Criminology and Law

The Department of Sociology and Criminology and Law offers the largest interdisciplinary degree program at UF through its Criminology and Law division. Students seeking a degree in criminology and law will study the complexities of relationships among the legal, social, political, historical and psychological influences affecting legal processes.

Overview

After obtaining a BA in criminology and law, students often seek careers as professionals working within the criminal or juvenile justice systems (i.e., courts, law enforcement, corrections). Many students also attend law school, while others attend graduate school where they may conduct research on criminological issues.

Coursework for the Major

Courses focus on explanations for the development of law within society, why people break laws and how society reacts to law-breaking.

Interdisciplinary breadth in the study of criminology and law is essential for those majoring in criminology. Majors may enroll in relevant courses offered outside the division.

In the first four terms, students enroll in criminology-related foundation courses, which include:

• Nine hours of coursework from introductory criminal justice/criminology courses (CCJ, CJL or CJE prefixes) or from the following list of courses or their equivalents: AMH 2010, AMH 2020, ANT 2000, ANT 2410, CCJ 3024, CJL 2000, CJL 3038, ECO 2013, ECO 2023, PHI 2010, PHI 2630, POS 2041, POS 2112, PSY 2012, SYG 2000, SYG 2010
• Three hours of a required introductory statistics course (STA 2023)

A total of 34 hours are required for the major. Credits will count only if a grade of C or higher has been earned in the course (the only exception is CCJ 4940 in which students must earn an S). At least 22 of the 34 required credit hours must be taken in courses offered by the division, with prefixes of CCJ, CJC, CJE, CJJ or CJL. Students who wish to take interdisciplinary courses AND transfer credits from another institution need to be careful about this residency requirement. Students may apply no more than six credits of lower-division coursework (1000/2000 level) to the 34 credit hours for the major, including CJL 2000.

Required Coursework

Required Courses for ALL Criminology Majors (13 credits):

• CCJ 3024 Advanced Principles of Criminal Justice (3 credits)
• CCJ 3701 Research Methods in Criminology (4 credits)
• CCJ 4014 Criminological Theory (3 credits)
• CJL 3038 Law and Society (3 credits)

Law-driven Course Requirement (majors must take at least one):

• CJL 2000 Law and Legal Process (3 credits) taken during or after Fall 2009
• CJL 4050 Juvenile Law (3 credits)
• CJL 4110 Criminal Law (3 credits)
• CJL 4410 Criminal Procedure (3 credits)

Major Electives, 18 credits minimum:
Majors may choose from any course offered in the division not used to meet the requirements above. As an alternative, students MAY (but do not have to) take up to nine of the 34 credits required of all majors from approved interdisciplinary courses. These courses may be counted toward criminology and law even if a student is also pursuing a major or minor in the department that offers the course.

In addition, students may apply only three credits of CCJ 4940 (internship/practicum) to the 34 credits for the major or the minimum 120 credit hours for graduation. That same rule applies to CCJ 4905 (Individual Work). Students who meet upper-division honors criteria may take up to six credits in CCJ 4970 (honors thesis research) or enroll in up to two graduate seminars with the permission of the instructor.

Statistics Course Requirement: Criminology majors must complete a required introductory statistics course (STA 2023).

There are restrictions on which lower-division courses will transfer into the major. No more than 12 hours may transfer into the major from another college/university (refer to the major’s transfer policy for limitations).

Critical Tracking

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements. For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements — Structure of a CLAS Degree.

Equivalent critical tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

• Complete 1 criminology-related foundation course
• 2.3 UF GPA required

Semester 2

• Complete 1 additional criminology-related foundation course
• 2.5 UF GPA required

Semester 3

• Complete 1 additional criminology-related foundation course with 2.65 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework
• 2.65 UF GPA required

Semester 4

• Complete STA 2023 with a 2.75 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework
• 2.8 UF GPA required

Semester 5

• Complete CCJ 3024 (if not previously taken) and maintain 2.75 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework
• 2.80 UF GPA required

Recommended Semester Plan

Students are expected to complete the writing and math requirement while in the process of taking the courses below. Students are also expected to complete the general education international (GE-N) and diversity (GE-D) requirements concurrently with another general education requirement (typically, GE-C, H or S).

Criminology and Law Electives: Students can select any CCJ, CJE, CJL, CJJ elective or any approved elective with a non-CCJ prefix. Refer to a department adviser or the website.