Key takeaways
- A criminology degree is a multidisciplinary field, which overlaps with other disciplines like law, sociology, psychology, and so on.
- Bachelor’s degrees in criminology include diverse coursework and specializations like forensic science, victimology, and juvenile justice.
- Core courses in criminology degree typically include crime and media, data analysis, research methods, and statistics courses.
- Criminology degrees foster important professional and personal skills. There are transferable skills and criminology-specific skills.
- Transferable skills include analytical, research, and communication skills, crucial for careers in law enforcement, social work, or research.
- Criminology-specific skills may be but not limited to legal comprehension, law jargon, social research, Interviewing, and interrogation.
- Criminology career opportunities are more rampantly available in nonprofit, government, and legal organizations.
- Most common criminology degree jobs include roles like crime analyst, detective, counselor, or policymaker in law enforcement, research, and advocacy sectors.
- Criminology degree requirements vary from college to college. However, a minimal high school GPA, SAT or ACT scores, and personal identity documents are a must.
- Graduation requirements for criminology programs vary from college to college. However, most colleges require completion of 120 credit hours.
- There are many colleges for criminology. These include George Mason University, Keiser University, the University of Maryland, and the University of Wyoming.
- Getting a criminology degree online from an accredited college is just as valuable but with added factors of flexibility, affordability, and convenience.
- Online colleges for a criminology degree include Arizona State University — Online, Texas Tech University, Arkansas State University, Maryville University, and St. Louis, Missouri — Online.
Crime and criminal justice are part of every society around the world. It is a global issue being tackled by experts who explore crime and its motivation through the lenses of many disciplines such as psychology, biology, sociology degree, and economics. A criminology degree is precisely what enables individuals to look at crime with so much depth.
It is one of the most popular humanities subjects offered by colleges in the USA. Broadly, a criminology degree covers a range of explanations, reasons, and factors that contribute to the presence of crime. It also further attempts to understand crime and aims to come up with theories and methodologies to prevent it from happening.
Therefore, a criminology degree is packed with a wealth of research, studies, and data that offer indispensable information. Consequently, the degree is not cut out for just anyone. You need to have some prerequisites to be able to cherish a degree in criminology and ace it.
People with an interest in human psychology, or those with a drive to be change-makers, should definitely go for a criminology degree. Additionally, people who are good with data analysis, are organized, and can manage the ever-evolving nature of work will certainly enjoy criminology.
On the other hand, you can also choose a range of other subjects and topics to cover during your degree. This freedom of selecting courses comes with a bachelor of arts in criminology. Therefore, you would be able to study criminology in light of many other overlapping disciplines.
Nonetheless, whichever path you select, a criminology degree is a great starting point for finding prestigious criminology career opportunities. Without further delay, let’s explore everything about criminology degree requirements, colleges with criminology majors, and criminology degree jobs.
What is a bachelor’s degree in criminology?
As we mentioned earlier as well, criminology is the study of crime and criminal behavior to understand the motivations behind it. As a result of this understanding, criminologists often develop the most apt and practical theories of crime, and effective methods to prevent crime in the future.
A degree in criminology may prepare students to:
- Conduct research
- Analyze data
- Work on and understand crime scenes
- Understand crime forensics
- Solve crimes and analyze them
- Explore law enforcement systems
- Understand the connection between crime, society, and economics
However, these are just a few outcomes of a bachelor’s degree in criminology. The scope and outcomes of a criminology degree varies largely based on:
- The different types of degrees (BA or BS)
- Faculty members and their expertise
- Coursework and curriculum
- Student’s choice of electives, minors, and other subjects
For example, a BA or bachelor of arts in criminology will allow a student to opt for a number of other subjects and courses, such as literature, economics, and leadership. As a result, their understanding and learning outcomes will be different from a student who chooses subjects like psychology, law, and ethnic studies.
Similarly, a BS or bachelor of science in criminology has important core courses. The criminology degree requirements in a BS program are different from BA, making sure that all students follow a direction pre-decided by the college program department. As a result, students may not be able to choose subjects as freely, but will have a unanimous learning outcome.
Different colleges for criminology offer a different scope of the degree. However, the basics all remain the same. In the end, a criminology degree from any college will offer similar career opportunities.
What is the core coursework in a criminology degree?
