Sociology
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Sociology
Why Choose Criminology and Criminal Justice?
One of the greatest social needs today is public safety and security. The increased complexity and diversity of contemporary society, its technological development and legal evolution, and its interdependence with other societies necessitate that those we entrust with our public safety be well-educated.In today's world, criminologists working in criminal justice must have excellent communication skills; critical thinking and problem-solving abilities; sensitivity to those of different racial, cultural, socioeconomic, and gender groups; the ability to speak a foreign language; and computer literacy.
It is also important for those working in the criminal justice fields to have a good understanding of the operation of various components of the criminal justice system, the social causes and consequences of crime and victimization, and the role of social policy in shaping our society's response to and control of criminal behavior.
Admission to the Program
All students who wish to graduate with this degree must:- Acquire "waiting for" status
- Meet criteria for application
- Apply and gain acceptance into the major
- Fulfill all of the major's requirements
Interested students in any major who currently register through University College (UC) but have not completed at least 30 total credit hours should go to the UC Sociology Advisor(s) and declare "waiting for" status for Criminology and Criminal Justice. Upon completion of 30 credit hours, students should go to the UC Sociology Advisor(s), the Assistant Dean in Arts & Sciences, or their faculty advisor in Sociology to transfer to Arts & Sciences as a B.S. Sociology major waiting for Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Admission to the B.S. Program in Criminology and Criminal Justice is selective. Applications for admission are reviewed twice a year, once per semester. Students must apply by submitting their names to the Chairperson of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology or to Leo Carroll, B.S. Program Director.
To be considered for admission to the Criminology and Criminal Justice B.S. Program, students must have earned a minimum of 30 total college credit hours, including SOC 100, 230, and 274 by the application deadline. Additionally, students must have earned an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Applications should include a recent copy of the student's transcript, a brief letter of intent that includes the student's current contact information and the name of one faculty member to contact for recommendation who has knowledge of the student's academic ability and performance. All applications will be considered together and evaluated by committee according to the same criteria: the availability of instructional resources, grade point averages, and faculty recommendation.
Students will be notified of their acceptance. Those who fail to gain admission may reapply during subsequent application periods. Once students are accepted into the major, they will be registered in Arts & Sciences as Bachelor of Science Sociology majors in Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Major Requirements
A total of 120 credits overall is required for graduation. Students in the B.S. Criminology and Criminal Justice curriculum are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits in Sociology. These credits include several required courses:- Sociology 100 General Sociology: This is the first course in the discipline and is designed to provide students with an introduction to sociological analysis and discourse
- Sociology 230 Crime and Delinquency: Coursework will introduce students to the distribution, trends, and costs of crime and delinquency in the U.S. with an emphasis on policy implications
- Sociology 274 The Criminal Justice System: This course provides an overview to the American system of criminal justice, including consideration of theories of criminal law
- Sociology 301 Sociological Research Methods: This course is a sustained examination of sociological research techniques with an emphasis on critical reasoning and the evaluation of sociological research
- Sociology 370 Theories of Crime and Delinquency: Sociological and psychological theories of crime are the focal points of this course. Students will also have the opportunity to evaluate competing explanations of criminal behavior
- Sociology 476 Policy Issues in Criminal Justice: As a capstone course, this seminar focuses on policy issues in the area of criminal justice, including capital punishment, gun control, legalization of drugs, mandatory sentencing, and restorative justice
In addition to these required courses, students are required to select at least two courses that focus on issues of inequality. These courses include:
- Sociology 240 Race and Ethnic Relations
- Sociology 242 Sex and Gender
- Sociology 336 Social Inequality
- Sociology 413 Gender Inequality
- Sociology 428 Institutional Racism
- Sociology 452 Class and Power
Students in the B.S. Criminology and Criminal Justice curriculum must also complete two courses from the following list:
- Sociology 330 Police in Democratic Societies
- Sociology 331 Punishment and Corrections
- Sociology 420 Family Violence
- Sociology 300 Topics in Sociology (related to Criminology and Criminal Justice)
- Sociology 497 Field Experience in Sociology
- Sociology 498/499 Independent Study
News & Announcements
Anthropology Honor Society
URI Anthropology students have been chartered as the Alpha Rhode Island Chapter of Lamda Alpha, the national anthropology honor society. This is a tribute to the hard work of several students and to the academic excellence of our majors and our faculty. Right now, the recruitment of charter members is underway. If you're interested in being one of the first Lamda Alphas, shoot off an email to Ashley Waggoner for all the details.
The URI Anthropology Society is also up and running. Check out their page too.
Department contacts
Department Chair
C. B. Peters, cbp@uri.edu
Justice, Law & Society Minor Coordinator
Professor Leo Carroll, lcarroll@uri.edu
Administrative Assistant
Theresa Nobile, nobile@uri.edu
