Criminology, B.A.

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At-a-Glance

Admission to major: No requirement other than good academic standing in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Minimum hours required for major: 38-41 (including SOC 101 , SOC 201 , SOC 250 , SOC 344 , SOC 351 , SOC 354 , SOC 400 )

Minimum hours required for minor in Criminal Justice: 23 (see below)

Advising: Undergraduate Adviser and Student Handbook.

Student Honorary Society: Alpha Kappa Delta

Awards: Annual Distinguished Sociology/Criminology Student Award

Student Organizations: Sociology/Criminology Club

For Information: Contact the Sociology and Criminology Department. Phone: 216-687-4500

Criminology is the scientific study of crime and its causes. The major is interdisciplinary but draws primarily from the discipline of sociology. Students who complete the degree receive a broadly based liberal-arts education that hones their writing skills, research abilities, and critical thinking. Above and beyond the teaching of basic aspects and preparing students for careers in the criminal justice system, the program is designed to instill a scientific and systematic orientation towards this subject matter via courses in theory and research methods.

Students pursuing a major in Criminology take core courses in the fundamentals of criminology, additional courses focusing on key areas and issues in the study of crime, and courses in research methods. This program familiarizes students with the principal theories and research findings of criminology and is designed to develop critical-thinking abilities and the knowledge, research and writing skills central to a liberal-arts education. It prepares students for a wide variety of careers in applied criminal justice fields such as corrections, parole or policing, the field of justice research and in social-service settings. In addition, students who complete this concentration are well prepared for graduate work in criminology, one of the social sciences or law.

For more information, call the Sociology and Criminology Department, 216-687-4500.

A minimum total number of 128 credit hours are required for every student in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. All degree seeking, CLASS students must complete a specific number of General Education (GenEd) requirements which are comprised of University and College requirements. This is in addition to the credits for their major field of study. Students are responsible for ensuring the appropriate selection of courses to satisfy GenEd requirements. Students are highly encouraged to consult with both their general education advisor and faculty advisor regarding the applicability of selected courses each semester. A comprehensive description of Cleveland State University’s General Education Requirements for undergraduate students is available online at http://www.csuohio.edu/academic/gened/summarytable.html.

Major-Field Requirements

In establishing the requirements for the major in Criminology, the Department of Sociology and Criminology maintains these objectives: to introduce students to interdisciplinary perspectives on various aspects of crime, to teach the principles of sociological research and the fundamental skills needed to use them, and to prepare students for advanced training at the professional and graduate-school levels.

A minimum of 38 hours is required for a major. The hours must include these core courses:

Electives

In addition, students must complete four electives from the two groups listed below, two or more of which must be from Group A:

Group A Electives:

Group B Electives:

Internships in Criminology:

Students may qualify for a 4-credit internship in Criminology (SOC 491 ) by achieving an overall GPA of 3.0 in the major or minor, completion of the required courses, and junior or senior standing. Students who qualify must arrange an internship with the departmental coordinator (call 216-687-4500). Internships may be for up to 8 credit hours. However, only 4 of these hours may be applied toward the requirements for the major.