You will find many colleges for criminology offering a variety of similar courses and subjects/ even though there are different criminology programs, the coursework may have some similarities. For example, specializations or concentration areas offered within a criminology program are usually the same in most colleges.
Therefore, for anyone exploring a criminology bachelor’s degree, coursework details are important. Here are the top three courses most commonly found in all bachelor’s in criminology programs.
Crime and the media
Criminology studies the relationship of many things with crime. It explores crime through different angles and dimensions. One of the most common factors affecting, relating to, and influencing crime is the media.
Therefore, criminology degrees often have crime and media studies as one of the primary and core subjects. The coursework typically explores the interrelation of media and crime, and how the relationship has evolved over the past years. The coursework may be theoretical, practical, use case studies, or be based on thorough research.
Data analysis and statistics
Criminology degree goes into the depths of research and data analysis. Students need to understand and study older research work done in this field to be able to meet their learning objectives.
Therefore, expect data analysis and statistics to be an important part of your first few semesters. This may require some math work, as well as a bulk of case studies and data to go through.
Social research methods
Speaking of research, data, and statistics, there will be many instances where you will have to conduct research on your own as a criminologist. Hence, the degree may include one or multiple core courses that are focused on research methodologies.
Usually, these courses are fun, and require field work which keeps you engaged in the community. Additionally, research methods are really essential for your career and future studies.
Besides the three core courses mentioned above, there will be a huge variety of other courses that you will be exploring during the degree.
Other important courses may include the following:
- Crime analysis and solutions
- Criminology and public policy
- Criminal justice landscape
- Introducing social policy
- Sociology of crime and deviance
- Crime, culture, and social change
- Debates in criminal justice
- Global crime
- Psychology of crime and criminal behavior
- Cyber criminology and IT
- Practical crime investigation
- Juvenile justice system
- Police science and crime investigation
What are the areas of specialization in criminology?
A 4-year degree usually requires you to choose an area of specialization. Once you have completed all core courses and other criminology degree requirements, you may be asked to pick an area of specialization during the later stages of your degree.
The areas of specialization vary based on some factors, such as the college coursework, faculty availability, and so on.
Here are the most common criminology specializations offered:
Forensic Science
Focusing on the matters of law, the forensic science specialization focuses on crime evidence and the science of it. This specialization can lead you to many criminology career opportunities, such as office-based, desk jobs, or field-based jobs with access to crime scenes.
Homeland Security and Crisis Management
Within this specialization, you will need to possess robust research and problem-solving skills. The specialization often leads to jobs in nonprofit and government organizations, investigative projects, and so on. It is focused on creating safer spaces, and protecting cities and towns from serious offenses like terrorism.
Victimology
While the majority of the other specializations in criminology focus on the crime and the criminal, victimology is focused on the flip side. This specialization explores the effects of a crime on the victims and evaluates the factors related to it.
This specialization might land you jobs in the rehabilitation industry, either nonprofit, government, or private.
Juvenile Justice
Juvenile justice is perhaps the most specific and specialized stream within criminology. It is not as commonly chosen by students. However, the field focuses on youth advocacy, focuses on teaching students and providing them with skills to nature, and the right environment for youngsters who may be more vulnerable to indulging in crime.
A career in this specialization might allow you to make a change in juvenile and young individuals of society.
Juvenile justice is also a part of many sociology programs offered by colleges nationwide. You can explore all the information about an undergraduate sociology degree to see if it’s right for you!
Are there any criminology degree requirements?
Like any other undergraduate program, there are some requirements to get admission to a criminology degree or complete the degree by meeting all necessary requirements. However, these requirements may vary from one college program to another.
Yet, some of the most commonly found criminology degree requirements are as follows:
Requirements for admissions:
- High School GPA of 2.0 or more
- Complete educational documents
- Complete personal identity requirements
- Submission of per semester or yearly fees
- Registration fees and security deposits
- Entry tests (may vary)
- Submission of test results such as SAT and ACT
Requirements for degree completion:
- 120 credit hours
- Study for a minimum 4 years
- Complete the degree in a maximum of 6 years
- Maintenance of certain GPA (varies based on college)
- Choosing electives
- Competition of core courses
What skills can I develop through a criminology degree?
Every degree serves a purpose or has an objective to meet. So, a criminology degree has many benefits and a set of importance. Thus, this degree equips you with a range of skills that include, but are not limited to, the following:
Analytical and critical thinking skills
Throughout your criminology degree, you will study complex issues and cases. This allows you to develop a knack for critically analyzing complex matters at hand and evaluating multiple aspects at a time.
