OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2024-25
Sociology—Criminology Major (B.A.) |
Major code BA4253 (Campus locations)
Major code BA4255 (OHIO Online)
College of Arts and Sciences
Sociology and Anthropology
Bentley Annex 162
Athens, OH 45701
socanth@ohio.edu
www.ohio.edu/cas/sociology-anthropology
Amanda Cox, contact person - in-person degree
coxa@ohio.edu
Bruce Hoffman, contact person - online degree
hoffmanb@ohio.edu
Program Overview
The sociology-criminology major is designed to give students a solid foundation for successful careers in fields relating to crime, social control, and justice. Coursework trains students in the causes and dynamics of deviant and illegal behavior, how behaviors come to be defined as criminal, the organization and effectiveness of criminal justice institutions, and innovative approaches to crime prevention, rehabilitation, and social transformation. Coursework also provides training in social inequality, working with diverse populations, and understanding crime, social control, and policy debates in their broader cultural, political, and social contexts. Students develop professional skills in research methods, analytical reasoning and writing, ethical decision-making, problem solving, and public service. Justice related internship opportunities are available. Students may also wish to apply to the certificate programs in Forensic Studies or in Law, Justice & Culture. Students completing the major receive a degree in sociology with the specialty in criminology listed on the transcript, making it a broad degree suitable for a wide range of careers.
Admissions Information
Freshman/First-Year Admission
No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Change of Program Policy
No selective or limited admission requirements.
External Transfer Admission
No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Opportunities Upon Graduation
The professional skills developed through this major prepare students either for careers or for advanced study in the fields of criminal and social justice, law enforcement, community justice and intervention, civic activism, and social science research. Many career opportunities exist in the public, private, and non-profit sectors, including work in community justice organizations, corrections, courts, data analysis, domestic terrorism, education, federal law enforcement, fraud prevention, homeland security, juvenile justice, law enforcement, legal research, neighborhood organizing, offender rehabilitation, parole, prisoner re-entry programs, private security, probation offices, restorative justice, substance abuse counseling, and victim advocate agencies. Graduates may also pursue advanced degrees in criminology and criminal justice, law, sociology, and other social science disciplines.
Browse through dozens of Internship opportunities and full-time job postings for Ohio University students and alumni on Handshake , OHIO’s key resource for researching jobs, employers, workshops, and professional development events.
Requirements
University-wide Graduation Requirements
Ohio University requires the completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours for the conferral of a bachelor’s degree. This program can be completed within that 120-hour requirement. For more information on the minimum hours requirement and other university-wide requirements, please review the Graduation Requirements – University-wide page.
Liberal Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirement
View the College and Liberal Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirements .
Sociology Hours Requirement
Complete a total of 30 semester credit hours of SOC coursework, including all the requirements below.
Sociology Core Courses
Earn a C or better in the following three courses:
- SOC 1000 - Introduction to Sociology Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3000 - Development of Sociological Theory Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3500 - Elementary Research Techniques Credit Hours: 3
Sociology Elective
Complete one additional 3000 or 4000-level sociology course, not from sociology-criminology courses.
Sociology Statistics Courses
Complete one of the following courses:
- ANTH 2500 - Applied Statistics in Sociology and Anthropology Credit Hours: 4
- COMS 3520 - Quantitative Inquiry in Communication Credit Hours: 3
- ECON 3810 - Economic Statistics Credit Hours: 3
- MATH 2500 - Statistics and Probability Credit Hours: 4
- PSY 2110 - Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences Credit Hours: 4
- QBA 2010 - Introduction to Business Statistics Credit Hours: 4
- SOC 2500 - Applied Statistics in Sociology and Anthropology Credit Hours: 4
Criminology Core Courses
Complete the following courses:
- SOC 2600 - Criminal Justice Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3600 - Criminology Credit Hours: 3
Criminology Electives
Complete three courses, at least two at the 3000- or 4000-level.
- SOC 2000 - Contemporary Social Problems Credit Hours: 3
- ANTH 2400 - Breaking the Law Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 2400 - Breaking the Law Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 2610 - Deviant Behavior Credit Hours: 3
- ANTH 2700 - Social Justice Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 2700 - Social Justice Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 2800 - Gender, Crime, and Law Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3325 - Access to Justice Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3620 - Ethics in Law, Crime, and Justice Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3630 - Juvenile Delinquency Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3640 - Police and Society Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3650 - Sociology of Mental Illness Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3660 - Punishment and Society Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3670 - Corporate and Governmental Crime Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3675 - Drugs, Crime, and Society Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 3685 - Human Trafficking Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 4610 - Crime and Media Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 4620 - Sociology of the Courts Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 4640 - Law in Societies Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 4660 - Transforming Criminal Justice Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 4670 - Violence Against Women Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 4680 - Crimes Against Humanity Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 4690 - Crime, Risk, and Governance Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 4710 - Gender and Justice Credit Hours: 3
- SOC 4910 - Internship in Sociology & Criminology Credit Hours: 3 - 9