2013-14 University Calendar
Kwantlen Polytechnic University Calendar  2013-14  Faculty of Arts  Criminology: Bachelor of Arts Honours, Major, and Minor

Criminology: Bachelor of Arts Honours, Major, and Minor

Description

The Bachelor of Arts, Major in Criminology program provides students with a broad, liberal education in social science, criminal justice, and law. Students learn scientific research methods, legal and philosophical approaches to aid in understanding crime and related social problems, and social responses to crime. The BA degree program builds on the central core of method and theory and affords students opportunities to hone abstract, logical thinking, and critical understanding of the issues, arguments, and debates that shape the discipline's character and aims. Contemporary criminology courses developed especially for this degree expose students to cutting-edge theory and research. This program integrates opportunities to engage in undergraduate research, service learning, and practicum placements that provide students with highly transferable and marketable knowledge and skills.

Students who are interested in applying to graduate school, or who prefer a more extensive research experience, are encouraged to undertake a structured program leading to a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Major in Criminology.

Note: See the Bachelor of Arts in Community Criminal Justice for information on an alternate program.

Career Opportunities

The Bachelor of Arts, Major in Criminology provides a wide range of opportunities to students. Graduates of criminology programs find employment in every aspect of the criminal justice system, including law, law enforcement, corrections, crime prevention, and public and private justice administration. Many graduates pursue careers within the public and private sectors in occupations where familiarity with justice and the law is valued by employers; examples include customs and border security, regulatory and other public agencies, private companies, and not-for-profit organizations. Labour market predictions for criminal justice and related areas are very favourable, as demographic trends and public safety and security concerns have increased demand for criminal justice professionals. The conceptual, critical, and applied skills that students acquire in this program will be attractive to employers in a wide range of settings.

Criminology programs also offer excellent educational preparation for those who intend to major in law, social work, psychology, sociology, or philosophy. Students who wish to do graduate work in criminology are encouraged to take both CRIM 3104 and CRIM 4410 (both are required for entry into the Honours degree option for the Bachelor of Arts, Major in Criminology).

Program Admission Requirements

In addition to Kwantlen's General university admission requirements, including the undergraduate-level English Proficiency Requirement, the following program admission requirements apply:

Year One Admission:

Year Three Admission:

Honours Admission:

In order to be considered for admission into the Honours program, students normally:

Students with a CGPA less than 3.5 (but not below 3.0) may be granted admission with special permission. Interested students can obtain an application from the Criminology Programs Degree Coordinator.

Qualifying Year

Students who do not qualify upon initial application to KPU may be eligible for entry to the Qualifying Year. Students who possess at least a 'C' in English 12 (or equivalent) and a passing grade in either Pre-Calculus 11, Principles of Math 11, Foundations of Mathematics 11, Applications of Math 12 (or equivalents) will be able to apply for entry to the BA Qualifying Year. Students will be admitted to the BA program in the second year provided they have successfully completed appropriate qualifying courses. Other applicants who do not qualify are encouraged to consult an Educational Advisor for the appropriate qualifying courses that satisfy the application criteria.

Program Continuance Requirements

Current BA students must meet the following requirements to continue into their 3rd year of study. Registration access to third or fourth year courses is first awarded to students who have completed the following:

Program Requirements

During the first two years, the Bachelor of Arts, Major and Minor in Criminology will provide students with a broad foundation in the liberal arts tradition. Specifically, courses will expose students to the theoretical and methodological bases of psychology, sociology, history, political science, and the natural sciences. The third and fourth years of the program include courses falling into four main groupings:

Knowledge and skill mastery will develop as students approach issues and utilize skills across the various streams. The relationships between definitions of crime, criminological theories and research, and the criminal justice system are critically examined throughout the curriculum. Their complex relationships to political, social, and economic conditions are stressed. Problem solving and skill development will be an integral part of all courses.

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree must complete all requirements in the Bachelor of Arts framework in addition to their major or minor program requirements.

Criminology Honours

The following are the requirements for the Criminology Honours program.

In addition to the 120 credits required by the Bachelor of Arts, Major in Criminology degree (below), Honours students will need to complete the following additional 12 credits of course work:
  CRIM 5000 Honours Thesis I 3 credits
  CRIM 5010 Honours Seminar 3 credits
  CRIM 5020   Honours Thesis II   6 credits

To qualify for the Criminology Honours degree, students must have been admitted to the Honours program prior to earning the Criminology degree. Students may receive either the Criminology degree or the Criminology Honours degree, but not both.

