Key takeaways
- Connecticut has a thriving educational system making it an excellent choice for young and adult criminology students.
- WalletHub ranks Connecticut as the 4th most educated state in America in 2024.
- When selecting a college in the state, consider factors such as faculty, program curriculum, mode of delivery, and more.
- You can explore alternate degrees for a career in criminology such as criminal justice and forensic science.
- Southern Connecticut State University has the highest minority enrollment, with a strong focus on research and real-world applications.
- The University of Hartford offers a liberal arts-based criminology program with a low student-to-faculty ratio.
- Western Connecticut State University boasts the lowest student-to-faculty ratio, ensuring personalized attention.
Connecticut is an ideal study destination as it is among the best states for higher education in the United States. If you are an aspiring criminology professional, consider exploring the best criminology colleges in Connecticut for a bachelor’s degree in criminology.
In this article, we discuss the best criminology programs in Connecticut, and help you narrow down the ideal colleges for your career goals!
Colleges for criminology degrees in Connecticut
Moving on, let’s dive into the different criminology colleges in Connecticut and see what each has to offer!
University of Hartford — best overall
The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Hartford is an excellent option, particularly for students wishing to make community development and services a part of their career trajectory. Moreover, the program aims to equip students with the essential skills required for a successful career. These include critical thinking and analytical capabilities.
Additionally, it offers students greater flexibility allowing them to choose from a wide range of electives. Resultantly, students build a comprehensive knowledge of criminology with a broader perspective.
This private college has an extremely low student-to-faculty ratio of just 8:1. Moreover, it has an acceptance rate of 83%, and offers a vibrant campus life. It has more than 53 sports teams and numerous housing options.
| Location:
West Hartford, CT |
GPA requirement:
3.3 |
Acceptance rate:
83% |
Tuition fee:
$44,350 per year for full-time enrollment |
Southern Connecticut State University — highest minority enrollment
The Southern Connecticut State University or SCSCU does not particularly offer a standalone criminology degree. However, it lets you choose a bachelors program in sociology, with an emphasis on criminal justice and criminology. This is excellent for students who wish to keep various career paths open, and want to explore multiple disciplines and expand their capabilities.
Moreover, the alumni at SCSU have been able to pursue careers in diverse fields including social work, private corporations, and nonprofit organizations. The department emphasizes research, critical thinking, and real-world applications.
Furthermore, SCSU is one of the best public colleges in Connecticut with more than 50% of ethnic minority enrollments. Lastly, it has a decent acceptance rate of over 83%, with an average GPA requirement of 3.2.
| Location:
New Haven, CT |
GPA requirement:
3.2 |
Acceptance rate:
83% |
Tuition fee:
$12,828 for in-state students and $26,104 for out-of-state students |
Western Connecticut State University —best faculty
Western Connecticut State University is a great choice for aspiring professionals in criminology, social systems, public law, and policymaking.
The college offers a bachelor’s degree in justice and law administration that focuses on the legal and law enforcement aspects of crime and criminal behaviors. The program is taught by experienced faculty. The faculty members work in various fields including rehabilitation, private security, and homeland security.
Western Connecticut State University has a low student-to-faculty ratio of just 11:1. Though the college has limited housing options, it has much else to offer students, including an excellent college sports environment that cultivates networking and growth opportunities.
| Location:
Danbury, CT |
GPA requirement:
3.3 |
Acceptance rate:
85% |
Tuition fee:
$6,381 tuition and fee for in-state students and $8,047 tuition and fee for out-of-state students prices exclude housing expense |
How to choose the right college for a criminology degree in Connecticut?
According to a 2024 report by WalletHub, Connecticut ranks 4th among the “Most Educated States of America,” scoring 62.8. This ranking reflects the state’s commitment to quality education.
During your college planning, an essential stepping stone is the selection of the right college for criminology in Connecticut. Connecticut offers an excellent variety of colleges for a criminology degree online and on campus. However, this does not necessarily mean that the decision is easier. Instead, more colleges mean more factors to consider.
