Key takeaways
- Seeking criminology colleges in Connecticut is a good choice, due to the growing and robust education system in the state.
- According to WalletHub, Connecticut ranks 4th among the “Most Educated States of America” in 2024.
- There are numerous factors to consider when selecting a criminology college in Connecticut. These factors include but are not limited to faculty quality, alumni success, campus life, graduation rate, and accreditations.
- Public and private colleges in Connecticut offer BA or BS degrees in criminology. It is an important decision that needs your attention.
- Degrees vary from BA to BS, with different focuses on liberal arts or specialized education.
- BA is a more flexible undergraduate degree that incorporates multiple disciplines in one program. BS is more technical and streamlined, specialized in one particular field.
- For a criminology career, you can explore some other related degrees as well. Criminology-related degrees, such as criminal justice and forensic science, open diverse career paths.
- Southern Connecticut State University has the highest minority enrollment, with a strong focus on research and real-world applications.
- The University of Hartford provides 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 stands out as one of the top states in the U.S. for higher education. Therefore, you can find the best criminology colleges in Connecticut for a bachelor’s degree in criminology.
In this guide, come with us to explore the most reputable colleges in Connecticut for criminology majors, providing you with essential insights to help you make an informed decision. From program offerings to campus culture, we will assess different colleges in depth.
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 University of Hartford offers a BA in Criminal Justice, which is an ideal program for students who hope to make community development and services a part of their career trajectory. Moreover, the program is going to equip students with essential skills such as critical thinking and analytical capabilities.
Additionally, it’s a liberal arts degree, therefore, allowing students to pick a diverse range of subjects. As a result, they will learn criminology through the lens of multiple disciplines.
Furthermore, the program is led by highly qualified faculty members who come from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. Police officers, policymakers, and attorneys are some of the most common faculty members professions.
Additionally, Univeristy of Hartfod is a private college, known for its 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 who have graduated with a degree in sociology 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, preparing students for careers in social services, education, public policy, and beyond.
Furthermore, SCSU is one of the best public colleges in Connecticut. It has the highest minority enrollment, with more than 50% of the student body belonging to ethnic minorities. Moreover, 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 good choice for students who want to have career paths in fields such as criminology, social systems, public law, and policymaking.
Firstly, 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. Moreover, the college has both full-time and part-time faculty members who come from many academic and professional accomplishments. The faculty members work in various fields including rehabilitation, private security, homeland security, and social services.
Furthermore, WCSU is known for its low student-to-faculty ratio that is just 11:1. It has a generous acceptance rate of 85%, and an average GPA requirement of 3.3. The college has limited housing options. However, it has 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
If you prefer personalized and individual-focused education, aim for a college with a low student-to-faculty ratio. 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.
Besides these, other key factors that you may consider are faculty expertise, housing options, and the types of degrees offered. Each college has unique strengths, from the University of Hartford’s low student-to-faculty ratio to Southern Connecticut State University’s emphasis on research and real-world applications.
Lastly, a comparison between BA and BS degrees is also important. Both are bachelor’s degrees, but the difference lays in the coursework and the flexibility. Depending on what you want to learn and how you wish to apply the learnings, decide whether a BA is good for you or a BS.