Criminology and Criminal Justice Major

Students majoring in criminology examine the causes and consequences of deviant and normal behavior, learn how to conduct and evaluate research, analyze the major criminal justice institutions, and critically evaluate social policies related to crime, deviance, and social control.

Graduates are prepared to examine crime, corrections and the criminal justice system from a critical, research-based stance, with special emphasis on the importance of social structures and social processes.

Upper-division Criminology and Criminal Justice majors work with faculty on their own research projects, learning research skills from start to finish, and in off-campus supervised internships, earning credits while exploring career choices.

Graduates of Cabrini’s Criminology and Criminal Justice program are in graduate programs of sociology and criminal justice, employed in social work, mental health and criminal justice, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Secret Service, ATF, school counseling, and police work.

Requirements for the Major in Criminology and Criminal Justice

(all courses 3 credits unless noted)

• SOC 203 - Contemporary Social Problems
• SOC 215 - Introduction to Sociology: Race, Class, and Gender
• CRM 210 - Introduction to Criminal Justice
• SOC 272- Statistics for the Social Sciences
• CRM 330 - Class, Race, Gender and Crime
• CRM 309 - Criminology
• CRM 310 - Punishment and Corrections
• CRM 315 - Criminal Law and Society
• CRM 325 - Police and Society
• SOC 341 - Research Methods I
• SOC 342 - Research Methods II
• CRM 420 - Senior Capstone
• CRM/SOC 488 - Criminology/Sociology Internship
• CRM-electives in Criminology (3 credits) 
• Electives from any Department (35–49 credits)

Total Credits for the Major: 42

Math 118‐ Introduction to Statistics must be completed as a prerequisite to SOC 341 and SOC 342.
Students are encouraged to take it as part of the quantitative literacy requirement of the college.

It is strongly recommended that students take Philosophy 232, Morality, Crime and Justice as an elective or to complete their
Values Exploration.

Special Requirements

• Students planning a major in Criminology and Criminal Justice must submit an application to the department chair and receive department approval.
• Students planning double majors must consult with an advisor in the department for course selection.
• All Criminology and Criminal Justice majors must maintain a 2.33 cumulative average in their major courses.

Learning Outcomes 
Criminology and Criminal Justice majors will:

• develop skills in social observation and analysis regarding criminal behavior
• understand the impact of crime on victims and communities and the manner by which offenders are held accountable for their actions
• increase understanding of the social institutions and social processes that influence criminal behaviors
• develop skills in assessing and undertaking research in criminology
• provide the opportunity to practice and evaluate critically the application of criminological analysis to real-life settings

Criminology and Criminial Justice Honors Program
Students who meet the following requirements will graduate with honors in the Criminology and Criminal Justice major: 

1. active membership in Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society
2. a minimum overall GPA of 3.2 
3. a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 in major courses taken at Cabrini
4. successful completion of CRM 420 and presentation of research in a public forum