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WVU Morgantown

Criminology, B.A.

  • Overview
  • Faculty
  • Admissions Requirements
  • Major
  • Degree Progress
  • Learning Outcomes

Degree Offered

  • Bachelor of Arts

Nature of the Program

The criminology major focuses on the social roots and implications of criminal behavior and the operation of the criminal justice system.  Students learn to apply the theoretical and methodological tools of sociology to make sense of crime and social control in modern society, while selecting from a variety of substantive course topics.  These include but are not limited to: juvenile delinquency, street crime and gangs, corporate and white collar crime, hate crime, terrorism, drug use and abuse, media and crime, the culture of police work, and punishment and social control.

The sociological approach to crime distinguishes criminology from the related field of criminal justice, which emphasizes the procedural activities of criminal justice agencies.  Criminology treats crime as the product of complex social forces, seeking to understand why laws are made in the first place, how and why these laws are violated, and how society responds when laws are broken.  This holistic societal perspective prepares graduates to pursue a broad range of careers such as policing, security, corrections, law, social services, and business.  The major also prepares students for graduate studies in the social sciences in pursuit of academic or applied research careers or for professional training in law, public administration, social work, and related fields.  For more information about this program, please visit the departmental website.

Students who earn a degree in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences must complete the University requirements, the College requirements for their specific degree program, and their major requirements.

Minors

All students have the possibility of earning one or more minors; please consult the list of all available minors and their requirements. Please note that students may not earn a minor in their major field.


Faculty

Professor and Chair

  • Daniel Renfrew - Ph.D. (Binghamton University) Anthropology
    Environmental and political anthropology, Social movements, Latin American cultures

Professors

  • Sharon R. Bird - Ph.D. (Washington State University) Sociology
    Social Inequality (race/ethnicity/class/gender/LGBTQ+), Workplace equity, Research methods
  • Henry H. Brownstein - Ph.D. (Temple University) Sociology
    Distinguished Research Professor. Drugs and society, Drug policy, Violence, Qualitative research methods
  • Katie E. Corcoran - Ph.D. (University of Washington) Sociology
    Theory, Organizations, Culture, Criminology, Religion, Social networks
  • Walter S. DeKeseredy - Ph.D. (York University) Sociology
    Anna Deane Carlson Endowed Chair of Social Sciences. Violence against women, Critical criminology, Masculinities and crime, Criminology theory
  • R. Gregory Dunaway - Ph.D. (University of Cincinnati) Sociology
    Dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
  • S. Melissa Latimer - Ph.D. (University of Kentucky) Sociology
    Gender/race/ethnicity, Inequality/labor markets/welfare systems
  • James Nolan, III - Ph.D. (Temple University) Sociology
    Criminal justice, Group and social processes
  • Rachel Stein - Ph.D. (University of Akron) Sociology
    Criminology, Victimization, Media and crime
  • Karen Weiss - Ph.D. (SUNY-Stony Brook) Sociology
    Criminology, Victimization, Gender/sexuality/culture
  • Rachael A. Woldoff - Ph.D. (Ohio State University) Sociology
    Community, Crime, Inequality/race/class
  • Joshua Woods - Ph.D. (Michigan State University) Sociology
    Social psychology, Media, Complex organizations, Sociology of risk

Associate professors

  • Corey Colyer - Ph.D. (Syracuse University) Sociology
    People processing systems, Agencies of social control
  • Amy Hirshman - Ph.D. (Michigan State University) Anthropology
    Mesoamerican archaeology, Social complexity, Ceramics
  • Jason Manning - Ph.D. (University of Virginia) Sociology
    Conflict and social control, Violence, Sociology of knowledge
  • Christopher P. Scheitle - Ph.D. (Pennsylvania State University) Sociology
    Religion, Science in society, Crime, Organizations
  • Jennifer Steele - Ph.D. (Pennsylvania State University)
    Rural Sociology Natural resource sociology, Rural and community development
  • Jesse Wozniak - Ph.D. (University of Minnesota) Sociology
    Policing, Criminology, Deviance, State power

Assistant professors

  • Brandie S. Pugh - Ph.D. (University of Delaware) Sociology
    Inequality, Corporate crime, Interpersonal violence, Philosophy of science
  • Kirsten Younghee Song - Ph.D. (Rutgers University)
    Sociology Culture, Transnationalism, Young adulthood, Inequality

Teaching instructors

  • Daniel Brewster - M.A. (West Virginia University) Communication Studies
  • Douglas Sahady - M.A. (California University of Pennsylvania) Social Science
  • Genesis Snyder - M.A. (Western Michigan University) Anthropology

