Student speaking with members of the Harrisonburg police department at a career fair
Home › Academics › Schools › Department of Sociology › Criminology Major 

Criminology Major 

Explore the world of criminal justice 

Interested in a career in law enforcement, the courts, correctional facilities or victim services? The major in criminology will provide you with a foundation for further study or work in the U.S. criminal justice system.  

Student speaking with representative of police department at career fair

What to Expect

  • Gain a critical understanding of crime, its causes and systemic responses to crime 
  • Faculty mentorship as you pursue a career path or explore graduate education 
  • Internship opportunities with local courts, area police, corrections and parole, or victim services that will give you practical experience in the field 

Courses

The major in criminology approaches the field from a broad, multidisciplinary perspective with a foundation in sociology. Through SOC-101, students start with an understanding of systems and structures, along with broad theoretical perspectives, and they learn to critically analyze the dynamics of class, race and gender. An overview of the U.S. justice system and more detailed analyses of crime and criminological theory are covered in SOC-212: Law, Criminal Justice & Society; SOC-311: Criminology; and SOC-312: Juvenile Justice and Delinquency.  

The electives include courses from the fields of communication, human development and family science, philosophy, political science and psychology. The capstone courses taken by seniors in the major provide experiences in critical analyses of problems in sentencing and corrections/rehabilitation and a substantive experiential/career-preparation practicum. 

Through this major, we develop reflective thinkers who will ask tough questions and work to resolve persistent social problems.  

Specific requirements for this major can be found in the College Catalog.

Required Courses Meet the Faculty

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Careers

The U.S. justice system comprises a collection of large social institutions. In the nationwide public sector, at the state and local level, this includes more than two million fulltime employed positions. In Virginia, this includes nearly 56,000 positions, in addition to many private or federal employment opportunities. 

Career paths include:
  • Law enforcement 
  • Court systems 
  • Prosecutor offices 
  • Public defender offices 
  • Victim services and support 
  • Correctional facilities 
  • Parole offices