What is Criminology?
Criminology is the scientific study of crime from a social and individual perspective that encourages students to think critically about the causation, correction and prevention of crime. Our B.A. in Criminology seeks to develop a professional orientation that will be relevant both to occupational goals and participation as a citizen in community affairs.

Degree Requirements
Courses in both political science and sociology are included in a 25-hour block that provides a general background in crime causation and agencies of criminal justice, plus the opportunity to select from more specific courses dealing with deviance, juvenile delinquency, the court system and correctional facilities.
Our Four-Year Plan
Fall Semester Courses | Credits | Spring Semester Courses | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
ENG 101 Acad. Writing and Research | 3 | History II | 3 |
FL 201 Foreign Language | 4 | ST 311 Intro to Statistics | 3 |
SOC 202 Principles of Sociology | 3 | Natural Science | 3 |
History I | 3 | Social Science (PS 201) | 3 |
Mathematics | 3 | Social Science Elective | 3 |
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|
HES xxx Course | 1 |
Fall Semester Courses | Credits | Spring Semester Courses | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
SOC 300 Soc. Research Methods | 4 | Sociological Theory (400 or 401) | 3 |
Sociology Elective (2xx or 3xx) | 3 | Sociology Elective (3xx or 4xx) | 3 |
Literature I | 3 | Literature II | 3 |
Natural Science | 4 | Social Science (SOC 306) | 3 |
HES xxx Course | 1 | GEP Addtl Breadth Req. | 3 |
Fall Semester Courses | Credits | Spring Semester Courses | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
SOC Criminology Elective (SOC 4xx) | 3 | SOC Elective (3xx/4xx) | 3 |
Social Science | 3 | SOC Elective (3xx/4xx) | 3 |
GEP Interdiscip. Perspectives Req. | 3 | GEP Interdiscip. Perspectives Req. | 2-3 |
Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
Fall Semester Courses | Credits | Spring Semester Courses | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
SOC Criminology Elective (SOC 4xx) | 3 | PS Criminology Elective | 3 |
Arts and Letters | 3 | SOC Criminology Elective (SOC 4xx) | 3 |
Philosophy | 3 | SOC 413 Criminal Justice Field Work | 4 |
Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
Change of Degree Application (CODA)
There are requirements and preferred qualifications to transfer (as a current NC State Student) into a specific College of Humanities and Social Sciences major.
Minor in Criminology
Requirements: 16 total hours
- Any student seeking a minor must consult with a minor adviser on a plan of work, and must file a copy of this plan with the minor adviser at least one semester before graduation.
- A 2.0 GPA is required in the minor course work
- No courses taken for S/U credit will count toward the minor
- A minimum of 9 hours of required course work must be taken at NC State University. 3 of those 9 credits must be 400-level.
- Students completing a minor in Criminology may not also complete a minor in Sociology.
Required Courses:
- SOC 202, Principles of Sociology (3 credits)
- SOC 206, Social Deviance (3 credits)
- SOC 306, Criminology (3 credits)
- SOC 300, Social Research Methods (4 credits)
- One 400-level elective course. (3 credits) Options Include:
- SOC 425, Juvenile Delinquency
- SOC 427, Sociology of Law
- SOC 428, Formal Institutions of Social Control
- SOC 429, Data Analysis in Criminology
- SOC 430, Community and Crime
- SOC (PS) 432, Violence, Terrorism, and Public Policy
- SOC 445, Inequality, Ideology, and Social Justice
For more information on certification, contact Stephanie Jares.