CRI_BA - Criminology

About this Program

• College: Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Degree: Bachelor of Arts
• Credits for Degree: 120
• More Info

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.

Courses focus on explanations for the development of law within society, why people break laws, and how society reacts to law-breaking. Interdisciplinary breadth in the study of criminology is essential for those majoring in criminology. Majors may enroll in relevant courses offered outside the department to help satisfy tracking requirements (listed below under Foundation Coursework).

After obtaining a BA in Criminology, students can seek careers as professionals working within the criminal or juvenile justice systems (i.e., courts, law enforcement, corrections). Many students also attend law school, while others attend graduate school where they may conduct research on criminological issues.

Requirements for the Major

The major requires 34 credits of Criminology courses, and 3 credits of STA 2023. Students may apply no more than 6 credits of 1000/2000-level coursework to the major. Minimum grades of C must be earned in courses that count toward the major. The only exception is CCJ 4940, which requires a grade of S.

In addition to the required coursework, students must pass an online department exit examination regarding crime, criminal justice, law and society, and criminological theory to complete the major.

At least 22 of the 34 credits of Criminology courses must be taken at UF in courses offered by the department with prefixes of CCJ, CJC, CJE, CJJ, or CJL.

A maximum of 12 credits of criminology courses can be transferred toward the major. Students who transfer six credits of 1000/2000-level (lower-division) credits into the major should not take CJL 2000. There are restrictions on which lower-division courses will transfer to the major. Lower-division courses that transfer into the major include introductory courses on criminology, criminal justice and criminal law/procedure. Students who wish to take interdisciplinary courses and transfer credits from another institution need to be careful about the 22-credit residency requirement.

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These courses are the basis for meeting the student learning outcomes in the major’s academic learning compact, therefore they must be taken at UF.

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Students should take this course only if they have not already completed six credits of 1000/2000-level criminology courses.

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Students may apply only 3 credits of CCJ 4940 or 3 credits of CCJ 4911 (if taken as S/U) to the 34 credits for the major.

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Majors may choose from any course offered in the department not used to meet this requirement.

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These approved interdisciplinary courses may also apply to the CLAS electives requirement. These courses do not apply toward the 22-credit residency requirement.

CCJ 4940 is automatically graded S/U. CCJ 4911 may be taken as either a letter grade or S/U, but the student must submit an application to the registrar’s office for this course to be taken as an S/U grade.

Exit Exam Requirement

To complete the major students must pass a department exit examination regarding crime, criminal justice, law and society, and criminological theory, administered online.

Recommended Coursework

Students who meet CLAS honors criteria (3.5 upper-division GPA) may take up to six credits in CCJ 4970 or enroll in up to two graduate seminars as honors courses, depending on instructor permission and course availability. However, students should keep in mind the tuition differences between undergraduate and graduate credits.

Combination Degree Programs

The opportunity to get an early start on graduate work by enrolling in graduate credits exists in a combination BA/MA program. Interested students must apply and be accepted to the undergraduate phase (so that graduate credits can count toward the major to earn the BA degree). Independently, they also must apply for admission to the graduate phase and compete with all other applicants for admission to a limited number of openings each Fall.

Overseas Studies

The major has no affiliated overseas programs. Criminology majors, however, frequently study abroad and can often transfer credits to the major.

Placement

CCJ 3024 is a prerequisite or corequisite for most of the other courses in the major. During advanced registration, there may be restrictions placed on lower-division students for registration in many upper-division courses to make sure juniors and seniors get the credits they need to graduate on time.

Research

Majors may pursue original research through the upper-division honors program in the major, especially via senior thesis credits (CCJ 4970). Others pursue independent research through Undergraduate Research in Criminology (CCJ 4911). The major also offers a research internship (CCJ 4940), which enables students to work in ongoing research projects.