Criminology Course Offerings

Undergraduate     Graduate

KEY:

F = fall
S = spring
D = on demand (only offered when there is sufficient demand - visit the department and indicate your interest in the course)
FE = fall of every even numbered year (i.e., 2008, 2010, 2012, etc.)
SE = spring of every even numbered year (i.e., 2008, 2010, 2012, etc.)
FO = the fall of every odd numbered year
SO = the spring of every odd numbered year

For CRM Majors: Please remember that, in order to graduate with a major in CRM, a student must maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average in courses included in the CRM major.

Undergraduate Courses

CRM 210 An Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System (3) F,S.
Prerequisite: None. An introduction to the American criminal justice system from a sociological point of view. Included is a discussion of the nature of criminal/juvenile law, policing, juvenile and criminal courts and the field of corrections, both institutional (prisons, jails, etc.) and community-based (such as probation/parole). Career and graduate school opportunities are discussed.

CRM 215 An Introduction to Criminology and the Profession (1)  F,S
Prerequisite: CRM 210 or permission of the instructor. A course designed to acquaint students interested in Criminology about the requirements for the major and minor. Related degree programs are discussed. Students will be exposed to career opportunities, graduate school opportunities, and the job search process.

CRM 300 Service Learning in Criminology (1) D. 
Prerequisite: 30 hours, concurrent registration in a Criminology course designated as a service learning offering.  An integrative learning experience which addresses the practice of citizenship and promotes an awareness of and participation in public affairs by incorporating community service with classroom instruction.  Includes 40 hours on-task service to a community organization, agency or public service provider.   The community service placement agency and service assignment will vary, dependent on the disciplinary course topic and learning objectives.  No more than 2 hours of service learning credit may count toward graduation.

CRM 301 Crime and the Media(1) D.

Prerequisite: None. A sociologically based exploration of the relationship between various forms of mass media as they impact public attitudes and social policies regarding crime and the justice system.

 

CRM 302 Reforming America's Prisons (1) D.

Prerequisite: None. This course explores the nature of confinement used by the American criminal justice system and includes a study of prisons and jails.  Both the humanitarian and rehabilitative conditions of these facilities are reviewed in a critical context with attention paid to ways in which existing problems may be corrected.  Prison reform is studied from a system wide perspective recognizing the role of legislatures, courts, and the public in bringing about effective reform.

 

CRM 303 Capital Punishment (1) D.

Prerequisite: None. Students explore the history of the death penalty as well as its current use in the United States.  Methods of execution and their impact upon executioners, death penalty jurors, and the families of both the executed and their victim's family members are analyzed.

CRM 304 Sex Crimes (1), D
Prerequisites: None. This course highlights sex offenses, sex offenders, victims of sex offenses and a variety of responses to sexual offending patterns. Definitions of different sex crimes will be discussed, along with an examination of the violence involved and policies geared towards these types of offenses.

CRM 320 The Causes of Crime and Delinquency (3) F,S.
Prerequisite: CRM 210 or SOC 150 or permission of instructor. Do people choose to become criminal, is there something in their biological, psychological, or social makeup which forces them to behave this way, or does the criminal justice system enforce laws against some groups and downplay violations by others? Studying possible solutions to the crime problem is an important part of this course.

CRM 330 Delinquency and the Juvenile Justice System (3) D.
Prerequisite: CRM 210. This course introduces students to the topic of juvenile delinquency.  It reviews the history, extent, and significance of delinquency and traces the emergence and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system as a societal response to juvenile offenders.

CRM 335 Criminal Typologies (3), D
Prerequisites: CRM 210 and CRM 320, or permission of the instructor. This course is designed to examine the nature and extent of criminal behavior. Students will explore patterns of offender behavior including crimes against the person, interpersonal violence, property crimes, white collar crime, public order crimes and political crimes.

CRM 340 Research Methods in Criminology and Criminal Justice (3) F,S
Prerequisites: none. An overview of research design and data interpretation as applied to research on crime and justice. Topics include hypothesis formation, sampling techniques, survey construction, field observation, and evaluation research. cannot receive credit for both SOC 301 and CRM 340.

CRM 350 The Police in American Society (3) F,S.
Prerequisite: CRM 210. A sociological examination of the various levels of law enforcement (federal, state, county, city) in American society including the role it plays in society at large and the criminal justice system. Topics discussed include methods and styles of enforcement, the police bureaucracy, and current issues.

CRM 360 Criminal Law and the Courts (3) F,S.
Prerequisite: CRM 210 or permission of the instructor. The course examines the nature and development of criminal law along with the principles, processes, and structures found in the adult criminal courts. Studies of courtroom personnel as well as contemporary criminological issues involving the courts are also examined.

