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 - Jason Manning - Ph.D. (University of Virginia) Sociology
Conflict and social control, Violence, Sociology of knowledge - 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 - 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
- Daniel Brewster - M.A. (West Virginia University) Communication Studies
Culture, Community - Brandie S. Pugh - Ph.D. (University of Delaware) Sociology
Inequality, Corporate crime, Interpersonal violence, Philosophy of science - Genesis Snyder - M.A. (Western Michigan University) Anthropology
Historical archaeology
Teaching instructors
- Douglas Sahady - M.A. (California University of Pennsylvania) Social Science
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 2026-2027
- First Time Freshmen are admitted directly to the major. Students must have a placement into a Math course to receive a complete schedule for their first semester.
- Students transferring from another WVU major or from another institution with fewer than 24 credits and at least a 2.0 overall GPA are admitted directly to the major.
- Students transferring from another WVU major or from another institution with 24 credits or more and at least a 2.0 overall GPA must meet the following requirement prior to being admitted to the major: completion of SOC 101 with a C- or higher and eligibility to take MATH 124.
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.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
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, Eberly Edge Program requirements, major requirements, and electives to total a minimum of 120 hours.
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.
- 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
- 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.
- Capstone Requirement: The university requires completion of a Capstone course. Criminology majors must complete SOC 488 successfully.
- 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
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 65 | |
| Eberly Edge Requirements | 15 | |
| Criminology Major Requirements | 40 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| 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 8 | 24 | |
| First-Year Seminar | ||
| General Electives | 41 | |
| Total Hours | 65 | |
Eberly Edge Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDG 1: Data and Society | 3 | |
| EDG 2: Effective and Civil Communication | 3 | |
| EDG 3: Ethics and Civil Responsibility | 3 | |
| EDG 4: Global and Regional Perspectives (ANTH 105) | ||
| EDG 5: Practicing Arts & Sciences (ARSC 380) | 3 | |
| EDG 6: High Impact Experience | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Criminology Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation to the Major | 1 | |
| First-Year Seminar (Minimum Grade of C-) | ||
or SOC 361 | Practicing Sociology and Anthropology | |
| Common Core Requirements | 18 | |
| Introduction to Anthropology (Minimum Grade of C-) | ||
| Introduction to Sociology (Minimum Grade of C-) | ||
| Criminology | ||
| The Criminal Justice System | ||
| Sociological Theory | ||
| Social Research Methods | ||
| Statistics Requirement | 3 | |
| Elementary Statistical Inference | ||
| Upper-level Criminology Requirements | 12 | |
Select four of the following: | ||
| Deviant Behavior | ||
| Juvenile Delinquency | ||
| Hate Crime | ||
| Police Culture and Socialization | ||
| Punishment and Social Control | ||
| Gender and Crime | ||
| Corporate and White Collar Crime | ||
| Terrorism | ||
| Victimology | ||
| Mass Media, Crime and Deviance | ||
| Cybercrime | ||
| Drugs, Crime, and Society | ||
| Inside Out Prison Exchange | ||
| Criminal Justice Process | ||
| Neighborhoods and Crime | ||
| Issues in Crime and Justice | ||
| Rural Criminology | ||
| Violence Against Women | ||
| Sociology of Law | ||
| Cities and Urban Life | ||
SOC 494 | Seminar | |
| Sociology or Anthropology Elective Courses | 3 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
| Biological Anthropology | ||
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Archaeology | ||
| Latin American Culture | ||
| Historical Archaeology | ||
| Mesoamerican Archaeology | ||
| Cultural Resource Management | ||
| Archaeological Field School | ||
| Anthropology of Health and Illness | ||
| Archaeology of Ancient States | ||
| Material Culture | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| Environmental Anthropology | ||
| Deviant Behavior | ||
| Hate Crime | ||
| Social Problems in Contemporary America | ||
| Families and Society | ||
| Inequality and the Media | ||
| Sexuality and Society | ||
| Race and Ethnic Relations | ||
| Complex Organizations | ||
| Death and Dying | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Sociology of Rural Life | ||
| Sociology of Law | ||
| Sociology of Work and Work Places | ||
| Sociology of American Business | ||
| Sociology of Gender | ||
| Class, Status, and Power | ||
| Economy and Society | ||
| Capstone Experience | 3 | |
| The Capstone Experience | ||
| Total Hours | 40 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SOC 191 | 1 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| F6 | 3 | ANTH 105 (EDG 4 & F7) | 3 |
| SOC 101 (GEF 4) | 3 | EDG 2: Effective and Civil Communication | 3 |
| EDG 1: Data and Society | 3 | F2A | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | F5 | 3 |
| General Elective | 1 | General Elective | 1 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CRIM 232 | 3 | ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| STAT 211 (F3) | 3 | CRIM 234 | 3 |
| EDG 3: Ethics and Civil Responsibility | 3 | F8 Course 2* | 3 |
| F2A | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| F8 Course 1* | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ARSC 380 (EDG 5) | 3 | SOC 311 | 3 |
| SOC 301 | 3 | Upper-level Criminology Course | 3 |
| Upper-level Criminology Course | 3 | Sociology or Anthropology Elective | 3 |
| F8 Course 3* | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Upper-level Criminology Course | 3 | SOC 488 (Capstone) | 3 |
| Upper-level Criminology Course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| EDG 6: EEDG High Impact Experience | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 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:
- Describe the sociological approach to crime and social control and how it is similar to and different from other approaches.
- 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.
- Discuss how criminological theories and research contribute to our understanding of crime, victimization, and the criminal justice system and to contemporary public policy.
- Apply ethical principles to the conduct of criminological research and the applications of its findings.
- Critically analyze contemporary issues in crime and justice by retrieving and synthesizing appropriate information and evidence and identifying implications for research and practice/policy.
- Demonstrate effective, clear and persuasive communication skills according to disciplinary conventions