Major/Minor Criminology

Criminology is a subset of sociology that studies social structures and response vis-a-vis crime, criminality, and punishment. It is a science that seeks to understand the personal and societal influences that drive people to commit crimes, with a goal of minimizing crime through effective prevention and rehabilitation strategies. Sociology draws on many different disciplines, such as psychology, research and data analysis, public policy and law, to gather and analyze qualitative and quantitative data, create and scrutinize theories about crime and punishment, and implement programs and policies to help reduce instances of crime.

A career in criminology can look very different depending on how you choose to apply it. For example, you might use your degree to pursue a research, policy, or teaching role. More hands-on applications of criminology may include working directly with victims and/or (ex-)offenders in fields like law, law enforcement, corrections, and case management.

Some criminologists choose to specialize in a specific area, such as crime within particular groups (juvenile, specific races or socioeconomic groups, etc.), or fields like environmental law or international policy. A criminology degree at RMC includes the option of taking an elective course through our chemistry, environmental science, political science, psychology, sociology, or Spanish departments, allowing students to gain greater understanding in more targeted areas of interest.

Criminology majors may also go on to law school.

As noted above, there are many different paths a criminology major might take after achieving their degree. Graduates pursuing a career as a criminologist can expect their day-to-day activities to center on the primary goal of understanding and reducing crime. Some of these might include:

• researching the reasons why people commit crime.
• advising policy makers in the justice and policing systems.
• analyzing data from surveys and intelligence to spot trends.
• working on crime reduction and rehabilitation programs.
• recommending ways to improve the effectiveness of court sentences.
• speaking to offenders and ex-offenders in prisons and probation services.
• attending conferences and presenting research findings.
• teaching students at a college or university.

Most criminologists work primarily in offices, such as government agencies, law firms, policy boards, legislative committees, and universities. However, some criminology roles are more field-based. Here are some examples of roles often pursued by criminology majors:

• Local or state law enforcement (police officer, detective, etc.)
• Federal law enforcement (FBI, DEA, Secret Service, etc.)
• Correctional or probation officer
• Victim advocate or case manager
• Juvenile correctional/diversion program manager
• Security or investigative work
• Local/national/international policy advisor
• Researcher/data analyst
• Teacher/professor

Many criminology majors also go on to law school.

Criminology and criminal justice are overlapping disciplines, both of which deal with the subject of crime. This helps explain why criminology and criminal justice graduates often pursue the same types of jobs. Where criminology focuses on crime as a socially-constructed concept, especially social factors that cause and deter crime, criminal justice studies the systems supporting law enforcement and the administration of criminal penalties. This includes topics such as policing, the courts and law, and corrections.

While an understanding of both topics is important in either field, they work towards different goals. For example, where criminal justice focuses on the process and implementation of the criminal justice system, criminology might examine its outcomes and recommend process improvements to help reduce crime and recidivism.

Yes, RMC’s criminology major requirements include a field study or internship, and our distinguished criminology faculty helps students secure positions that will help them advance their academic and career interests. We work with law offices, law enforcement, victims services, corrections, policy-makers, etc. to place students in internships in fields that interest them for their future careers.

Most criminology majors at Randolph-Macon College complete their major-specific coursework over the course of two academic years. In addition to the collegiate requirements that are compulsory for all RMC graduates, the criminology major includes 11 courses totaling 34 credit hours:

• Three 200-level courses covering the foundational aspects of criminology
• Two 300-level courses focused on theory and methods
• A field study or internship
• A capstone course on juvenile delinquency
• Four elective courses, at least three of which have a CRIM prefix

Please review the criminology major requirements for additional information.