Criminology Programs
We offer a Certificate, Minor, and Major in Criminology. Students who have a strong interest in this subject and research area can consider completing a criminology degree with Honours.
More information about each of these programs can be found by visiting the respective university calendar pages.
Interested students can apply for admission to Memorial University, choosing the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences with a Bachelor of Arts as their intended program. Students can then declare a Major in Criminology, or any undergraduate criminology program, by contacting the Office of the Registrar after admission or after exploring options and completing initial courses in this subject area.
Criminology Program Overview
Please refer to the below table for summary information about the Criminology programs offered at Memorial University.
This outlines the total credit hours required, sample courses, and whether there is an online option to complete the Major, Minor, and Certificate in Criminology at Memorial. The information provided is based on the 2026-27 University Calendar regulations and program requirements (with links still attached to the 2025-26 programs).
|
Program |
Overall Credit Hours |
Sample Courses |
Online Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major |
39 credit hours in Criminology, Sociology, and other designated courses |
Introduction to the Justice and Legal Systems Intersectionality and Social Control Crime Victims and the Justice System Violence Advanced Issues in Deviance and Social Control
*Also including all courses listed in the minor and certificate |
No However, some courses can be completed online. |
| Major w. Honours |
At least 60 credit hours in Criminology and/or Sociology courses* *See more under HSS BA honours. |
Honours Essay |
No Some courses can be completed online. |
| Minor | 24 credit hours in Criminology, Sociology, and other designated courses |
Social Inequalities 91Ô´´lessness and Social Control Youth, Social Control, and the Law Sociology of Policing
*Also including all courses listed in the major and certificate |
No Some courses can be completed online. |
| Certificate |
21 credit hours in Criminology, Sociology, and other designated courses |
Introduction to Criminology Forensic Psychology Criminal Justice Deviance and Social Control |
Yes |
Upcoming Regulations and Requirements
General information about the Department of Sociology and Criminology and Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements can be found in the 2026-27 University Academic Calendar. This also includes details on upcoming criminology program requirements and courses: Major, Major with Honours, Minor, and Certificate. Courses in Criminology.
Students may follow current or previous academic calendar regulations from the year they began their studies at Memorial. All university calendars from the past 10 years can be found online.
Specific questions about the criminology program regulations and requirements can be emailed to the Undergraduate Program Director of Criminology, Dr. Adrienne Peters (PhD).
Students seeking advice and/or direction on program planning and/or course selection should reach out to an Academic Advisor in HSS.
You can also find more information about planning your Major in Criminology in the HSS and upcoming undergraduate courses online in the student self-service system.
Why Study Criminology?
Criminology emerged from multiple intellectual traditions and has been closely tied to, and significantly shaped by, sociology. Today it is recognized as an interdisciplinary field that also incorporates law, political science, history, psychology, biology, economics, and many diverse areas of inquiry. Criminology is interested in the scientific study of crime (i.e., the breaking of laws), how society reacts to behaviours recognized as deviant (in violation of common social norms) and/or illegal (in violation of a prescribed or codified set of laws), and processes of social control – both formal (law, policing, courts, corrections) and informal (family, community, and schools) – through which societies seek to prevent, manage, and respond to behaviour and acts.
Studying criminology prepares students to understand, explore, and assess issues surrounding crime and the administration of justice, through the exploration of how these concepts are defined and how legal systems in Canada and around the world have developed and operate. This discipline can serve as a tool for social justice, examining the root causes of crime, challenging inequities within the justice/legal system, and promoting evidence-based policies and practices. Rather than simply studying law-breaking, our criminology program addresses themes of structural and social inequalities and inequities – such as those linked to poverty and racism – that contribute to crime, as well as to criminalization and incarceration.
A major, minor, and certificate in criminology provide the necessary foundations for careers in several exciting and highly sought-after fields, from community-based social/legal services, supports, and programming to government, public policy, and policy analysis, to court services and victims'/survivors' rights and advocacy, to public safety, law enforcement, as well as fraud/insurance/bank investigations. It can also be a stepping stone to further studies in social work, law, health, cybersecurity, forensics, and countless other professional fields.
Major in Criminology
- A Major in Criminology consists of all of the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts program, including a minimum of 39 credit hours in courses as follows, which must include a minimum of 27 credit hours in Criminology courses:
- 21 credit hours in:
- Criminology 1001 or Sociology 1001 (or the former Sociology 2300 or Police Studies 2300);
- Criminology 2400 (or the former Police Studies 1000 or the former Police Studies 2000);
- Criminology 2200 (or the former Police Studies 2200);
- Criminology 3000 (or the former Police Studies 3000);
- Criminology 3100 (or the former Police Studies 3100) or Law and Public Policy 3315 (or the former Law and Society 3015);
- Criminology 3290 or Sociology 3290;
- Criminology 3395 (or the former Police Studies 3395) or Sociology 3395
- 6 credit hours in two of Criminology 4000 (or the former Police Studies 4000), Criminology 4001 (or the former Police Studies 4001), Criminology 4080 or Sociology 4080, Criminology 4099 (or the former Police Studies 4099) or Sociology 4099, Criminology 4212 (or the former Police Studies 4212) or Sociology 4212;
- 6 credit hours in Anthropology 2414, Law and Public Policy 2600, Law and Public Policy 3830 (or the former Law and Society 3830), Sociology 2100, Sociology 2208 or Criminology 2208, Sociology 2290, Sociology 3180, Sociology 4205, or an additional 3 credit hours in Criminology at any level (excluding credit hours used to fulfill other requirements listed here);
- 3 credit hours in one of Political Science 3010, Statistics 2500, Sociology 3040, or Sociology 3041; and
- 3 credit hours in one of Criminology 3306 (or the former Police Studies 3306) or Sociology 3306; or Criminology 3500 (or the former Police Studies 3500).