Different colleges have different strengths and unique benefits. For example, some colleges in Connecticut might offer a specialized undergraduate degree in criminology. Meanwhile, other colleges may offer related programs such as sociology and forensic science to further broaden your scope. The varieties are excellent, and you must carefully select depending on your career goals.
So, here are some essential factors you must go through before selecting a college offering an undergraduate degree in criminology.
Faculty
Good, qualified, and accomplished faculty will help you achieve the best learning outcomes. They are integral for your networking opportunities, as well as personal and professional growth.
Alumni status
Second, make sure to take a look at what the college alumni are doing and have achieved after studying at the college. Their accomplishments may reflect the support and quality of education offered by the college.
Campus life
Next, beyond academics, you will be spending a lot of time on campus. Therefore, make sure that the college encourages a healthy campus life with annual events and college sports.
Graduation rate
Other than the aforementioned, also look for the graduation rates. The higher the graduation rate, the better it is for you. A higher graduation rate reflects the support, financial feasibility, and capability of the college to allow students to complete college.
Acceptance rate
Particularly, students who struggle with lower high school grades and qualifications should aim for colleges that have a high acceptance rate that may be more than 70%.
Student-to-faculty ratio
You should im for a college with a low student-to-faculty ratio to enjoy personalized education. All ratios below 14:1 are considered low.
Accreditations
Lastly, an excellent way of assessing the quality of education at a college and how well-reputed it is to check out the accreditations. There are awards given by official agencies on the basis of unique features and qualities.
What are the types of criminology degrees?
Many good colleges in Connecticut will offer unique advantages to you. The long list of colleges in Connecticut is overwhelming and requires you to pay attention to important details. One critical aspect that some students often miss out on is the type of degree offered by the college.
While some colleges may offer standalone criminology degrees, others can offer criminology as a minor, elective, or a concentration area. Undergraduate sociology degrees tend to have a criminology emphasis, allowing students to study crime with a wider perspective.
However, which degree suits you the best is up to you. The significant thing to note here is differentiating between the various degrees offered, how they are different, and which aligns with your career goals the best.
So, here is what you need to know about the types of criminology degrees in Connecticut.
BA vs. BS degrees
You will see some criminology colleges offering a BA, some BS, and some offering a choice between both. Particularly, the final decision depends on your goals. Here is what makes BA and BS different from one another:
- BA or Bachelor of Arts is a more liberal and flexible degree that allows students to select subjects and courses as per their preferences. It includes a broader range of subjects, and the coursework is more diverse, offering opportunities like double majors. Lastly, this is ideal for students who for sure know what they want to study and have unique ideas.
- BS or Bachelor of Science has a more structured coursework. It focuses on specialized and focused education that follows a pattern or plan. It provides a deeper understanding of the subject by offering only relevant courses and electives.
Criminology and related degrees
As we mentioned above, some colleges in Connecticut offer a specific criminology degree, while others have related subjects and minor options. More importantly, the choice depends significantly on what criminology career opportunities you wish to explore, and what is available to you.
With a related degree, such as a bachelor’s in sociology, you can explore various career paths. Moreover, with sociology, you can look into human resources jobs, criminology degree jobs, as well as work as a social activist and much more.
So, here are the different criminology-related degrees you will find in good colleges in Connecticut:
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Jumpstart your journey as a criminologist!
In summary, criminology colleges in Connecticut are readily available to prepare students for a successful and diverse career ahead. From public institutes like Western Connecticut State University to private colleges like the University of Hartford, you will find something that caters to your career goals.
Selecting the ideal criminology college in Connecticut is crucial for your future career. Connecticut’s strong educational reputation offers a range of programs, but you must dive into the tiniest details to make a good decision. College is a 4-year-long commitment, which also requires financial resources. Therefore, assessing factors like campus life and graduation rates is crucial.
Faculty expertise, housing, degree levels, and types are some other major considerations during college planning. Make sure to take into account your requirements and what each college offers before filling out your college applications.