Professors emeriti

  • Ronald C. Althouse - Ph.D. (University of Minnesota)
    Sociology Theory, Work, Occupational safety and health
  • Ann L. Paterson - Ph.D. (Michigan State University) Sociology
  • Patricia C. Rice - M.A. (Ohio State University) Anthropology
  • Joseph J. Simoni - Ph.D. (University of Notre Dame) Sociology
  • William I. Torry - Ph.D. (Columbia University) Anthropology

Admissions for 2025-2026

  • First Time Freshmen are admitted directly into the major. Students must have a placement into a Math course to receive a complete schedule for their first semester. 
  • Students coming from another major at WVU must have an overall GPA of at least 2.0, completion of SOC 101 with a C- or higher, and be eligible to take MATH 124 (requires minimum MATH ACT of 20, MATH SAT of 520, ALEKS score of 40, or completion of MATH 122 with a C- or higher).
  • Students coming from another institution must have an overall GPA of at least 2.0, completion of SOC 101 with a C- or higher, and be eligible to take MATH 124 (requires minimum MATH ACT of 20, MATH SAT of 520, ALEKS score of 40, or completion of MATH 122 with a C- or higher).

Major Code: 1424

Click here to view the Suggested Plan of Study

General Education Foundations

Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.

NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Education Foundations
F1 - Composition & Rhetoric3-6
ENGL 101
& ENGL 102
Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric
and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research
or ENGL 103
Accelerated Academic Writing
F2A/F2B - Science & Technology4-6
F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning3-4
F4 - Society & Connections3
F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past3
F6 - The Arts & Creativity3
F7 - Global Studies & Diversity3
F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree)9
Total Hours31-37

Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete WVU General Education Foundations requirements, College B.A. requirements, major requirements, and electives to total a minimum of 120 hours. For complete details on these requirements, visit the B.A. Degrees tab on the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences page.

Departmental Requirements for the B.A. in Criminology

All Criminology majors are required to take a common set of core courses and choose major electives based on their scholarly and career interests.

  • Capstone Requirement:  The university requires completion of a Capstone course.  Criminology majors must complete SOC 488 successfully.
     
  • Writing and Communication Requirement: Criminology Bachelor of Arts students fulfill the Writing and Communication Skills requirement by completing ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 (or ENGL 103), and two SpeakWrite Certified CoursesTM: SOC 488, and a 2nd course selected from: ANTH 350, ANTH 352, ANTH 354, ANTH 450, ANTH 457, ANTH 458,  HIST 203, HIST 207, HIST 221, HIST 241, HIST 242, HIST 259, HIST 264, PSYC 241, CRIM 318, SOC 323, SOC 360, WGST 150, WGST 225.
     
  • Calculation of the GPA in the major:  A minimum GPA of a 2.0 is required in all courses applied to the major, with a minimum grade of C- is required in SOC 191, ANTH 105, and SOC 101.  If a course is repeated, all attempts will be included in the calculation of the GPA, unless the course is eligible for the D/F repeat.
     
  • Experiential Learning:  Students are encouraged to pursue a Professional Field Experience (SOC 491) or independent Study (SOC 495) in their junior or senior year, combining experiential work with previously acquired skills in a project appropriate to their career goals.  These courses may be taken for variable credit and will count towards graduation credits, but not major requirements.

Curriculum Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
University Requirements77
ECAS B.A. Requirements3
Criminology Major Requirements40
Total Hours120

University Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits)
Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 5, and 824
First-Year Seminar
General Electives53
Total Hours77

ECAS Bachelor of Arts Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
ECAS B.A. Requirements3
Fine Arts Requirement
Global Studies and Diversity Requirement
Total Hours3

