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

The minimum number of credits (exclusive of the University’s Core curriculum) required for the major: 36. A grade of “C” or better is required in any course used for criminology major credit.

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 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 325 - Domestic Violence Credits: 3
CRM 337 - Youth Crime Credits: 3
CRM 340 - Criminal Law Credits: 3
CRM 345 - Criminology in Sweden Credits: 6
CRM 350 - Topics in Criminology Credits: 3
CRM 375 - Media, Crime, and Criminality Credits: 3
CRM 380 - Restorative Justice Credits: 3
CRM 390 - Independent Projects Credits: 1-15
CRM 395 - Internship Credits: 3-6

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

The USM Core Curriculum is a coherent, integrative, and rigorous liberal education that enables our graduates to be world-minded, intentional, life-long learners and captures your general education degree requirements.

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.