Major in Criminology

1. 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:
   1. 21 credit hours in:
      1. Criminology 1001 or Sociology 1001 (or the former Sociology 2300 or Police Studies 2300);
      2. Criminology 2400 (or the former Police Studies 1000 or the former Police Studies 2000);
      3. Criminology 2200 (or the former Police Studies 2200);
      4. Criminology 3000 (or the former Police Studies 3000);
      5. Criminology 3100 (or the former Police Studies 3100) or Law and Public Policy 3315 (or the former Law and Society 3015);
      6. Criminology 3290 or Sociology 3290;
      7. Criminology 3395 (or the former Police Studies 3395) or Sociology 3395
   2. 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; 
   3. 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);
   4. 3 credit hours in one of Political Science 3010, Statistics 2500, Sociology 3040, or Sociology 3041; and 
   5. 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).
2. A student is expected to enroll in the Criminology section of any applicable crosslisted courses.
3. 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.
4. 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:

1. 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). 
2. Any one of Sociology 3040; Sociology 3041, Political Science 3010, or Statistics 2500.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

1. 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
2. 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 answer to this question can be based on many factors, for example, your current educational and longer-term academic interests and goals, your employment/career interests and goals, as well as any other areas of study or other disciplines you may already be studying or wish to study in combination with criminology. You may also determine this based on your current employment and/or other personal contexts and considerations.

It may be helpful to keep in mind the length and time commitments of each program as well. The major typically takes students four to five or more years, the minor is taken alongside other four-year majors and/or programs in other disciplines, and the certificate typically requires one to two years to complete. This all depends on many individual and institutional factors as well, such as other university and/or external commitments, and course offerings and availability.

All our programs in criminology promote the academic study of crime, offending, and victimization, as well as different facets of criminal justice organizations and practices, including the legal, political, and social and legal contexts in which they operate.

Major in Criminology

The major program in criminology would be beneficial for students with a scholarly interest in exploring and understanding deviant and illegal (criminal) behaviour, social justice and legal issues, policing, corrections, law enforcement, rehabilitation, and criminal justice themes more broadly. Students who are interested in pursuing further professional, including legal, or graduate studies are encouraged to complete the major program.

The major with honours is intended for students who have an interest in examining and criminological topic in greater depth and who wish to gain further, independent research experience. It is important to recognize that admission to the Honours program in Criminology is competitive and selective, and requires additional courses/credit hours beyond those required for the major alone/without honours. 

Students who are interested in pursuing further professional or graduate studies are strongly encouraged to complete the major in criminology with honours, recognizing that several graduate programs in Canada require an honours and/or other equivalent forms of experience (often professional/working), and this can strengthen students' applications in increasingly competitive programs and fields.

Minor in Criminology

The minor in criminology offers a briefer look at these topics and provides a snapshot of the major. It also provides a secondary area of academic specialization that can complement students' main discipline/major to gain additional knowledge and credentials. HSS students completing a major are currently required to declare a "minor" area of study, completing at least eight courses (24 CH) in this area of study.

Certificate in Criminology

The certificate offers a narrower introduction or snapshot of criminological knowledge, providing a flexible option for students seeking to develop specialized knowledge and competencies. The certificate in criminology can be a starting point leading to other areas/programs of study, including serving as an adjunct to a major. Students who decide they wish to continue their studies in criminology can also switch from the certificate to the major or minor, or return to complete a major in criminology if the degree is later desired. While the certificate is not designed to satisfy specific employment credentials, it is still sufficiently specialized.

Students can complete courses in and enter any of the criminology programs at Memorial by first applying to the university. More information on applying to Memorial can be found here and/or by contacting the Office of the Registrar. Admissions: admissions@mun.ca or 709-864-4431.

Undergraduate and certificate programs require a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.

Once accepted to the university, current students can register for criminology courses, as they are offered and spaces are available. 