Criminology Major Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Orientation to the Major1
SOC 191
First-Year Seminar (Minimum Grade of C-)
or SOC 361
Practicing Sociology and Anthropology
Common Core Requirements18
ANTH 105
Introduction to Anthropology (Minimum Grade of C-)
SOC 101
Introduction to Sociology (Minimum Grade of C-)
CRIM 232
Criminology
CRIM 234
The Criminal Justice System
SOC 301
Sociological Theory
SOC 311
Social Research Methods
Statistics Requirement3
STAT 211
Elementary Statistical Inference
Upper-level Criminology Requirements12
Select four of the following:
CRIM 302
Deviant Behavior
CRIM 303
Juvenile Delinquency
CRIM 318
Hate Crime
CRIM 319
Police Culture and Socialization
CRIM 321
Punishment and Social Control
CRIM 324
Gender and Crime
CRIM 334
Corporate and White Collar Crime
CRIM 345
Terrorism
CRIM 346
Victimology
CRIM 415
Mass Media, Crime and Deviance
CRIM 431
Cybercrime
CRIM 432
Drugs, Crime, and Society
CRIM 433
Inside Out Prison Exchange
CRIM 435
Criminal Justice Process
CRIM 444
Neighborhoods and Crime
CRIM 461
Issues in Crime and Justice
CRIM 464
Rural Criminology
CRIM 478
Violence Against Women
SOC 331
Sociology of Law
SOC 470
Cities and Urban Life
SOC 494
Seminar
Sociology or Anthropology Elective Courses3
Select one of the following:
ANTH 252
Biological Anthropology
ANTH 254
Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 258
Introduction to Archaeology
ANTH 350
Latin American Culture
ANTH 352
Historical Archaeology
ANTH 354
Mesoamerican Archaeology
ANTH 355
Cultural Resource Management
ANTH 357
Archaeological Field School
ANTH 358
Anthropology of Health and Illness
ANTH 450
Archaeology of Ancient States
ANTH 451
Material Culture
ANTH 457
Social Movements
ANTH 458
Environmental Anthropology
CRIM 302
Deviant Behavior
CRIM 318
Hate Crime
SOC 207
Social Problems in Contemporary America
SOC 221
Families and Society
SOC 225
Inequality and the Media
SOC 226
Sexuality and Society
SOC 235
Race and Ethnic Relations
SOC 304
Complex Organizations
SOC 312
Death and Dying
SOC 320
Social Psychology
SOC 323
Sociology of Rural Life
SOC 331
Sociology of Law
SOC 333
Sociology of Work and Work Places
SOC 337
Sociology of American Business
SOC 360
Sociology of Gender
SOC 405
Class, Status, and Power
SOC 463
Economy and Society
Capstone Experience3
SOC 488
The Capstone Experience
Total Hours40

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
SOC 1911ENGL 101 (GEF 1)3
ECAS Fine Arts Requirement (GEF 6)3GEF 23
SOC 101 (GEF 4)3GEF 53
General Elective3ANTH 105 (ECAS Global Studies and Diversity Requirement; GEF 7)3
General Elective3General Elective3
General Elective1General Elective 1
 14 16
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
GEF 23ENGL 102 (GEF 1)3
GEF 8*3GEF 8*3
CRIM 2323CRIM 2343
STAT 211 (GEF 3)3General Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
GEF 8*3SOC 3113
SOC 3013Upper-level Criminology Course3
Upper-level Criminology Course3Sociology or Anthropology Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Upper-level Criminology Course3SOC 488 (Capstone)3
Upper-level Criminology Course3General Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
 15 15
Total credit hours: 120
*

 Students who complete a minor, a double major or a dual degree already fulfill F 8.

Degree Progress

Students are expected to meet the benchmarks set below.

  • Complete SOC 101 and ANTH 105 with grades of C- or higher and be eligible to take MATH 124 by the end of the second semester in the program.
  • Complete CRIM 232 , CRIM 234, and STAT 211 by the end of the fourth semester in the program.
  • Complete SOC 301, SOC 311, and two additional 300-level courses by the end of of the sixth semester in the program. 
  • Maintain a GPA of 2.0 overall and a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all CRIM, SOC, and ANTH courses counting toward major requirements.
  • All majors must meet with their adviser every semester.

Students who do not meet these benchmarks may be removed from their major.

Major Learning Outcomes

Criminology

Students graduating with a BA in Criminology will have the ability to:

  1. Describe the sociological approach to crime and social control and how it is similar to and different from other approaches.
  2. Describe the history and core components of the American criminal justice system (police, corrections, and courts), and provide examples of ways that society shapes and is shaped by these institutions.
  3. Discuss how criminological theories and research contribute to our understanding of crime, victimization, and the criminal justice system and to contemporary public policy.
  4. Apply ethical principles to the conduct of criminological research and the applications of its findings.
  5. Critically analyze contemporary issues in crime and justice by retrieving and synthesizing appropriate information and evidence and identifying implications for research and practice/policy.    
  6. Demonstrate effective, clear and persuasive communication skills according to disciplinary conventions
  • Anthropology
  • Biochemistry
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  • Chemistry
  • Communication Studies
  • Criminology
  • Data Science
  • Earth and Environmental Science
  • English
  • English/​Secondary Education
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  • Forensic Chemistry
  • Forensic Examiner
  • History
  • Integrated Studies
  • International Studies
  • Mathematics
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Neuroscience
  • Philosophy
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Professional Writing and Editing
  • Psychology
  • Regents Bachelor of Arts
  • Scientific and Technical Writing
  • Social Studies/​Secondary Education
  • Social Work
  • Sociology
  • Sustainability Studies
  • Women's and Gender Studies

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