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 KPU's General university admission requirements, including the undergraduate-level English Proficiency Requirement, the following program admission requirements apply:
Year One Admission:
- English 12 with a 'B' (or equivalent)
- Mathematics:
- Minimum grade of 'C' in Pre-Calculus 11, Principles of Mathematics 11, or Applications of Mathematics 12 (or equivalent); or
- Minimum grade of 'C+' in Foundations of Mathematics 11 (or equivalent); or
- Minimum grade of 'C-' in Pre-Calculus 12 or Foundations of Mathematics 12 (or equivalent)
Year Three Admission:
- 60 credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 (including all 1100- and 2000-level major/minor program requirements).
- Grade of 'C' in all required 1000-and 2000-level courses, including the English writing requirement (ENGL 1100 and one of either ENGL 1202 or 1204, or equivalent).
- Two Quantitative courses (total of six or more credits).
- 12 credits of breadth courses
- Mathematics:
- Minimum grade of 'C' in Pre-Calculus 11, Principles of Mathematics 11, or Applications of Mathematics 12 (or equivalent); or
- Minimum grade of 'C+' in Foundations of Mathematics 11 (or equivalent); or
- Minimum grade of 'C-' in Pre-Calculus 12 or Foundations of Mathematics 12 (or equivalent); or
- Minimum grade of 'C+' in the above Two Quantitative courses (three credits of which must be from the Faculty of Science & Horticulture)
- Second language at the Grade 11 level or 6 credits of post-secondary language courses in the same language. Note: Students need only achieve a passing grade to fulfill this requirement. Beginner's or Introductory Language 11 courses are ineligible to meet this requirement. Students who can demonstrate competency in a second language may request an assessment to have this requirement waived.
Honours Admission:
In order to be considered for admission into the Honours program, students normally:
- have completed 90 credits or more at the time of application;
- must achieve a CGPA of 3.5; and
- have completed CRIM 3104 and CRIM 4410.
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 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:
- 60 credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 (including all 1100- and 2000-level major/minor program requirements).
- Grade of 'C' in all required 1000-and 2000-level courses, including the English writing requirement (ENGL 1100 and one of either ENGL 1202 or 1204, or equivalent).
- Two Quantitative courses (total of six or more credits).
- 12 credits of breadth courses
- Second language at the Grade 11 level or 6 credits of post-secondary language courses in the same language. Note: Students need only achieve a passing grade to fulfill this requirement. Beginner's or Introductory Language 11 courses are ineligible to meet this requirement. Students who can demonstrate competency in a second language may request an assessment to have this requirement waived.
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:
- Theory and Methods
- Criminal Justice
- Law, Advocacy, and Conflict Resolution
- Additional Courses
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: |
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| 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: |
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| 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: |
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| 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: |
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| 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: |
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| 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: |
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| CRIM 3302 | Procedure and Evidence | 3 credits | |
Plus one of: |
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| 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. |
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| Group 1. Theory and Methods: | |||
| CRIM 3100 | Advanced Theories of Crime and Community | 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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: |
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| 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 build 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: |
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| 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: |
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| 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. |
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| 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:
- Successful completion of 30 program credits based on first year entry or admission to third year;
- Minimum GPA of 2.7
Program Continuance Requirements:
Continuation in the co-op option requires:
- Completion of COOP 1101 prior to 75 programs credits (based on first year entry);
- Minimum program GPA of 2.7
Work Term Requirements:
Participation and enrolment in a co-op work term requires:
- Successful completion of COOP 1101
- Successful completion of 45 program credits based on first year entry or admission to third year
- Instructor permission
Co-op Requirements
The Co-operative Education designation requires successful completion of the following courses:
Required: |
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| COOP 1101 | Job Search Techniques | 1 credit | |
And all of: |
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| 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: |
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| 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.
