Criminology, Bachelor of Arts (627)
- Undergraduate
- AB
- Arts & Letters
- Society, Culture, Crime, and Justice Studies
Overview
As a scientific discipline, Criminology emerged from the field of Sociology. Core sociological concepts inform explanations of crime and society’s response to it. WKU’s Bachelor’s program in Criminology provides students with the opportunity to understand the theoretical principles which guide practical solutions to issues associated with offending, victimization, and interactions with the Criminal Justice System. Compared with traditional criminal justice programs, Criminology has a strong interdisciplinary focus. Our program continues this tradition by studying crime through a societal lens as we examine theoretical explanations, policy developments, and the broader implications of solutions on the health and well-being of communities and society.
Program Requirements (35 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
The major in criminology requires a minimum of 35 credit hours and leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. Students majoring in criminology must select a minor, certificate, or second major.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | 17 | |
CRIM 101 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | |
CRIM 330 | Criminology | |
CRIM 199 | College & Careers in Criminology & Sociology | |
or SOCL 199 | College & Careers in Criminology & Sociology | |
SOCL 300 | Social Statistics | |
SOCL 301 | Social Statistics Lab | |
SOCL 302 | Social Research Methods | |
SOCL 309 | Social Deviance | |
| Restricted Electives: Correlates of Crime | 3 | |
| Select at least one of the following courses: | ||
CRIM 332 | Juvenile Delinquency | |
CRIM 361 | Race, Class, and Crime | |
CRIM 446 | Gender, Crime, and Justice | |
| Restricted Electives: Systems of Social Control | 3 | |
| Select at least one of the following courses | ||
CRIM 340 | Criminal Courts and Sentencing | |
CRIM 370 | Issues in Policing | |
CRIM 380 | Punishment and Society | |
CRIM 430 | Comparative Systems of Juvenile Justice | |
CRIM 432 | Sociology of Criminal Law | |
PS 328 | Criminal Justice Procedures | |
| Unrestricted Electives | 12 | |
| Select four from the following: | ||
ANTH 300 | Forensic Anthropology | |
CHEM 111 | Introduction to Forensic Chemistry | |
CHEM 430 | Forensic Chemistry | |
CRIM 222 | Introduction to Crime Mapping | |
CRIM 232 | Introduction to Law Enforcement | |
CRIM 233 | Alternatives to Confinement | |
CRIM 234 | Crime and Popular Culture | |
CRIM 238 | Victimology & Victim Advocacy | |
CRIM 332 | Juvenile Delinquency | |
CRIM 340 | Criminal Courts and Sentencing | |
CRIM 346 | Special Topics in Criminology | |
CRIM 370 | Issues in Policing | |
CRIM 361 | Race, Class, and Crime | |
CRIM 380 | Punishment and Society | |
CRIM 430 | Comparative Systems of Juvenile Justice | |
CRIM 434 | Organized Crime | |
CRIM 432 | Sociology of Criminal Law | |
CRIM 437 | The Death Penalty in America | |
CRIM 439 | Internship in Criminology | |
CRIM 440 | Police Interrogations and False Confessions | |
CRIM 446 | Gender, Crime, and Justice | |
CRIM 447 | Life-Course Criminology | |
CRIM 448 | International Justice and Crime | |
CRIM 451 | White-Collar Crime | |
CRIM 456 | Homicide and Serial Homicide | |
CRIM 489 | Criminology Study Abroad | |
CRIM 495 | Directed Study in Criminology | |
CRIM 496 | Directed Study in Criminology | |
HIST 445 | American Legal History to 1865 | |
HIST 446 | American Legal History Since 1865 | |
PH 165 | Drug Abuse | |
PH 467 | Drug Abuse Education | |
PH 472 | Illicit Drug Policy in the Us | |
PLS 225 | Introduction to Law | |
PHIL 211 | Why Are Bad People Bad? | |
PS 220 | Judicial Process | |
PS 326 | Constitutional Law | |
PS 328 | Criminal Justice Procedures | |
IA 350 | Political Terrorism | |
PSY/PSYS 440 | Abnormal Psychology | |
PSY 441 | Psychological Aspects of Alcoholism | |
PSY 470 | Psychology and Law | |
SOCL 359 | Sexuality and Society | |
SOCL 389 | Stigma and Society | |
SOCL 435 | Family Violence | |
SWRK 356 | Services for Juvenile Offenders and Their Families | |
PHIL 427 | Philosophy of Law | |
CRIM 339 | Experiential Learning in Criminology | |
SOCL 315 | Public Problem Solving | |
| Total Hours | 35 | |
Finish in Four Plans
Finish in Four Plan
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENG 100 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 |
| CRIM 101 | 3 | CRIM 330 | 3 |
| MATH 183 (Or other Colonnade Math) | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science with Lab | 3 |
| Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 | Unrestricted CRIM Elective | 3 |
| General Elective (prefer SOCL 100 or CSJ 200) | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| CRIM 199 or SOCL 199 | 1 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SOCL 302 | 3 | SOCL 300 | 3 |
| COMM 145 | 3 | SOCL 301 | 1 |
| CRIM Restricted Elective: Correlates of Crime or Systems of Social Control | 3 | CRIM Restricted Elective: Correlates of Crime or Systems of Social Control | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | Colonnade Connections course | 3 |
| Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENG 300 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| SOCL 309 | 3 | Colonnade: Connections | 3 |
| Colonnade: Connections | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 | Unrestricted CRIM Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Unrestricted CRIM Elective-- recommend CRIM 439 | 3 | Unrestricted CRIM Elective-- Recommend CRIM 439 | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor Course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 122 | |||