Criminology

Women's College and College of Adult Undergraduate Studies

Overview
Major
Minor
Four-Year Plan
Course Descriptions

Mischelle L. Van Brakle, J.D., Ph.D., Chair
Jeffrey Tuer, M.S.

The criminology program of the School of Arts and Sciences offers a major and minor in criminology to students in the Women’s College and the College of Adult Undergraduate Studies. The program provides students an opportunity to pursue studies leading to graduate school or a career in the administration of justice. The program is structured around the study of both crime and deviance to ground students with an understanding of criminal behavior and the official reactions to such behavior. To analyze criminal behavior and its motivation, the program draws on social science disciplines including sociology and psychology as well as applied field experiences. Criminology majors gain the skills and breadth of knowledge that enable them to explain a wide range of criminal behavior. Criminology as a discipline is broader than the study of criminal justice, which focuses on understanding government responses to crime from a rational choice perspective.

A student majoring in criminology participates in a practicum or field experience with a criminal justice or social service agency that gives the student an opportunity to combine the theory and the practice of criminology and criminal justice. The field experience is a capstone course that includes a series of seminars directed by a faculty member designed to help students integrate the field experience with their classroom learning, as well as to prepare students for successful careers upon graduation.

The criminology minor provides students a basic understanding of criminal behavior and the criminal justice response in the context of today’s society. With this minor, graduates will be prepared to succeed in an occupation involving interaction with people, including policy making, community action, social research and social services.

Students with a 3.2 grade point average overall and a 3.2 grade point average in their major courses may become active members of Alpha Phi Sigma, the national honor society in criminal justice.

All courses credited toward the criminology major or minor must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

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Programs of Study

Required Courses for a Major in Criminology and Social Deviance (Credits)

SOC-101 Introductory Sociology (3)
CRM-101 Introduction to Criminology (3)
SOC-209 Race, Class and Gender (3)
CRM-360 Research Methods and Crime Analysis (4)
CRM-203 Theories of Crime and Social Deviance (3)
CRM-461 Practicum (4)

One course from the following
SOC-411 Advanced Topics (3)
SOC-463 Independent Research (3)

Six courses from the following, at least 3 at the 300 level
CRM-130 CRM-130 Criminology at the Movies (3)
CRM-205 Policing and Society (3)
CRM-220 Criminal Law and Procedure (3)
CRM-230 Terrorism & Homeland Security (3)
CRM-310 The Criminal Justice System (3)
CRM-311 Special Topics in Criminology (3)
CRM-325 Violence Against Women (3)
SOC-222 Social Problems or SOC-371 Honors: Social Problems (3)
SOC-301 Social Justice (3)
CRM-320 Juvenile Delinquency (3)
SOC-340 Deviance and Social Control (3)

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Required Courses for a Minor in Criminology

SOC-101 Introductory Sociology (3)
CRM-101 Introduction to Criminology (3)
CRM-360 Research Methods and Crime Analysis (4)
CRM-203 Theories of Crime and Social Deviance (3)

Two courses from the following
SOC-222 Social Problems or SOC-371 Honors: Social Problems (3)
CRM-230 Terrorism & Homeland Security (3)
SOC-301 Social Justice (3)
CRM-310 The Criminal Justice System (3)
CRM-311 Topics in Criminology (3)
CRM-320 Juvenile Delinquency (3)
SOC-315 Sociology of Law (3)
SOC-340 Deviance and Social Control (3)

Senior Experience: (choose one):
SOC-411 Advanced Topics (3)
CRM-461 Practicum I (4)
SOC-463 Independent Research (3)

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Four-Year Plan

Sample program of study for full-time criminology and social deviance majors. Students should consult with the program coordinator for their academic plans as many courses are offered on alternating years.

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Course Descriptions

Note: Since criminology is part of the discipline of sociology and incorporates elements of the discipline of psychology, some courses are listed under the designation SOC. See the sociology catalog section for a listing of these courses.

