Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General Questions about Criminology (below) and a link to Program Questions

1. What does criminology study?

2. What kind of jobs can I get with a background in Criminology?

3. What kind of skills will students learn during their studies?

4. How do I apply for the Diploma once I've completed the required courses?

5. Are there any opportunities for applied work-study in criminology?

Criminology is often referred to as the study of "the making of laws, the breaking of laws, and the reaction to the breaking of laws". Law, crime patterns, and the study of offenders make up much of the discipline, and knowledge is drawn from other disciplines like history, psychology, sociology, economics, and political science.

The making of laws covers the historical and dynamic nature of law in Canada, including the way that judges apply the law on the books to the situations which come before them in court.

Examining law also leads us to consider the social forces behind the creation of criminal and regulatory statutes. There are two main views, one of which describes law as the product of social consensus or agreement about what forms of human conduct need to be regulated by the government. Alternatively, some criminologists see law as the outcome of struggle between groups in conflict. The groups with the most amount of social and economic power are likely to have their interests protected in law.

Criminology courses which focus on law include CRIM 135 (Canadian Law and Legal Institutions), CRIM 230 (Introduction to Criminal Law). Students who wish to transfer to the School of Criminology at SFU must also take POLI 151 (Law and Politics).

Descriptions for the upper level law courses can be seen on our most recent online Calendar

The breaking of law refers to crime patterns seen from police reports, victimization and self-report studies. Patterns of crime and victimization are not random, and some groups in Canada are more vulnerable to criminal victimization than others. Crime patterns also vary by country, so criminologists are interested in why some countries have fewer (or greater) problems with crime than does Canada.

Much of criminology has focused on offenders, and considerable scientific effort has been to discern differences between "normal" people and those become long-term, chronic offenders. Many theories have been proposed to explain criminal behavior and the things associated with it. Most theories lean towards either explanations which focus on the structure of society, or ones which emphasize the processes by which people come to engage in crime and antisocial behaviour.

Criminology courses which focus on crime patterns and explanations for crime include CRIM 101 (Introduction to Criminology), CRIM 204 (Sociological Explanations for Criminal and Deviant Behavior), and CRIM 103 (Individual Explanations for Criminal and Deviant Behavior), CRIM 210 (Law, Youth and Young Offenders) and CRIM 213 (The Female Offender).

The reaction to the breaking of laws covers our criminal justice system (police, courts and corrections). The criminal justice system and the rules which govern the action of its agents are continually changing with society.

Criminology courses which address society's reactions to crime include CRIM 131 (Introduction to the Criminal Justice System), CRIM 200 (Aboriginal Issues in the Criminal Justice System), CRIM 251 (Introduction to Policing), and CRIM 241 (Introduction to Corrections).

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2. What kind of jobs can I get with a background in Criminology?

There are a range of occupations in the criminal justice system, with Crown corporations and in the private sector which have attracted criminology majors. Please see our Careers Page

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What is education? Learning is a human and social practice, an enrichment of soul and mind, the entitlement of all citizens in a democracy. (Gary Locke cited in “The Bloom Is Off the Rose” DIGITAL DIPLOMA MILLS, PART III by David F. Noble, November, 1998).

• being open-minded to new thinking on familiar issues

• understanding and appreciating the values and workings of the Canadian criminal justice system

• understanding and applying theory to real world situations, events and processes

• analytical and critical thinking about controversial issues

• organizing and interpreting social, economic, and political data

• reading comprehensively and writing effectively

• reasoning and presenting arguments

• respecting and appreciating cultural and ethnic diversity

• sensitivity to gender issues

• separating facts from values

• ability to persuade and influence others

Skills

• reading and summarizing research studies in writing so that they can be understood by non-technical audiences

• ability to work well under pressure

• library research skills

• computer skills such as word-processing, data analysis using software (SPSS and spreadsheets) for quantitative data

• time management and project completion

• preparing legal case briefs or summaries

• legal reasoning

• working cooperatively with others to complete a task

5. How do I apply for the Diploma once I've completed the required courses?

Please ee the Criminology Student page for instructions.

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Diploma students have participated in work-study projects with the local parole office in Nanaimo, the John Howard Society, and the RCMP. Students have written papers or conducted research for course partial credit.

Any community positions which come available will be posted on the bulletin board outside 356, Office 308.

Upper-level students in the BA program spend at least two days a week in a field placement with a local agency during their final semester (CRIM 475 - Applied Research/Field Placement).

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