The criminology and criminal justice major focuses on issues related to crime, criminal justice, and society from a broad sociological perspective. Students explore the nature of criminal behavior and its causes, while critically evaluating society's responses to crime. Courses in the major emphasize social scientific theories and research methods while examining a range of topics pertinent to crime and justice: race, class, and gender disparities; structural and institutional racism; criminalization; punishment and reentry; criminal justice ethics; mental illness; substance abuse; immigration; politics; and reimagining criminal justice as a response to crime and deviance.
Many graduates of the program pursue advanced degrees in sociology, social work, criminology, law, or dispute resolution. Other alumni progress into careers related to victim advocacy, reentry, youth services, social justice advocacy, legal services, law enforcement, probation, and corrections.
For additional information, please download the Criminology and Criminal Justice Major Fact Sheet. Then take a careful look at our course suggestions for some career tracks related to Criminology & Criminal Justice:
- Pre-Law / Legal System
- Education / Youth / Families
- Social Services / Counseling
Four required core courses:
SOCIOL 101 (Introduction to Sociology)
SOCIOL 104 (Introduction to Systems of Criminal Justice)
SOCIOL 202 (Methods of Sociological Research)
SOCIOL 262 (Criminology)
Choose one Quantitative Methods course:
SOCIOL 350 (Social Statistics)
SOCIOL 352 (Criminological Statistics and Data Analysis)
PSYCH 370 (Psychological Statistics)
Choose at least one of the following Advanced Courses in Systems of Criminal Justice:
SOCIOL 337 (The Police in Society)
SOCIOL 338 (Criminal Courts)
SOCIOL 363 (Punishment and Corrections)
Choose at least one of the following Advanced Courses in Criminology:
SOCIOL 316 (Family Violence)
SOCIOL 361 (Offending Over the Life Course)
SOCIOL 362 (Juvenile Delinquency)
SOCIOL 364 (Internet, Society, and Cyber Crime)
SOCIOL 365 (Victimology)
SOCIOL 367 (Drugs & Society)
Choose one Internship / Senior Capstone course:
SOCIOL 460 (Internship: Sociology in the City) (6 credits)
SOCIOL 461 (Internship in Law and Criminal Justice) (6 credits)
SOCIOL 462 (Internship in Law and Juvenile Justice) (6 credits)
SOCIOL 474 (Senior Seminar in Criminology and Criminal Justice) (3 credits)
SOCIOL 478 or 479 (Directed Study in Sociology) (3 credits)
Four courses (twelve credits) of Sociology electives. If the student chooses a 6-credit internship, three credits will count towards this category. Students who take extra courses in the required categories above may count the extra courses as electives. Courses may not double-count as both requirements and electives.
Additional notes:
- One course within the major may be taken pass/fail, but it may not be the Capstone. NOTE: Unlimited and unrestricted pass/fail grades are allowed during Spring 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021, the semesters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Students may not receive credit for both SOCIOL 350 and SOCIOL 352.
- No more than nine credits of 100-level courses may count towards the major.
- A maximum of five courses (15 credits) may be transferred from other institutions into major requirements.
- Methods of Research and Quantitative Methods may be transferred from 4-year institutions only.
- Students may not receive transfer credit for the "Advanced Course in Systems of Criminal Justice" or the "Advanced Course in Criminology" requirements.
- Students may not take more than one internship towards the major.
- Once students matriculate at UMass Boston, criminal justice or sociology courses taken elsewhere need prior approval from the department chair and the Registrar.
- Students double-majoring with Sociology may double-count only two courses: SOCIOL 101 and SOCIOL 202. Students who complete SOCIOL 350 or 352 as part of their other major must take an additional 3-credit Sociology course as a substitute for the Quantitative Methods requirement.