You can declare any one of the criminology programs (e.g., BA degree/major, minor, or certificate) by stating this on your application to Memorial University, or by declaring your desired program(s) of study, including one of the criminology programs, with the Office of the Registrar, emailing registrar@mun.ca from your @mun.ca account. Remember to include your student number and chosen program in your email.

Students can change programs once they have declared them, e.g., switching from the certificate to major, and should consult with an HSS academic advisor or the undergraduate program director, as helpful.

Once you have considered and explored your options, you can declare a major, minor, or certificate in criminology. Note that students cannot declare two or more criminology programs at once or to be completed simultaneously. Completing a major and certificate in criminology, for example, would be redundant. 

The quickest way to declare your selected criminology program is to submit your request to of Office of the Registrar via email: registrar@mun.ca from your @mun.ca account. Please be sure to include your student number and the chosen major, including also any second majors and/or minors, and/or certificates. Alternatively, students can also complete the HSS majors/minors program of study form and submit this directly, in person to the Registrar’s Office (A-2003).

Submit your request for the certificate by emailing the Registrar's Office: registrar@mun.ca from your @mun.ca account with your student number and chosen program, or by submitting the HSS certificate program of study form directly to the Registrar’s Office (A-2003).

Courses in our criminology programs are currently delivered in one of two ways: in person (i.e., on campus), or online. 

Students can identify in-person course delivery by the section numbers, which include e.g., 001, 002, 003 and 056. You must therefore attend these at the scheduled times, meeting together as a class on campus, with the course instructor.

Online courses are noted as such and also denoted by section numbers 081, 082, and 083. These classes do not have designated class times and do not require you to be available at a particular time for classes. There may be set or optional real-time meeting options or office hours, which the instructor will share online at the start of the course.

You should identify and register for courses that meet your the degree/program requirements, as outlined in the respective Memorial University Academic Calendar you are following, based on your declared or intended program(s) of study, i.e., major, minor, and/or certificate in criminology (along with any other major or programs).

New / first-year students should follow the sample first year and sample first year criminology guides to identify and select which courses are needed for their programs.

All students, declared or not, should review the degree requirements outlined in the University Calendar and seek academic advice throughout their studies to ensure they are on the right track, and that they are completing the designated number of and needed courses for any major(s), minor, and/or certificate.

Students can register for courses in criminology using the online self-service system once they have followed a few steps, outlined below.

The first steps to registering for courses include confirming you have set up your university email (@mun.ca) and have your MUNL login ID.

Next, you should confirm your program(s) of study, and plan your intended schedule (selecting courses based on the program regulations and requirements you are following and the courses offered, using the appropriate degree map, and/or meeting with an HSS Academic Advisor).

Please note that you are responsible for confirming your registration eligibility and checking your registration time in the student self-service as well.

Should students not be able to register in courses required for their program by the start of their last academic year or semester, and they are graduating in the upcoming academic year, they should meet with an academic advisor in HSS, as soon as possible, to identify other possible courses they can compete to fulfill their program requirements. There may be other course options available to fulfill these requirements for students intending to graduate in the current academic year.

Yes. While students are typically only permitted and recommended to register for five courses per semester, you can submit a request to the HSS Dean's Office (to the Associate Dean of Curriculum & Programs) to enrol in additional courses. See more here.

Many criminology courses at Memorial, especially upper-level courses (e.g., 3000- and 4000- level), have prerequisites or corequisites. These are course(s) that require successful completion before or at the same time as a specified course. This is to ensure students have the requisite knowledge and/or skillsets to complete the required or intended courses. 

If you attempt to register for a course and are unable to complete your registration, it may be due to not meeting these pre/corequisites. If this is the case, you will receive an error message indicating the likely reason for this registration issue.

It is important to read the error messages and explanations carefully, as you may be able to take further action (see the pull-down list next to the explanation).

