Earn your BA in Criminology, Law, and Justice
Criminology is the scientific study of crime and criminal behavior. Knowledge gained from the scientific study of crime and criminal justice serves as the foundation for public policies and programs that improve the quality of life and promote social justice.
Criminal Justice is concerned with the study of all aspects of crime and societal reactions to crime. Examining political, economic, and cultural patterns that shape definitions of crime and influence the policy choices about how to respond to certain criminal and deviant behaviors is central to this discipline.
A degree in criminology also prepares students pursue a more defined range of career fields than sociology including law enforcement, research and crime data analysis, security industry, law, probation or correctional officers, or graduate school and academic careers in fields like criminology, public policy, psychology, or anthropology.
Skills you will develop in this major include:
You will recognize the causes and consequences of crime at the micro and macro levels and be able to match these with prominent criminological perspectives.
You will understand the interrelated institutions and processes of the criminal justice system and legal systems.
You’ll apply theories of crime, legal systems and criminal justice systems to explain scenarios, behaviors, and trends.
You will understand the role of formal law in advanced democracies
You’ll be able to explain the various social science methods of inquiry and test specific research questions
You’ll be able to recognize and explain social inequities in crime and criminal justice processes by race, social class, gender, region and age.
And you’ll develop the skills to evaluate the effectiveness of policy interventions for reducing crime and improving social justice.
Requirements
| Course Number | Course Name | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRIM:1410 | Introduction to Criminology | 3 |
| CRIM:1447 | Introduction the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| SOC:1010 OR SOC:1020 | Introduction to Sociology OR Contemporary Social Problems | 3-4 |
| Course Number | Course Name | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOC:2130 | Sociological Theory | 3 |
| CRIM:2470 OR SOC:2170 | Research Methods in Criminology OR Research Methods | 3 |
| SOC:4910 OR CRIM:4800 OR CRIM:4400 | Capstone Class in Sociology and Criminology OR Research Practicum in Criminology OR Internship in Criminal Justice and Corrections | 3 |
| SOC:4909 | Graduation Portfolio (taken in last semester) | 0 |
| Course Number | Course Name | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOC:2160 | Applied Statistics for Social Scientists | 3 |
| STAT:1020/PSQF:1020 | Elementary Statistics and Inference | 3 |
| STAT:1030 | Statistics for Business | 4 |
| STAT:2010 | Statistical Methods and Computing | 3 |
| STAT:3510/IGPI:3510 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| Course Number | Course Name | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRIM:2210 | Iowa Criminal Justice Policy and Reform | 3 |
| CRIM:2430 | Comparative Criminal Justice Systems | 3 |
| CRIM:2460 | Policing in Modern Society | 3 |
| CRIM:2901 | Special Topics in Criminology, Law, and Justice | 3 |
| CRIM:3110 | Communities and Crime | 3 |
| CRIM:3250 | Drugs, Deviance, and Social Control | 3 |
| CRIM:3260 | Immigration and Crime | 3 |
| CRIM:3414 | Criminology of Genocide | 3 |
| CRIM:3415 | Global Criminology | 3 |
| CRIM:3416 | Race, Crime, and Justice | 3 |
| CRIM:3417 | Community Corrections | 3 |
| CRIM:3420 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3 |
| CRIM:3421 | Gangs and Gang Crime | 3 |
| CRIM:3425 | Women, Crime, and Justice | 3 |
| CRIM:3437 | American Crime | 3 |
| CRIM:3450 | Criminal Legal System | 3 |
| CRIM:3600 | Crime and Public Policy | 3 |
| CRIM:4120 | Environmental Criminology | 3 |
| CRIM:4300 | Gender and Violence | 3 |
| CRIM:4420 | Criminal Punishment | 3 |
| CRIM:4430 | Interpersonal Violence in Society | 3 |
| CRIM:4440 | Sociology of White-Collar Crime | 3 |
| CRIM:4450 | Juvenile Justice: A Sociolegal Perspective | 3 |
| CRIM:4460 | Sociology of Law | 3 |
| CRIM:4680 | Corruption: The Social Scientific Perspectives | 3 |
| CRIM:4901 | Advanced Topics in Criminology, Law, and Justice | 3 |
| CRIM:4998 | Honors Research | 1-3 |
| Students may apply one of the following 3 s.h. courses toward the elective requirement: | ||
| CRIM:4400 | Internship in Criminal Justice and Corrections | 3 |
| CRIM:4410 | Treatment Interventions in Corrections | 3 |
Students must take one course in sociology to enhance their coursework in Criminology, Law, and Justice. Please view the checklist below for courses that will fulfill this requirement.
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