Criminology Major

The following are requirements for the Criminology Major:

1000 Level

Required courses:
  CRIM 1100 Introduction to Criminology 3 credits
  CRIM 1101 Introduction to the Criminal Justice System 3 credits
  CRIM 1107 Canadian Legal Systems 3 credits
  CRIM 1207 Introduction to Criminal Law 3 credits
  CRIM 1208 Methods of Research in Criminology 3 credits
  CRIM 1215 Interpersonal and Professional Development in Criminology 3 credits
  PSYC 1100 Introduction to Psychology: Basic Processes 3 credits
  SOCI 1125 Introduction to Society: Processes and Structures 3 credits
Plus one of:
  PHIL 1100 Introduction to Philosophy 3 credits
  PHIL 1110 Confronting Moral Issues: Introduction to Ethics 3 credits
  PHIL 1145 Critical Thinking 3 credits
  PHIL 1150 Introduction to Formal Logic 3 credits

2000 Level

Required courses:
  CRIM 2103 Quantitative Data Analysis I* 3 credits
  CRIM 2330 Psychological Explanations of Criminal Behaviour 3 credits
  CRIM 2331 Sociological Explanations of Criminal Behaviour 3 credits
  CRIM 2341 Canadian Criminal Justice Administration 3 credits
Plus one of:
  CRIM 2204 Criminal Justice and Psychology 3 credits
  CRIM 2205 Crime, Criminal Justice, and the Media 3 credits
  CRIM 2211 Introduction to Policing 3 credits
  CRIM 2214 Corrections: Theory and Practice 3 credits
  CRIM 2249 Youth Justice 3 credits

* Students who commenced their studies at KPU prior to September 2005 may complete either PSYC 2300 or SOCI 2365 in place of CRIM 2103.

3000 and 4000 Level

Students will complete a minimum of ten upper-division criminology courses. All upper-level criminology courses require 6 credits of English as pre-requisites as of Fall 2013.

Required course:
  CRIM 3302 Procedure and Evidence 3 credits
Plus one of:
  CRIM 3103 Quantitative Data Analysis II 3 credits
  CRIM 3104 Qualitative Research Methods 3 credits
Students must complete at least TWO courses drawn from Group 1 below.
  Group 1. Theory and Methods:
  CRIM 3100 Advanced Theories of Crime and Community 3 credits
  CRIM 3103 Quantitative Data Analysis II 3 credits
  CRIM 3104 Qualitative Research Methods 3 credits
  CRIM 3111 Contemporary Sociological Criminology 3 credits
  CRIM 3113 Critical Criminology 3 credits
  CRIM 4112 Contemporary Psychological Criminology 3 credits
Students must complete at least ONE course from each of groups 2 and 3.
  Group 2. Criminal Justice:
  CRIM 3118 White-Collar and Corporate Crime 3 credits
  CRIM 3213 Community Corrections 3 credits
  CRIM 3249 Issues in Youth Justice 3 credits
  CRIM 4201 Community Safety and Crime Prevention 3 credits
  CRIM 4235 Minorities and the Criminal Justice System 3 credits
  CRIM 4410 Policy and Program Evaluation 3 credits
  Group 3. Law, Advocacy, and Conflict Resolution:
  CRIM 3305 Law and Society 3 credits
  CRIM 3307 Issues in Conflict Resolution 3 credits
  CRIM 3351 Philosophy of Law 3 credits
  CRIM 4300 Administrative and Regulatory Law 3 credits
  CRIM 4301 Community Advocacy and Human Rights 3 credits
Students may complete a maximum of TWO courses from group 4 to meet criminology requirements.

Note: If more than two are taken, you can count them towards upper-level electives.

  Group 4. Additional Courses:
  CRIM 3115 Crime Mapping 3 credits
  CRIM 3512 Mental Disorder and Canadian Law 3 credits
  CRIM 4150 Directed Studies 3 credits
  CRIM 4400 Ethics and Professional Development 3 credits
  CRIM 4900 Special Topics* 3 credits

* Note: The area of study for CRIM 4900 will be established in advance by the department. Please note that students will be allowed to take this course twice on different topics.

Criminology Minor

The following are requirements for the Criminology Minor:

1000 Level

The 1000 courses in criminology provide the foundation for further undergraduate study in criminology. Required 1000-level courses in psychology and sociology introduce students to key concepts and issues that reflect the multidisciplinary subject matter of criminology.

Students are required to take all of the following courses:
  CRIM 1100 Introduction to Criminology 3 credits
  CRIM 1101 Introduction to the Criminal Justice System 3 credits
  CRIM 1107 Canadian Legal Systems 3 credits
  PSYC 1100 Introduction to Psychology: Basic Processes 3 credits
  SOCI 1125 Introduction to Society: Processes and Structures 3 credits

2000 Level

2000-level courses are built on the multidisciplinary foundations developed in the 1000 level. Students begin to synthesize material from sociology, psychology, law, and criminal justice to understand aspects of criminality and criminalization.

Students are required to take all of the following courses:
  CRIM 2330 Psychological Explanations of Criminal Behaviour 3 credits
  CRIM 2331 Sociological Explanations of Criminal Behaviour 3 credits
  CRIM 2341 Canadian Criminal Justice Administration 3 credits

Note: Students in the Minor program are not required to complete a 2000-level statistics course as required in the Major. Those specifically interested in upper-division research courses may wish to incorporate a 2000-level statistics course within the Faculty of Arts into their lower-division courses.