Additionally, criminology requires managing and handling loads of data at a time. As a result, you develop a strong eye for filtering data, data analysis, and also organizational skills.
Research and investigative skills
During your criminology college degree, you will go through multiple research projects. These projects not only focus on the final reports you produce but also teach you the necessary skills for conducting thorough research.
Additionally, research methodologies taught in criminology apply to qualitative and quantitative research projects both. Moreover, the degree also exposes you to a wealth of evidence evaluation opportunities.
Communication and writing abilities
Working in criminology often involves interacting with diverse stakeholders. These may be police officers, detectives, policymakers, and more. Not only that, but you work with them simultaneously on research projects.
More importantly, to become a successful criminologist, you must be taught by lecturers and professors who have practiced the profession themselves. As a result, you learn important communication skills and strategies from their on-field expertise and experiences.
Communication skills, either written or verbal, are essential for many careers. If you have good communication skills, you might be fit for a career in HR.
Transferable skills:
Following are the transferable skills, as they may be relevant for many other fields and even in personal life:
- Collaboration
- Critical thinking
- Data analysis
- Decision-making
- IT skills
- Ethical thinking
- Debating and communication
- Research skills
- Data management
- Problem-solving
Criminology-specific skills:
Skills that are only useful or relevant to the criminology field are:
- Legal comprehension
- Law jargon
- Collaboration
- Social awareness
- Report writing
- Social research and survey
- Interviewing and interrogation
What are the criminology career opportunities for graduates?
Criminology degree jobs vary from survey assistants to judges and paralegals. However, the jobs and their average pay vary largely based on your education or degree level, as well as the reputation of your college.
Therefore, it is best to choose the most highly accredited and reputed colleges for a criminology degree. Additionally, criminology career prospects are at their best when you have a higher level degree, such as a master’s or a doctoral degree.
You can also land sociology degree jobs, as well as human resources career paths with a criminology degree.
However, even with an undergraduate degree, you can land some fine jobs with prestigious pay. These are the most common job roles and responsibilities that criminology graduates might be able to land:
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Which industries hire criminology graduates?
A criminology graduate may be relevant in some industries but not in others. Most common industries hiring criminology graduates:
- Law enforcement careers
- Research and academia
- Non-profit and advocacy organizations
- Community service organizations
Discover the best colleges for criminology
Now that you know so much about a criminology degree, you must be wondering what are the best colleges for criminology. To help you narrow down your search, here are some of the best picks of colleges for criminology.
Alternatively, you can also explore colleges offering a sociology degree. A sociology degree is closely related to criminology and criminal justice studies. Therefore, it has the same job and career outlooks. Explore sociology degrees below:
University of Maryland
The criminology degree at the University of Maryland, or UMD, is a thorough undergraduate program with multiple objectives. The program focuses on three important aspects of criminology, namely criminal courts, corrections, and policing.
Moreover, the college offers some great prospects for all its students. Firstly, it has an ethnically diverse student body, which is 51% ethnic minority students. Additionally, there are over 107 sports teams, 29 fraternities, and hundreds of student clubs and organizations.
Overall, UMD is an excellent choice for those searching for the most reliable colleges for a criminology or sociology degree in Maryland. Its acceptance rate is 44%, and graduation rate is 74%.
George Mason University
George Mason University is ranked as the number 1 university offering the highest social mobility to students, by U.S. News. This means that the chances of you improving your living standards, or landing prestigious criminology career opportunities, are higher with a degree from GMU.
The criminology program at GMU is more focused on the social and legal aspects of crime. It helps students build critical thinking to assess the morality of crimes, as well as evaluate the social and legal aspects.
Lastly, GMU has several housing options that cater to different types of student needs, such as themed housing, apartments, and housing for international students. It has more than 100 sports teams and a57% enrollment of ethnic minorities in the student body.
Keiser University
At Keiser University, you find a much more specialized and concentrated degree. The BA in criminal justice program at KU is much more focused on the criminal court, the justice system, and judicial procedures. However, since it’s a BA program, you have a much more flexible approach in picking the subjects and courses that better align with your interests.
The criminal justice BA at Keiser University covers many aspects and topics, including juvenile justice, private security, law enforcement, victimology, and corrections. In addition to this, college is a great choice for many other reasons.