CRM-101 INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINOLOGY
Provides an examination of the nature, causes and social significance of crime. Emphasizes the major explanations of criminal behavior and typologies of crime and examines crime and crime prevention strategies as they relate to theory, policy and practice. Serves as a gateway course for students interested in the field of criminology. Fulfills general education requirement in social science. [3 credits]

CRM-105 APPLIED DEFENSIVE TECHNIQUES IN CRIMINOLOGY
Introduces the principles and practices employed by law enforcement personnel for the purpose of self defense in the field. Provides a holistic approach to the control of subjects through both classroom instruction and the practice and performance of the necessary physical skills. Emphasis is placed on the social context of violence as well as the personal, psychological, and physical control of aggression. [3 credits]

CRM-130 CRIMINOLOGY AT THE MOVIES
Explores the impact of criminological themes and theories on popular movies. Consists of an intensive, didactic experience that introduces the student to related criminological research and applications. [3 credits]

CRM-203 THEORIES OF CRIME AND SOCIAL DEVIANCE
Examines major paradigms, models and theories of criminology. Students critically review explanations of criminal behavior and analyze past, current and future trends in criminal activity. Theories in deviance and criminology from multidisciplinary perspectives provide a foundation for discussion. Prerequisite: CRM-101. [3 credits]

CRM-205 POLICING AND SOCIETY
Focuses on the history, structure, role, and function of policing in American society. Types of policing and police-community relations will be explored. Students will examine the functions of policing including patrol, order maintenance, investigation and community policing. A number of contemporary police problems will be presented including corruption, discretion, deadly force and minority relations. Course will include an exploration of cross-national comparisons. Prerequisite: CRM-101 or permission. [3 credits]

CRM-220 CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE
Examines criminal law and procedure as a device for defining and controlling harmful behavior within a formal framework in the criminal justice system. Attention is given to the theoretical justifications for and the effectiveness of punishment, the foundations of culpability, the basic principles of criminal liability, and the definition of offenses and defenses. Prerequisite: CRM-101. [3 credits]

CRM-230 TERRORISM & HOMELAND SECURITY
Examines terrorism with a focus on the contemporary societal experience, although historical perspectives will provide context as well.  Differentiating characteristics of domestic and international terror groups will be identified.  Legal implications of anti-terrorist measures and homeland security enforcement will be reviewed. Prerequisite: CRM-101 [3 credits]

CRM-310 THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Examines the American criminal justice system. Introduces students to the workings of police, courts and corrections in American society, and how each functions as a mechanism of social control. Explores local, state and federal agencies as individual components of the comprehensive and interrelated system of justice. Prerequisites: CRM-101; PSY-210 or CRM-360. [3 credits]

CRM-311 TOPICS IN CRIMINOLOGY
Uses empirical evidence to provide a contemporary approach to analyzing and evaluating crime and social deviance through a critical theoretical framework or uses empirical evidence to provide a contemporary approach to examining specific areas within criminology. Topics will vary. May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 6 credits. Prerequisites: SOC-101 and CRM-101. [3 credits]

CRM-320 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Examines delinquency as a form of socially deviant or criminal behavior engaged in by minors. Topics include definitions of delinquency, long- and short-term trends, explanations of delinquent behavior, drug use, gangs and school violence. Possible interventions, treatment and prevention strategies are also addressed. Prerequisite: SOC-101; PSY-210 or CRM-360. [3 credits]

CRM-325 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Examines violence against women through a wide range of socially institutionalized and individually perpetuated political, social, economic and physical frameworks. Violence against women takes place within socially constructed race-ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, and class specificities, as well as socio-historical contexts. The course examines how race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, and socio-historical constraints and shifts perpetuate systems of domination and oppression. It looks at ways in which these forces shape how women experience economic, social, sexual, class and gender domination and exploitation. Prerequisite: CRM-101 or SOC-101 [3 credits]

CRM-360 RESEARCH METHODS AND CRIME ANALYSIS
Provides framework for the critical and empirical analysis of social science data relating to crime and social deviance, including experimental and quasi-experimental research design, crime analysis, ethical issues, quantitative and qualitative statistical methods and scientific report writing. Students learn how to use the statistical package for the social sciences and compute descriptive, inferential statistics and multivariate analysis. This course instructs students on the relationship between theory and scholarly inquiry, the nature of causation, and how to formulate and test hypotheses using a variety of empirical methods. Students learn a range of research approaches including surveys, experiments, field work, case studies and unobtrusive measures typically employed in the criminology and criminal justice fields. Students develop a research question and appropriate research methodology, empirically evaluate a hypothesis and write a research report. Prerequisites: MAT-215; and either CRM-101, PSY-101, or SOC-101. [4 credits]

CRM-461 CRIMINOLOGY PRACTICUM I
Integrates field experience with an academic seminar. Students are required to find a placement (internship) in social service, criminal justice or social action agencies consistent with their abilities and interests. This placement must be approved by the student's advisor and practicum coordinator prior to beginning the course. Prerequisites: PSY-210 or CRM-360, and conference with the coordinator. Limited to majors of at least junior status. Not open to liberal arts majors. [4 credits]

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