CRM 370 Institutional and Community-Based Corrections (3) F,S.
Prerequisite: CRM 210. This course critically examines various social control responses to delinquent and criminal behavior. Examining and evaluating the history, philosophies, and practices of American corrections as well as speculating on better manners for dealing with offenders are important parts of this course.

CRM 396 Directed Readings in Criminology (1-3) D. 
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Readings designed to introduce students to new material or to supplement material introduced in previous departmental courses.

CRM 397 Special Topics in Criminology (1-3) D.
Prerequisite: None. A variable topic course offering an in-depth analysis of topics related to crime and society. This course typically is offered during University Intersessions. Topics include Capital Punishment, Prison Reform, Crime and the Media, and criminal justice internet resources.

CRM 410 Crime, Justice, and Gender (3) F. 
Prerequisite: CRM 210 or permission of instructor. A sociological examination of the impact of gender on crime and justice issues. The course format relates the impact of gender to the differential treatment of women and men as offenders, victims, and professionals in the system.

CRM 415 Crime, Class, Race and Justice (3) S. 
Prerequisite: CAS 210 or permission of instructor. A sociological examination of race and class issues in crime, victimization, the origins of law, and the operation of the American criminal justice system. Implications for social policy are explored.

CRM 420 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (3) D. 
Prerequisite CRM 210 or permission of instructor. A comparative and historical study of the origins of law, crime rates, and the structure and operation of the criminal justice system in the United States as compared to other Western and Eastern nations. Included is the study of criminal and juvenile law, police, courts and the corrections system.

CRM  430 Victimless Crime (3) F.
Prerequisite: CRM 210 or permission of the instructor.  A sociological examination of attempts to legally control private behavior covering both historical and contemporary examples such as drug use, homosexuality, and abortion.

CRM 440 Foundations of Homeland Defense and Security (3), D
Prerequisites: None. This course provides an overview of homeland security and defense undertaken in the United States since September 11, 2001. The course provides students with the generally accepted knowledge required of homeland security professionals.

CRM 480 The Gang Phenomenon (3) S. 
Prerequisite: CRM 210 and CAS 320 or permission of the instructor.  An Analysis of juvenile gangs, including their history, explanations for their existence, surveys and critiques of literature on gang behavior, and reviews of responses to gangs by communities, cities, states, and nations. 

CRM 485 Drugs in Society (3) D.
Prerequisite: CRM 210 and CRM 320, or permission of instructor. An important social problem facing our society today is that of drug use/abuse. This problem cuts across all cultures, as well as across social class, sex, and racial groups. It affects the economy of the country as well as the image we, as a nation, project to other peoples. It is a political issue of not just national, but also international proportions. In order to understand this problem better, this course attempts to place "drugs" in a sociological perspective and through using the sociological imagination.

CRM 490 Internship in Criminology (3) F, S.
Prerequisites: Criminology major, completion of 24 hours in the major program, 2.0 GPA in major courses, and permission of the instructor. Faculty supervised experience in an agency related to issues of crime and justice. Students are expected to work 50 hours in the agency for each credit hour. Students must complete applications for CRM 490 no later than April 15 for subsequent summer (when offered) and fall enrollment, and November 1 for subsequent Spring enrollment.

CRM 497 Special Issues in Criminology (3) D.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. An in-depth analysis of a special issues or issues related to crime and society.

CRM 498 Senior Seminar in Criminology(3) F, S.
Prerequisites: Criminology major, senior standing, and completion of 30 hours in the major program. Examination of contemporary issues involving crime and justice in society. The seminar integrates coursework taken for the Criminology major. Preparation for both academic and non-academic careers in criminology-related fields is covered.

CRM 502 - Analyzing Crime Data (3), SO
Prerequisites: CRM 320 and SOC 301, or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Explores the meanings and uses of historical and contemporary crime data. Special attention to extraction, preparation and analysis on the World Wide Web.

CRM 520 - Crime Theory and Policy (3) FE
Prerequisites: CRM 320 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor. The course surveys various classical and contemporary theories of law-breaking from a community-level sociological perspective. The relationship of criminological theory to justice system policy is emphasized.

CRM 597 - Special Topics and Issues in Criminal Justice (1-3), D
Prerequisites: permission of the instructor. A variable topic course examining issues of crime, its causes, as well as social and political responses to crime by various institutions including government, media, law enforcement, the courts, and corrections. May be repeated for up to 6 credit hours when the topic changes.

Graduate Courses:

Click here for a list of the graduate courses we offer.

You can visit our online Masters of Science in Administrative Studies (with a Criminal Justice Option) and our in-class Masters of Science in Criminology degree programs.

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