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, 201, 250, 344, 351, 354, 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 Department, 216-687-4500.

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:

• SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology
• SOC 201 Race, Class, and Gender
• SOC 250 Introduction to Criminology
• SOC 344 U.S. Criminal Justice System
• SOC 351 Criminological Theory
• SOC 354 Quantitative Sociological Research
• SOC 400 Capstone Course

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

• Group A Electives: SOC 260, SOC 311, SOC 341, SOC 342, SOC 345, SOC 346, SOC 347, SOC 348, SOC 349, SOC 360, SOC 394, SOC 491
• Group B Electives: ANT 401, ECN 350, PHL 341, PHL 453, PSC 310, PSC 311, PSY 345, SWK 240, SWK 259, SWK 341, SWK 342, SWK 371, SWK 374, SWK 375, SWK 470

The major in sociology with a concentration in criminology is no longer offered. Students currently enrolled in this program should contact the department for information about completing the concentration or changing to the criminology major.

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.

Honors Program

The honors program is intended as an additional experience for criminology majors who have high GPAs and would like more in-depth training in sociology. A variety of honors experiences tailored to students' interests is offered including additional work in an established course, enrollment in a graduate course, participation in a faculty member's research project, supervised independent research, and service learning. Students must apply for the honors program no later than the end of their junior year; have completed 2 of the 4 upper-level core courses and a minimum of 60 credit hours; and have an accumulated GPA of 3.3 or higher in all classes. To graduate with Honors in Criminology, a student must participate in the honors program for two semesters, at least 4 hours per semester; receive a grade of at least B+ in each course taken for honors credit; and graduate with at least a 3.3 overall GPA. For further information contact the Department of Sociology and Criminology office, 216-687-4500.

 

Minor Program: Criminal Justice

Students wishing to minor in Criminal Justice must complete three core, one law elective, and three general elective courses from the list below for a minimum of 23 semester credit hours:

1. Criminal Justice Core Courses

• SOC 250 Introduction to Criminology
• SOC 344 U.S. Criminal Justice Systems
• SWK 240 Administration of Justice
2. Law Electives:

• PSC 310 Constitutional Law
• PSC 311 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
• SOC 342 Sociology of Law
• SWK 259 The Child, the Family and the Law
• SWK 375 Criminal Law
3. Elective Courses: (A course taken as a law elective cannot also be counted as a general elective).

• ECN 350 Economics of Crime and Punishment
• ECN 450 Economics of Law
• PHL 341 Philosophy of Law
• PHL 453 Social, Political, and Legal Philosophy
• PSC 310 Constitutional Law
• PSC 311 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
• PSY 345 Abnormal Psychology
• SOC 311 Individual and Society
• SOC 341 Juvenile Delinquency
• SOC 342 Sociology of Law
• SOC 344 U.S. Criminal Justice Systems
• SOC 345 Social Control
• SOC 346 Corporate and Governmental Deviance
• SOC 347 Sociology of Policing
• SOC 348 Sociology of Corrections
• SOC 349 Women and Crime
• SOC 360 Sociology of Interpersonal Violence
• SOC 394 Special Topics in Criminology (various)
• SOC 491 Criminology Internship
• SWK 259 The Child, the Family and the Law
• SWK 341 Corrections: Institutional and Community-Based
• SWK 371 Constitutional Criminal Procedure
• SWK 374 Law Enforcement in Society
• SWK 375 Criminal Law
• SWK 470 Problems and Issues in Criminal Justice

For additional information, contact the chairperson of the Department of Sociology at 216-687-4500.

Note: A criminal justice certificate is also available. See College Certificate information.