skills in social observation and analysis regarding criminal behavior
- understand the impact of crime on victims and communities, and the manner by which offenders are held accountable for their actions
- increase understanding of the social institutions and social processes that influence criminal behaviors; develop skills in assessing and undertaking social research
- provide the opportunity to practice and evaluate critically the application of criminological analysis to real-life settings
Graduates of Cabrini's Criminology program are in graduate programs of sociology and criminal justice, employed in social work, mental health and criminal justice, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Secret Service, ATF, school counseling, and police work.
| Requirements for the major or minor in Criminology |
| View core curriculum requirements (34-48 credits). |
CREDITS |
| Required Courses |
Major |
Minor |
| SOC 203 |
Contemporary Social Problems and Social Justice |
3 |
3 |
| SOC 215 |
Introduction to Sociology: Race, Class, and Gender |
3 |
3 |
| CRM 210 |
Introduction to Criminal Justice |
3 |
3 |
| SOC/PSY 265 |
Statistics for the Social Sciences |
4 |
|
| SOC 302 |
Race and Ethnic Relations |
3 |
|
| CRM/SOC 309 |
Criminology |
3 |
3 |
| CRM 310 |
Sociology of Punishment and Corrections |
3 |
3 |
| CRM 315 |
Criminal Law and Society |
3 |
3 |
| CRM 325 |
Police and Society |
3 |
|
| SOC/PSY 341 |
Research Methods I |
3 |
|
| SOC/PSY 342 |
Research Methods II |
3 |
|
| CRM/SOC 420 |
Senior Capstone |
3 |
|
| CRM/SOC 488 |
Criminology/Sociology Internship |
3 |
|
|
Electives, selected from any department(s) |
35-49 |
|
|
Total credits for major |
40 |
|
|
Total credits for minor |
|
18 |
Special Requirements
Students planning a major or minor in criminology must submit an application to the department chair and receive department approval. Students planning double majors must consult with an advisor in the sociology department for course selection. All majors must maintain a 2.33 cumulative average in their major courses.
Criminology Honors Program
Students who meet the following requirements will graduate with honors in the criminology major:
- active membership in Alpha Kappa Delta
- a minimum overall GPA of 3.2
- a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 in major courses taken at Cabrini
- successful completion of SOC/PSY 342 and presentation of research in a public forum