Department of Criminology & Justice Studies

Applying the Scientific Method to Crime and Social Phenomena

The Department of Criminology and Justice Studies houses Avila University’s Criminology and Justice Studies major, as well as minors in Criminology and Justice Studies and Sociology. Whether a student is majoring or minoring in one of the department’s programs, our mission is to provide students with an understanding of how the scientific method can be applied to crime and other social phenomena so as to provide students with the critical thinking skills necessary to successfully navigate an ever-changing complex social world.

Programs

The Department of Criminology and Justice Studies currently offers two programs, which are unified by criminological and sociological approaches to the study crime.

A major in Criminology and Justice Studies
A minor in Criminology and Justice Studies

Criminology & Justice Studies Major

The criminology and justice studies major at Avila University is viewed broadly as encompassing the scientific study of crime, the criminal justice system, crime prevention, offenders, and victims of crime. The program is interdisciplinary and integrative in nature, wit the opportunity to explore the field from multiple academic disciplines and paradigms.

Criminology and justice studies is a popular major for students planning careers in areas such as victim services, law enforcement, corrections, probation, and parole at local, state and national levels. Students in the criminology and justice studies major will be prepared with the leadership, critical thinking, and communication skills necessary for a successful career and/or graduate school education in areas such as criminal justice, criminology, law, sociology, and other subfields of this discipline such as victim services or homeland security.

Suggested areas to pair with this major include women’s and gender studies, computer science, cybersecurity, forensic science, and accounting (major only). Please refer to the academic catalog for more information regarding these programs

Major Requirements

The candidate for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Justice Studies must complete all the general degree requirements of the University, as well as the following courses within the major:

Major Related Requirements

PL 255 Ethics (3 credits)

Major Foundations

SO 101 Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)
CR 262 Criminal Justice (3 credits)
CR 264 Introduction to Criminology (3 credits)
CR/SO 260 Sociology of Deviance (3 credits)
SO 230 Social Statistics (3 credits)
SO 397 Research Methods (3 credits)
SO 360 Criminological Theory (3 credits)

Criminal Justice: Choose TWO

CR 362 Corrections (3 credits)
CR 364 The Police (3 credits)
CR 368 Courts and Law (3 credits)

Foundations of Social Change: Choose TWO

CR/SO 366 Law and Society (3 credits)
SO 322 Classical Sociological Theory (3 credits)
SO 351 Human Institutions (3 credits)

Social Inequality: Choose ONE

CR 450 Social Diversity & Criminal Justice (3 credits)
SO 340 Social Stratification (3 credits)

Electives: TWO Courses over 300 Level

CR 350 Juvenile Delinquency (3 credits)
CR/WS 354 Victimology (3 credits)
CR 352 White-Collar Crime (3 credits)
CR/WS 440 Gender and Crime (3 credits)
CR 420 The Chicago School (3 credits)
CR 430 Criminal Spaces (3 credits)

Capstone: Choose ONE

CR/SO 495 Internship (3 credits)
CR/SO 499 Senior Research (3 credits)

Total Hours: 48

Criminology & Justice Studies Minor

Minor Requirements

Minor Curriculum

SO 101 Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)
CR 262 Criminal Justice (3 credits)
CR 264 Introduction to Criminology (3 credits)

Criminal Justice: Choose ONE

CR 362 Corrections (3 credits)
CR 364 The Police (3 credits)
CR 368 Courts and Law (3 credits)