Firstly, Keiser University has a high acceptance rate of 97%. Secondly, it’s one of the most popular private colleges in Florida, with a focus on student activity, engagement, and academic excellence. It is a popular college for sociology degree in Florida!
University of Wyoming
If you are looking for a personalized education experience where you get individual attention tailored to meet your academic needs, then the University of Wyoming is your best catch. The college is a popular public school, with a relatively low student-to-faculty ratio of just 13:1. At UW, 45% or more classes are less than 20 students.
Moreover, the college is also known for its easy accessibility, owing to the high acceptance rate of 96% and low GPA requirement of just 3.4. Furthermore, it boasts a robust student life with over 84 sports teams and an amusing variety of housing options.
Besides, it also has an incredible BA in criminology program. The degree is focused on criminal justice, law enforcement, and correction programs. The program’s biggest highlight is that it is available for online and virtual learning. Consequently, students who live in distant areas can also enjoy the flexibility of an online criminology degree.
Western Kentucky University
The criminology degree at Western Kentucky University is very thorough, comprehensive, and strictly focused on career opportunities for the graduates. The college is known for being one of the most prestigious public colleges in Kentucky.
It stands tall with its generous acceptance rate of over 97%. Additionally, its average GPA requirement is 3.5. Furthermore, the college has great housing options for students who wish to stay on campus. Housing options include themed housing, apartments for married and single students, coed dorms, and more.
Moreover, the student life on the campuses of WKU is worthy of your time and money. There are more than 40 sports teams and hundreds of student clubs. More than 50% of the classes at WKU have 20 students or fewer.
Can I get a criminology degree online?
Thanks to modern technology and the incorporation of advanced digital solutions, education is taking new forms and shapes. It is now fairly easy to get a hybrid or a 100% virtual criminology degree.
Firstly, let’s address the difference between a hybrid and an online criminology degree.
- Hybrid degrees are flexible. These types of degrees allow students to take classes, complete courses, submit assignments, and do other things through a combination of both online and in-person mediums. The mediums vary based on the feasibility and other factors. So, expect a combination of online and in-person education.
- Complete online degrees do not conduct any type of lesson, course, or assignment submission in-person. Everything happens online, including group projects, class participation, and one-on-one sessions. This type of online flexibility is great for distant students, or those who are full-time employees. Usually, 100% online degrees utilize recorded lectures and allow self-paced learning.
Now that you know the difference between hybrid and online degrees, you can decide which one is for you. A criminology degree online is just as great as an on campus one. However, the difference is only in the mode of delivery.
It also is more flexible and allows self-paced learning more than in-person classes do. Additionally, with online degrees, you must be much more careful about accreditations and quality of education. Lastly, make sure you have the following things for pursuing criminology degree online:
- A working PC or laptop
- Decent internet speed, at least 5 Mbps
- A working webcam
- Good quality microphone
- A working headset
- Other educational materials such as books and notebooks
If you have these facilities available, then getting an online criminology degree will be a great option for you!
Criminology degree online accreditation
If you wish to get your criminology degree online, it is important that you get some things aligned. Firstly, make sure you understand the self-paced learning aspect of online earnings. Secondly, be aware that socialization, student life, and campus engagement will be little to none during the online program.
Thirdly, do not choose an online degree before checking the college accreditations. There are two types of accreditations, one is institutional and the other is programmatic.
- Institutional accreditation reflects the quality of education of the overall institute
- Programmatic accreditation evaluates the quality of a particular program and accredits it
Accreditations of a college or its program will allow you to apply for financial aid, transfer credits, and get a recognized degree for your professional goals.
The U.S. Department of Education and Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) is responsible for managing the accrediting agencies and processes. Aim for accreditations from agencies that are recognized by CHEA.
To check a college’s accreditation, use the CHEA directory to find all the details!
Colleges for criminology degree online
If you have made up your mind about getting a criminology degree online, here is a list of some notable colleges offering online programs.
Arizona State University — Online
Arizona State University is headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ. However, its online programs offer 100% flexibility and allow students to learn virtually from anywhere. The college offers hundreds of online degrees including fields like business, engineering, and humanities. ASU Online has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, as well as acknowledged by many organizations such as U.S. News.
