Concentration in Criminology

What is the Concentration in Criminology?

What are the admission requirements for the Concentration in Criminology?

For more information, see the sociology major with a concentration in criminology course requirements.

What is the Concentration in Criminology?

The concentration in Criminology is a rigorous program that teaches students how to critically think, engage, and understand how crime and the criminal justice systems impact society. Within Sociology, the Criminology concentration is best suited for those students who have a particular interest in how crime is defined and responded to within our society. Students interested in social justice, community engagement, criminal justice reform, youth and victim advocacy, critical criminology, law, and law enforcement will benefit from this concentration. In addition to taking the required courses expected of all sociology majors, criminology students have access to additional classes that include Criminological Theory, Crime and Society, Gender and Crime, Race/Crime and Punishment, Fieldwork in Criminology, and Senior Seminar. Criminology students are also expected to take at least two classes from other departments, known as cognates, that are related to crime or law.

Graduates of the concentration of criminology have entered a variety of careers and opportunities. Criminology students have found work in careers such as law, community advocacy, civil rights, criminal justice reform, youth justice/advocacy, mental health practitioners, problem solving courts, victim advocacy, social work, education, security, probation, corrections, and law enforcement. Additionally, criminology graduates leave the concentration as very competitive candidates for graduate school and have been accepted to prominent Law, Masters, and PhD programs around the country.

What are the Field Internships like?

The Concentration in Criminology faculty works with each student to find an internship that is aligned with their personal interests. Students do their criminology field education internships in a variety of agencies, including criminal justice reform agencies, immigration agencies, civil rights, victim advocacy, foster care system, mental health agencies, district attorney offices and other law offices, courts (Family Court, Drug Court, Domestic Violence Court etc.), U.S Supreme Court, youth programs, County Sheriff's Office, prisons/jails, juvenile facilities, law enforcement, probation, and domestic violence shelters.

Students must complete a minimum 104 hours (8 hours a week for 13 weeks) while also attending the Fieldwork in Criminology course. During this course, students will also build a modern professional skill set. This course work includes career-oriented topics such as: successful resume and cover letter construction; how to do well at job interviews; personal finances, budgeting, future planning, and a introduction to understanding employment benefits such as health care and retirement.

What are the admission requirements for the Concentration in Criminology?

There are currently no requirements for admission into the Concentration. Students interested in majoring in Sociology with a Concentration in Criminology should notify their advisor, who will then add the concentration to their major.

The Concentration in Criminology consists of introductory and upper division courses. The first course in the concentration is Crime and Society, which is offered every semester and can be taken during the freshman, sophomore, or junior year. Electives in Criminology are generally taken during the sophomore, junior, and senior year. The core courses in the sequence begin in the spring semester of the student’s junior year. For more information, see the Sociology Major with a Concentration in Criminology course requirements.

Interested students or for further assistance, please contact Professor Anna Gjika, Program Coordinator of the Concentration in Criminology at gjikaa@newpaltz.edu.