Criminology

Degree

Bachelor of Arts in Criminology
College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Contact

Ken Courtney
kcourtney1@une.edu

Mission

The Criminology Program will provide a deeply contextualized understanding of crime, law, justice and punishment; facilitate the development of critical competencies including, critical reading, writing, and analysis within the study of criminology; enable the focused study of how crime and the law shape the worlds in which we live; and afford opportunities for experiential learning via student research and professional experiences.

Major Description

Criminology focuses on the study of crimes, criminals, crime victims, theories explaining illegal and deviant behavior, the social reaction to crime and criminals, the effectiveness of anti-crime policies and the broader political terrain of social control. Criminology programs are interdisciplinary, but ordinarily borrow much from sociology as well as other social sciences and humanities disciplines. Criminology programs are thus grounded in the liberal arts, and provide a rigorous engagement with crime and the institutions that are created to contend with it. The professional profile of instructors in criminology is generally an academic background and a terminal degree in criminology or a related field.

Curricular Requirements

CAS Core Requirements Credits
Total 42–46
Required Courses Credits
SOC 170 – Deviance and Crime 3
PSC 125 – Understanding Law: An Introduction or PSC 210 – Constitutional Law 3
CRL 205 – The Criminal Justice System 3
SOC 311 – Theories of Race and Racism 3
SOC 345 – Crime, Media, and Culture 3
SOC 270 – Classical Social Theory or SOC 280 – Contemporary Social Theory 3
SOC 268 – Practice of Social Science Research 3
SOC 370 – Applied Field Method in Sociology 3
SOC 300 – Sociology Internship or PSY 300 – Psychology Internship 3–15
SOC 494 – Cap Exp: Thesis 3–16
Four (4) Criminology elective courses 12
Minimum Required Major Credits 42
Open Elective Courses (needed to reach 120 credits) Variable
Minimum Required Total Credits 120

Elective Course Options

Criminology Elective Course Options Credits
ANT 312 – Human Trafficking 3
HIS 266 – History of Drugs in the Americas 3
PSC 241 – Human Rights in World Politics 3
PSC 278 – Pol Sci Human Trad II 3
PSC 330 – Theories of Politics and War 3
PSY 205 – Abnormal Psychology 3
PSY 236 – Mental Health & Society 3
PSY 370 – Drugs, Society, and Behavior 3
SOC 333 – Sociology of Law 3
SOC 350 – Deviance 3
SOC 421 – A Just Society? 3

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the Bachelor of Arts in Criminology program students will be able to:

  • Distinguish the differing agencies associated with the social control of criminal, regulatory, and international law violations.
  • Summarize and differentiate the major theories of crime and criminalization.
  • Recognize, theoretically and empirically, structural inequalities and their relation to crime and social control.
  • Use criminological methods, or investigative techniques, to assess patterns of crime, criminalization, and victimization.

Transfer Credit

Admissions

See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

Financial Information

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.

Notice and Responsibilities Regarding this Catalog

This Catalog documents the academic programs, policies, and activities of the University of New England for the 2023–2024 academic year. The information contained herein is accurate as of the date of publication April 28, 2023.

The University of New England reserves the right in its sole judgment to make changes of any nature in its programs, calendar, or academic schedule whenever it is deemed necessary or desirable, including changes in course content, the rescheduling of classes with or without extending the academic term, canceling of scheduled classes or other academic activities, in any such case giving such notice thereof as is reasonably practicable under the circumstances.

While each student may work closely with an academic advisor, he or she must retain individual responsibility for meeting requirements in this catalog and for being aware of any changes in provisions or requirements.