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University Online is focused on accommodating students with all types of needs, especially those who live at a distance and can’t manage otherwise. The college offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate programs, all completely online. It has been ranked number 1 for online learning by Newsweek, 2022.
Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University Online, better known as A-state Online, is a much more flexible and affordable college option. Therefore, for self-financing students, this could be the best pick. According to A-state, there are more than 5,000 students already enrolled and studying in its online programs. Amongst the many accreditations it has, one of the notable ones is by the Higher Learning Commission, Chicago, IL.
Maryville University, St. Louis, Missouri — Online
Maryville University is located in St. Louis, Missouri. However, it also has online programs use the online learning platform known as Canvas, to conduct undergraduate degrees in programs like criminology and many more. Additionally, it is one of the most renowned private colleges offering the most tech-intensive degrees.
What are the graduate studies and advanced degrees for criminology undergraduates?
Just like any other field, your criminology career opportunities expand and improve when you get a further education milestone. Therefore, after your undergraduate degree in criminology, getting a postgraduate education will also be fruitful.
Luckily, there are many options for you to explore. A postgraduate degree should ideally align with your undergraduate specialization so that your career trajectory remains the same.
There are several benefits of advanced and postgraduate degrees for criminology majors:
- Move up a level in your career with a postgraduate degree if you are already working
- The skills and knowledge you gain with a postgraduate degree can help your professional development
- Possibly attract a higher-paying job
- Expand many career opportunities such as professor, lecturer, and teaching
- Postgraduate degrees are a great way of expanding your professional network
- You can explore different career paths
There are many benefits, as we discussed above. Make sure you select the most accurate and suitable program for yourself. Besides, whichever college you choose for your undergraduate criminology degree is offering degree continuation and unique perks for pursuing a postgraduate degree from the same.
Some of the most common postgraduate criminology programs may be, but not limited to:
- MA in criminology
- PhD in criminology
- MS in criminology
- M.A./J.D. criminology
- Master of legal and forensic psychology
- Master of advanced study in criminology, law and society (M.A.S)
Are there any challenges and considerations while pursuing a criminology degree?
Like any other field, criminology also has its limitations and challenges. Since you will be starting off as an undergraduate criminology degree student, there will be some shortcomings you must be prepared for. Some of these challenges and considerations include:
Research skills
Many students start off with a bachelor’s degree in criminology without any prior skills. Particularly, research skills are crucial for success in criminology. Therefore, students tend to hit a snag frequently in their academic and professional journeys.
Research skills refer to many types of capabilities, including data analysis and management, data collection, ethical considerations, and handling of confidential information. As a result, there may be some gaps in your academic success.
To avoid this, you can start working on your research skills through certifications and online courses. Not only that, but personal projects, watching documentaries, or connecting with professionals in the industry will also help you develop the required understanding.
Higher studies
Without higher studies, any discipline within humanities may not be as fruitful as one would expect. Even if you choose to pursue a sociology degree, you will notice that there are many instances where a higher degree may be needed.
So, if you don’t plan on continuing for a higher degree like a master’s, then an undergraduate degree might not suffice. Therefore, make sure to keep higher studies part of your plan.
Practical training
One of the biggest reasons we suggest a thorough comparison and research on the colleges for criminology is that not all colleges have the same quality of education. In criminology, practical training can take you a long way. However, some colleges focus more on theoretical learning, while others are more focused on practical training.
Depending on what type of learning is best for you, look for colleges that align with you. Practical training in criminology is the best, as criminology degree jobs require on-field skills and knowledge.
Start your undergraduate criminology degree now!
In summary, pursuing a criminology degree is definitely a good choice for people who wish to be change markers and do something impactful for society. This humanities discipline overlaps many other subjects like psychology and sociology. Therefore, it is full of variety.
Secondly, criminology career opportunities are diverse and may be available in law enforcement, research, advocacy, and more. This multidisciplinary field intersects with law, sociology, psychology, and other disciplines to analyze crime, its causes, and societal impact.
During your undergraduate criminology program, you may delve into core subjects like crime and media, data analysis, and social research methods. Additionally, you are required to pick a specialization in one of the many fields offered. Some most common specializations include juvenile justice, forensic science, and victimology. However, the choices may vary.
Lastly, colleges for criminology are available in abundance. You can explore online and on-campus options alike. Some of the top colleges for criminology include Arizona State University, Texas Tech University, Maryville University, University of Maryland, and many others.