The Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology provides students with the skills and knowledge needed in the wide variety of agencies that comprise the criminal justice system, these include law enforcement, detention, the judiciary, corrections, juvenile justice, probation and parole. Also, the undergraduate program prepares criminology students to pursue a graduate degree in Criminology or related disciplines. The undergraduate program in Criminology introduces students to the theory, issues, and methodology of the causes of crime and the criminal justice system. The program provides students with the critical thinking skills necessary for the consumption and production of criminological research. Upon graduation, students must be able to delineate the main theoretical explanations of crime and delinquency, demonstrate knowledge of research methods used in the fields of criminology and criminal justice, and provide an understanding of the structure and process of the U.S. system of criminal justice.
Admission to the University is based on the University’s Undergraduate Admission Requirements that may be found by clicking on the following urls:
Students majoring in Criminology are expected to complete their major coursework in a timely fashion. Students who receive a total of three (3) D and/or F grades in Criminology major coursework will no longer be eligible to continue in the Criminology major and will be required to change their major outside of the Department of Criminology. Grade forgiveness will not exclude a D or F grade from counting for this rule.
When a Criminology student receives three (3) D and/or F grades in Criminology coursework, they will be removed from all Department of Criminology courses for which they are currently registered, removed from the Criminology major and placed into a non-major code, and emailed the notice of changes to their@ usf. edu account. The student will then need to select a new major, declare the new major with the appropriate college, and register for courses which apply to their new major.
The D/F Rule application is final and effective from the beginning of Fall 2023. To be considered for an appeal, a student must meet at least one of the following criteria:
To appeal, the student must send an email to ccjadvise@usf. edu; in the Subject line indicate D/F Appeal and in the body include name, student’s U# and a complete explanation of the reason for the appeal. Appeals will be adjudicated by the Undergraduate Coordinator and students notified of results by email.
Satisfactory completion of the following requirements:
Following Florida BOG Regulation 8.010, state mandated common course prerequisites are lower-division courses that are required for progression into the upper division of a particular baccalaureate degree program.
Transfer students should complete the State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at a Florida College System institution, they must be completed before the degree is granted. Successful completion of the common prerequisites alone does not guarantee a student admission into the degree program.
There are no State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites for this major.
The Criminology B.A. uses the Mathematical Thinking in Context Mathematics Pathway with the following requirements:
Students complete the general criminology program of study or the following concentration:
If students do not declare a concentration, they will follow the General Criminology program of study and take a minimum of 24 credit hours to meet the major electives requirement.
Choose 8 courses (24 credit hours) of electives from the following list of courses.
Note: CCJ 4940 may be taken S/U.
In addition to the foreign language entrance requirement, all students applying for a Bachelor of Arts degree from USF must demonstrate competency in a foreign language. To demonstrate this competency, students may take either two semesters of a beginning college-level foreign language or one semester of a higher-level course and earn a letter grade of “C” (no “S” grades) or above in the appropriate level course or demonstrate equivalent competency by passing an examination. Students may fulfill this requirement by demonstrating fluency in a language other than English and proficiency in English, as demonstrated in successful coursework or examination in English.
An overall 2.0 GPA average on all college-level coursework.
In order to graduate, students must maintain an average best attempt 2.0 GPA in all courses counted toward the major.
A minimum of 30 credit hours of major course work must be taken in residence at the University of South Florida. Therefore, no more than 6 credit hours of transfer work (two courses) will be accepted to meet major requirements.
The department provides all students with the opportunity to engage in an internship with a federal, state or local criminal justice related agency within one of the surrounding counties. Internships available with more than 100 agencies afford students the opportunity to network and gain practical experience in conjunction with their degree. Internships maybe taken for up to nine (9) credit hours of Criminology electives, and grades are awarded on a S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory) basis. To meet eligibility requirements for the internship, students must successfully complete CCJ 3024 , CCJ 3117 , six (6) hours of Criminology electives, and have a USF and a major GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Undergraduate students in any degree program are able to participate in undergraduate research. Several options exist to show mentored undergraduate research activity on a student’s official transcript. Those who wish to enroll in an undergraduate research course should consult with their academic advisor to understand how the credit will apply towards the degree requirements. If no credit is needed, students may be eligible to enroll in the 0-credit IDS 4914 course will not impact degree credits or GPA but will show on an official transcript and document the experience. The Office of High Impact Practices and Undergraduate Research (HIPUR) is able to assist with further inquiries.
Contact the undergraduate advisor at crimadvise@usf.edu.