Criminology, B.A.

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The Criminology Department offers a four-year bachelor of arts (BA) degree in criminology. The program provides students with a liberal arts education focused on the complex relations among crime, law, and society, and which emphasizes the social sciences. The curriculum is a rigorous series of courses which provides students with a comprehensive knowledge of crime and crime control in contemporary, historical, and comparative perspective. The core of the curriculum is an integrated set of required courses. These courses are designed as a cumulative set of experiences and should be taken in sequence if possible. Elective courses enable students to place their criminological interests in a broader perspective.

Many students in the program are interested in social and human service occupations related to criminal, juvenile, and social justice. The program also prepares students for a wide variety of other career options and provides an excellent basis for graduate study in criminology, other social sciences, and law.

Program Requirements

Minimum number of credits (exclusive of the University’s Core Curriculum) required for the Criminology major: 36.
Minimum grade requirement for major courses listed below: C.
Minimum GPA requirement for major courses listed below: 2.0.

Required Courses (24 credits)

CRM 100 - Introduction to Criminology Credits: 3
CRM 216 - White-Collar Crime Credits: 3
CRM 220 - Research Methods in Criminology Credits: 3
CRM 225 - Crimes Against the Environment Credits: 3
CRM 310 - Classical Theories of Social Order Credits: 3
CRM 317 - Gender and Crime Credits: 3
CRM 365 - Race and Punishment Credits: 3
CRM 402 - Senior Seminar Credits: 3

Elective Courses (12 credits)

Students must choose four elective courses (12 hours) from the following list:

CRM 217 - Crime in Maine Credits: 3
CRM 227 - Policing Society Credits: 3
CRM 230 - Introduction to the Criminal Justice System Credits: 3
CRM 320 - Film and Social Order Credits: 3
CRM 330 - Crime and Social Control Credits: 3
CRM 340 - Criminal Law Credits: 3
CRM 350 - Topics in Criminology Credits: 3
CRM 375 - Media, Crime, and Criminality Credits: 3
CRM 390 - Independent Projects Credits: 1-15
CRM 395 - Internship Credits: 3-6
CRM 370 - Prison and Police Abolition Credits: 3

Recommended Course Sequence

Curriculum Summary and Guide

The criminology curriculum is a series of structured and integrated courses that should be taken in sequence, if possible.

Year	Required Courses	Elective Courses
1	Introduction to Criminology Crimes Against the Environment
2	White-Collar Crime Research Methods
3	Race and Punishment Gender and Crime	Electives
4	Classical Theories of Social Order 4 Senior Seminar	Electives

USM Core Requirements

Students must complete all Core and degree requirements as part of the Graduation Requirements. For more information, see Academic Policies.

The USM Core Curriculum provides a coherent, integrative, and rigorous liberal arts education that fulfills general education requirements. It is designed to help students become globally aware, purposeful, and lifelong learners.

Please Note: Core requirements may be part of your major and/or minor, and Core may have been fulfilled with transfer credit. Please consult your MaineStreet Degree Progress Report (DPR) and review your degree progress with your Advisor. For additional information, access the USM Core webpage.

Major Courses that Satisfy Core Requirements

Students are encouraged to explore Core courses that also count towards their major or minor. Courses listed below are part of this major and also satisfy University Core Curriculum requirements. Course lists that satisfy each requirement can be found on the Core Curriculum webpage.

Writing, Reading, and Inquiry 3:
Quantitative Reasoning:
Creative Expression:
Cultural Interpretation:
Science Exploration:
Socio-cultural Analysis: CRM 100
Ethical Inquiry, Social Responsibility, and Citizenship: CRM 370
Culture, Power, and Equity:
International:
Engaged Learning: CRM 395 ; CRM 402
Capstone: CRM 402