Criminology, BA Major in

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Administered by the Department of Sociology

Program Description

Criminology is an expanding field that explores the causes and consequences of crime and the institutions designed to address it. The Bachelor of Arts and minor program in criminology are interdisciplinary and strongly based in the liberal arts. They offer a broad array of courses from social and physical sciences, as well as humanities, in disciplines such as sociology, political science, philosophy, forensics, and linguistics. The program is designed to provide students with sound methodological and analytical skills, leading to critical understanding of criminal behavior and the operation of the criminal justice system. The goal of the program is to prepare students for further studies as well as leadership positions in the fields of law, criminal justice administration, policy development, and national security.

Students with criminology degrees will be able to work in governmental criminal justice agencies, nonprofit foundations, and community organizations that deal with various issues in criminal justice, such as rehabilitation, uniformity in sentencing, prison over-crowding, recidivism, de-criminalization of certain drugs, gun control, community policing, crime prevention, treatment of drug offenders, and human rights violations, among others.

As part of the degree, the program offers credited internships in the specialized courts of Nassau and Queens Counties — for example, the youth court, mental health and drug courts, the domestic violence and sex crimes prosecutorial units, the Department of Probation, and community-based educational, advocacy, and rehabilitation programs.

Program Requirements

The major in criminology requires the successful completion of a minimum of 32 s.h. of course work, including:

1) Required Courses - Semester Hours: 14

CRM 001 - (IS) Introduction to Criminology Semester Hours: 3 (See footnote*)
or
SOC 007 - (BH) Crime and Delinquency Semester Hours: 3 (See footnote*)
CRM 002 - (IS) Theoretical Perspectives on Crime and Justice Semester Hours: 3
SOC 180 - Statistics in Sociology Semester Hours: 4 (See footnote*)
or
PSY 040 - Statistics Semester Hours: 4 (See footnote*)
SOC 181 - Research Methods in Sociology Semester Hours: 4

2) Three s.h. in each of the following categories - Total Semester Hours: 6

Category I: Crime and Justice

PHI 121 - (HP) Crime and Punishment Semester Hours: 3
PSC 129 - (BH) The Administration of Justice in America Semester Hours: 3
SOC 008 - (BH) Sociology of Substance Abuse Semester Hours: 3
SOC 117 - (BH) Sociology of Terrorism Semester Hours: 3 (See footnote*)
or
PSC 152 A-Z - Special Topics in International Politics Semester Hours: 1-4 (See footnote*/**)
SOC 172 - (BH) Punishment and Society: Sociology of Correctional Institutions Semester Hours: 3

Category II: Law, Politics, and Society

PHI 015 - (HP) Law, Philosophy, and Public Life Semester Hours: 3-4
PHI 120 - (HP) Philosophy of Law Semester Hours: 3
PHI 122 - Morality and the Law Semester Hours: 3
PSC 120 - (BH) Law and Politics: Judicial Process Semester Hours: 3
PSC 126 - (BH) Politics of Public Administration Semester Hours: 3
PSC 127 - Constitutional Law Semester Hours: 3
PSC 128 - The Constitution: Political Freedom and Civil Liberties Semester Hours: 3
PSY 012 - Psychology and the Law Semester Hours: 3
SOC 170 - (BH) Sociology of Law Semester Hours: 3

3) Electives, chosen under advisement - Total Semester Hours: 12

In addition to the following, courses taken from among those listed under categories I and II above that are beyond the required minimum of 3 s.h. will count as electives.

CRM 003 - (IS) Domestic Violence Semester Hours: 3
CRM 187 A-Z - (IS) Special Topics in Criminology Semester Hours: 3
CRM 190 - Internship in Criminology Semester Hours: 1-4
FOR 100 - Survey in Forensic Science Semester Hours: 3
FOR 101 - Crime Scene Investigation Methods Semester Hours: 3
FOR 190 - Legal Issues Pertaining to Scientific Evidence Semester Hours: 3
GS 108 - (CC, IS) Globalization and Human Trafficking Semester Hours: 3
LING 158 - (IS) Forensic Linguistics Semester Hours: 3
SOC 009 - (BH) Youth, Crisis, and American Culture Semester Hours: 3
SOC 153 - (BH) Sociology of Human Rights Semester Hours: 3 (See footnote*)
or
GS 109 - (CC, IS) Globalization and Human Rights Semester Hours: 3 (See footnote*)

Footnotes

* Credit toward the major is given for one of these courses, not both.

** When topic approved by the director of the criminology program.

Note

No more than 12 s.h. can be utilized to satisfy both the major requirements in criminology and those for any other major or minor.

Complete BA Requirements

BA Requirements in HCLAS.

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