- 21 credit hours in:
- A student is expected to enroll in the Criminology section of any applicable crosslisted courses.
- As per the Degree Regulations, Major Program of Study, students completing a Major in Criminology are ineligible for an interdisciplinary Minor in any program. Credit hours in a course cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of two Major programs, of both a Major and a Minor program, or the program requirements of all three of a Major, diploma and certificate.
- Students cannot complete both a major and minor in criminology, a major and certificate in criminology, and/or a minor and certificate in criminology.
Students may wish to follow the pattern for the Major in Criminology listed under Suggested Courses for a Major in Criminology (CRIM).
Not all courses are offered every semester. Students are strongly advised to consult with an academic advisor or the undergraduate program director for assistance with course planning.
Students who are interested in or who are currently pursuing a Major in Criminology may be interested in gaining additional research and writing experience and/or in pursuing graduate studies (e.g., MA, PhD), law school, or other continued professional studies/endeavours that may require or benefit from having an Honours in Criminology.
Admission to the Honours program is competitive and limited, based on meeting minimum course and GPA requirements, as well as current resources and supervisor availability.
Prospective honours students are strongly advised to review the requirements and expectations for this program in the academic calendar and to identify and meet with a prospective honours program supervisor (faculty member) at the earliest possible date. The honours supervisor will be responsible for advising you/students during the honours research and course work. This decision should be based on the professor's/faculty member's area/subject(s) of specialization matching the student's intended research focus for their honours degree.
Students may also wish to consult with the Head of the Department or the Undergraduate Program Director of Criminology to ensure it is possible to complete the requirements for the degree, even should the program be delayed beyond the end of the second year.
Students who wish to enter this program must submit an "Application for Admission to Honours Program" form to the Department of Sociology once they have identified, met with, and cofirmed an honours supervisor. The honours program requires the completion of a set number of courses, credit hours, minimum GPA, and a confirmed research focus and supervisor, as outlined in the current academic calendar.
The honours program requires the completion of CRIM 4995, the Honours Essay. This essay will count as 3 credit hours in the subject of specialization, i.e., criminology. Students who have completed and been awarded a General Degree of Bachelor of Arts may convert it to an Honours Degree of Bachelor of Arts by applying to the department of specialization and the Registrar and, upon approval of such application by the Department, completing the requirements for the Honours degree.
See more in the university calendar under the section 6.4 Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and International Bachelor of Arts (iBA) (Honours) Degree Regulations.
Minor in Criminology
For a Minor in Criminology, students must complete at least 27 credit hours in Criminology and other designated courses from relevant disciplines as follows:
- Sociology 1000 (or the former Sociology 2000); Criminology 1001 or Sociology 1001 (or the former Sociology 2300 or the former Police Studies 2300); Criminology 3290 or Sociology 3290; and Criminology 3395 or Sociology 3395 (or the former Police Studies 3395).
- Any one of Sociology 3040; Sociology 3041, Political Science 3010, or Statistics 2500.
- At least 6 credit hours at the 2000-level chosen from the following courses: Criminology 2200, Criminology 2400, Criminology 2208 or Sociology 2208, Psychology 2621, Archaeology 2492, Sociology 2100; Sociology 2290; or other courses approved by the Criminology Undergraduate Program Director as listed in Elective Courses for the Minor in Criminology.
- At least 3 credit hours at the 3000-level chosen from the following courses: Criminology 3000 or the former Police Studies 3000, Criminology 3100 or the former Police Studies 3100, Criminology 3500 or the former Police Studies 3500, Psychology 3120, Psychology 3822, or Political Science 3620 or Law and Public Policy 3620 (or the former Political Science 3521), or other courses approved by the Criminology Undergraduate Program Director as listed in Elective Courses for the Minor in Criminology.
- At least 3 credit hours at the 4000 level chosen from the following courses: Criminology 4000, Criminology 4001, Criminology 4099 or Sociology 4099, Criminology 4212 or Sociology 4212, Sociology 4210, or other courses approved by the Criminology Undergraduate Program Director as listed in Elective Courses for the Minor in Criminology.
Credit hours in a course cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of both a Major and a Minor program, or the program requirements of all three of a Major or Minor, diploma, and Certificate.
Not all courses are offered every semester. Students are strongly advised to consult with an academic advisor or the undergraduate program director for assistance with course planning.
Certificate in Criminology
The Certificate in Criminology consists of 21 credit hours as prescribed below. Six credit hours must be at the 3000-level or higher.
- 12 credit hours in Sociology 1000, Criminology 1001 or Sociology 1001 (or the former Police Studies 2300 or the former Sociology 2300), Criminology 3290 or Sociology 3290; and Criminology 3395 (or the former Police Studies 3395) or Sociology 3395; and
- 9 additional credit hours chosen from Elective Courses for the Certificate in Criminology, of which 6 credit hours must be from Criminology, Law and Public Policy (or Law and Society), Political Science, or Psychology.
Not all courses are offered every semester. Students are strongly advised to consult with an academic advisor or the undergraduate program director for assistance with course planning.
Students are advised to generally follow the suggested course sequencing presented in Suggested Course Sequencing for the Certificate in Criminology.
Eligible 4000-level credit hours may be substituted following the process outlined in General Regulations for Certificate Programs.
Prior to the Fall 2021 semester, all current Criminology (CRIM) courses offered through the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences were designated Police Studies (PLST).
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Memorial University has opportunities for current MUNL students to apply for scholarships, bursaries, and awards. Requested documentation is expected to be provided with your application. Please review each scholarship/award description carefully.
The applications for each academic year are typically in the fall and due sometime in November.