If you receive the message "Prerequisite or corequisite not met," you should check the course description in the University Calendar. Under each course, any prerequisites or corequisites will be noted with "PR" and "CO," respectively, in course descriptions, and will indicate which courses you may need to register for first or simultaneously.

See more on these and other common registration issues here.

Many criminology courses are crosslisted with sociology courses or other courses in HSS at Memorial. These classes are listed under two or more different academic units or departments or programs, for example, criminology (CRIM) and sociology (SOCI).

Students can take the course for credit from only one of the specified sections or units, and crosslisted options can substitute one another to meet program requirements. 

Students are expected to register in the course section of the designated program/degree of study, i.e., CRIM for criminology majors, minors, or certificate students, as possible. 

Note that it is your responsibility to recognize that additional credit may not be obtained for successfully completing two versions of a cross-listed course (i.e., the same course listed under two or more departments), e.g., both CRIM 1001 and SOCI 1001.

Many of our primary foundational and required criminology courses are reserved for major, minor, and certificate students at Memorial. This means priority registration in these courses will be given to students who have declared these programs of study.

Most of the course reserves also apply to both CRIM and SOCI course sections. Still, you can check all sections of a course offering to determine if you are eligible to register.

You can check for reserved seats by logging into the student self-service using your MUNL/university login and going to the Reserves column of the Browse Classes page. This column displays available reserved, unreserved or waitlisted seats. If nothing is displayed, this means there are no reserves for the selected section of that course. It does not mean there are no restrictions, however (e.g., required course pre-requisites or co-requisites which can be checked under the course listings in the Academic Calendar for your program(s)). 

Should you have only recently declared your program of study, this may not yet be reflected in the self-service system and you can try contacting the Registrar's Office or the respective department undergraduate director or head. If you changed your academic program of study after registering, any course reserves in place for courses you have registered for will then still be enforced. This means that as soon as your program change has been processed, your course registration(s) will be reviewed and any course section(s) for which you do not meet course reserve requirements will be dropped and removed from your schedule.

Given the high demand of courses in criminology, reserved course seating often fill up. If a course has reserved seats and you are not declared as a major, minor or certificate student in criminology, you will be placed on the waitlist, as available. When reserves are lifted, waitlisted students may be offered a seat in order of their position on the waitlist. It is therefore important to check your @mun.ca email regularly (e.g., daily) for a waitlist notification email, since waitlist offers do expire and you must register before the deadline noted in the email (usually within ~36 hours) to ensure you can claim your spot.

Course reserves are only in place for a set period of time during the registration period and so students should refer to the University Calendar section Important Dates and Deadlines to determine the specific date these reserves are lifted each semester. Once these are removed, any students can register on a first-come, first-served basis as spaces are available.  

*See more here on course reserves and restictions, and also on course holds at Memorial here.

If you cannot register for your planned courses in the student self-service at your set day/time of registration, you may be able to place yourself on a course waitlist. More information about waitlists can be found here. 

If it is possible to waitlist for a course, further action is required, so be sure not to skip any final steps to obtain a spot on a waitlist. 

Please note that if a waitlisted seat becomes available, you will receive an email to your @mun.ca address indicating there is a space available. You will then have ~36 hours from the date/time of the notification email to accept your seat in the course (the deadline date and time to accept will be stated).

Course waitlists are dropped two weeks before the start of classes, which will typically be a final day in August (see this year: https://www.mun.ca/regoff/registration-and-final-exams/fall-2026-undergraduate-important-dates/). Once waitlists are dropped, students can log into the self-service to see the status of courses and try to self-register should spaces be available.

Keep in mind that course registration is continually changing, and spaces may become available up until the start of classes in the upcoming semester.

Should students not be able to meet program/degree regulations or register in courses required for their program and they are graduating in the upcoming academic year, and they have met with an academic advisor in HSS, yet could not identify a remedy or an available course to fulfill a remaining major, minor, or certificate requirement, you may request individual course waivers and/or substitutions, in accordance with the faculty's calendar regulation 9.4.2.