Students may elect to take any of the courses listed below as part of their BA degree:
  CRIM 1207 Introduction to Criminal Law 3 credits
  CRIM 2204 Criminal Justice and Psychology 3 credits
  CRIM 2211 Introduction to Policing 3 credits
  CRIM 2213 Women, Girls and Crime (discontinued) 3 credits
  CRIM 2214 Corrections: Theory and Practice 3 credits
  CRIM 2249 Youth Justice 3 credits

3000 and 4000 Level

Criminology courses at the 3000 and 4000 level build on the foundational skills and knowledge of law, social science theory and research, and criminal justice developed in the 1000 and 2000 levels. Students will apply these skills and concepts to emerging issues in criminological theory, research, and criminal justice policy. These upper-level courses will generally be accessible to students who have completed CRIM 2330, 2331, and 2341. All upper-level criminology courses require 6 credits of English as pre-requisites as of Fall 2013.

Students are required to complete fifteen credits at the 3000 or 4000 level. This must include at least one course from each of the three core areas.  
  1. Theory and Methods
  CRIM 3100 Advanced Theories of Crime and Community 3 credits
  CRIM 3103 Quantitative Data Analysis II 3 credits
  CRIM 3104 Qualitative Research Methods 3 credits
  CRIM 3111 Contemporary Sociological Criminology 3 credits
  CRIM 3113 Critical Criminology 3 credits
  CRIM 4112 Contemporary Psychological Criminology 3 credits
  2. Criminal Justice
  CRIM 3118 White-Collar and Corporate Crime 3 credits
  CRIM 3213 Community Corrections 3 credits
  CRIM 3249 Issues in Youth Justice 3 credits
  CRIM 4201 Community Safety and Crime Prevention 3 credits
  CRIM 4235 Minorities and the Criminal Justice System 3 credits
  CRIM 4410 Policy and Program Evaluation 3 credits
  3. Law, Advocacy, and Conflict Resolution
  CRIM 3302 Procedure and Evidence 3 credits
  CRIM 3305 Law and Society 3 credits
  CRIM 3307 Issues in Conflict Resolution 3 credits
  CRIM 3351 Philosophy of Law 3 credits
  CRIM 4300 Administrative and Regulatory Law 3 credits
  CRIM 4301 Community Advocacy and Human Rights 3 credits
  4. Additional Courses *
  CRIM 3115 Crime Mapping 3 credits
  CRIM 3512 Mental Disorder and Canadian Law 3 credits
  CRIM 4150 Directed Studies 3 credits
  CRIM 4400 Ethics and Professional Development 3 credits
  CRIM 4900 Special Topics: The area of study for CRIM 4900 will be established in advance by the department. Please email crimprograms@kpu.ca for proposed offerings. 3 credits

* Note: Students may not take more than one of CRIM 3115, 3512, 4150, 4400, and 4900 towards the minor requirement. Students who complete more than one of these may use the additional course(s) as part of their electives.

Co-operative Education

The Bachelor of Arts, Major in Criminology is offered with a Co-operative Education option. Co-operative Education gives a student the opportunity to apply the skills gained during academic study in paid, practical work experience semesters. Degree students in the Co-op option are expected to complete a minimum of three work terms while completing their degree. Work terms generally occur full-time in separate 4 month work semesters but may also be available part-time over an 8 month continuous (parallel) placement. Work semesters alternate with academic study.

Students wishing to enter and participate in the Co-op Option must meet the following requirements:

Declaration/Entrance Requirements:

Program Continuance Requirements:

Continuation in the co-op option requires:

Work Term Requirements:

Participation and enrolment in a co-op work term requires:

Co-op Requirements

The Co-operative Education designation requires successful completion of the following courses:

Required:
  COOP 1101 Job Search Techniques 1 credit
And all of:
  COOP 1150* Co-op Work Semester 1 9 credits
  COOP 2150* Co-op Work Semester 2 9 credits
  COOP 3150* Co-op Work Semester 3 9 credits
Optional:
  COOP 4150* Co-op Work Semester 4 9 credits

* Part-time (parallel) work terms may be taken over two semesters as COOP 1150A/1150B, COOP 2150A/2150B, COOP 3150A/3150B, or COOP 4150A/4150B respectively.

Additional requirements:

In addition to the requirements stated above, all Co-op students must satisfy the General Co-operative Education Requirements.

Credential Awarded

Upon successful completion of the honours program, students are eligible to receive a Bachelor of Arts (Honours). Transcripts will indicate a Major in Criminology

Upon successful completion of the major program students are eligible to receive a Bachelor of Arts. Transcripts will indicate a Major in Criminology.

Upon successful completion of the minor as part of a Bachelor of Arts program, transcripts will indicate a Minor in Criminology.

Last Updated: Apr 28, 2014

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