Overview

Criminology is an enriching and engaging major well worth pursuing as an end in itself. It's also good if you are considering law school or if you want to apprehend criminals or work in some facet of the legal system right out of college.

Any way you slice it, though, if you major in Criminology you'll learn all about the administration of justice within the American criminal justice system. In classes, you'll explore the different causes and consequences of different kinds of crime, reasons for the prevalence of crime in society, and more than a little about criminal psychology. You'll also learn all about law enforcement, probation and parole systems, prisons, juvenile delinquency, and the many federal, state, and local agencies that exist to combat all things illegal.

SAMPLE CURRICULUM

  • Criminal Justice Policy

  • Criminology

  • Drug Addiction and Alcoholism

  • Gender, Crime, and Justice

  • Internship

  • Introductory Sociology

  • Juvenile Justice

  • Police and Policing

  • Probation and Parole

  • Research Methods in Criminology

  • Sociological Aspects of Deviance

  • Sociology of Law

  • Sociology of Youth and Crime

  • Statistical Analysis in Criminology

  • Theories of Crime


HIGH SCHOOl PREPARATION

There's not a lot you can take in high school that will especially prepare you for a major in Criminology. Stick to a solid, meat-and-potatoes college preparation curriculum that includes several courses in English, math, and the sciences.