It is strongly encouraged that this request be based on advice received from and/or at the direction of an academic advisor or the undergraduate program director. As part of their request, students can also include any relevant, supporting documentation from the appropriate undergraduate program director. These requests can be submitted in writing to the Humanities and Social Sciences Waivers and Appeals Committee (HSS UWAC; HSS_UWAC@mun.ca), using your @mun.ca email.

Students can find more information about this process and pertinent information to include with these requests here.  

Yes.

Financial Aid (NL, Canada, US)

If you are looking for support and/or resources for completing the required documents for federal, provincial, as well as US-based student loans, you can reach out to Student financial aid by email (financialaid@mun.ca; usfinancialaid@mun.ca), phone (709-864-3956), or in person (Arts & Administration Building, A2003) for assistance.

Entrance Scholarships

For prospective/interesting and incoming students, Memorial also offers students various entrance scholarships, including for students from NL, Canada, as well as international students. More information can be found by clicking the appropriate link associated with the province/place in which you completed your high school/secondary studies.

Scholarships and Awards

Memorial also offers a number of scholarship opportunities. These can be found at the respective scholarships and awards section at the bottom of this page, and/or more information can be requested from the Scholarships office: scholarships@mun.ca (phone: 709 864 3956; location Arts & Administration Building, A1002).

Students can and are encouraged to review the faculty regulations for their program(s) of study by visiting the respective pages in the Academic Calendar they are following for these. The most recent regulations can be found at the following pages:

5 Academic Regulations (see for information about course syllabi, special/selected topics courses, and grading)

6 Degree Regulations - General and Honours Degrees (includes information about BA and IBA programs and graduation requirements, including for honours programs, as well as information about co-op program, and joint degrees regulation, e.g., BA and BComm (co-op) and BA and BSc).

8.1 General Regulations for Certificate Programs

Yes! Students can change majors, minors, and/or certificates within HSS based on changing and growing areas of interest.

You can meet with an academic advisor in HSS and/or the undergraduate program director(s) to discuss possible options, and/or reach out directly to the Office of the Registrar by email or phone (709-864-4445) to request this change. Remember to use your @mun.ca email when connecting and corresponding with staff and faculty about these matters. 

Be sure to include your student number, your current program of study, and the newly selected major, second major, minor, and/or certificate you would like to change to.

Note that there is a program declaration/change form available as well that can be submitted directly to the Registrar's Office (A-2003).

Yes. If you are enrolled at another university that is an accredited post-secondary institution recognized by Memorial University and would like to transfer to Memorial to study criminology (or other program), you can submit an application to Memorial and then also submit a request for transfer credits from your current program of study.

This process can be initiated once you apply to Memorial and receive an admission decision (i.e., once accepted). At this time, all required documents must be submitted and received for the credit review, which include your post-secondary transcripts, relevant course descriptions/outlines, and any other relevant materials as appropriate and available. These can be sent to transfer.credit@mun.ca. 

Yes. Students can withdraw from Memorial without academic prejudice later in the semester if they are prevented from completing the semester due to reasons such as illness, bereavement, or other acceptable circumstances. This must all be authenticated in writing and include supportive documentation, providing this request to the Office of the Registrar.

If you need to withdraw from the university and your programs for medical reasons, you may be required to submit medical evidence (satisfactory to the Registrar and in consultation with the Head of your academic unit) to return to pursue your studies.

Students can find more information about withdrawing from Memorial here.

Students can find more information about the steps to apply to graduate here.

Once students have confirmed they have fulfilled all requirements for their Bachelor of Arts degree and/or criminology programs, or if they would like to ensure they have met all requirements and are eligible to graduate, and/or if you have other questions about when and how you can apply to graduate, you can email: graduation@mun.ca, or contact them by phone (709-864-4445) or in person (Arts & Administration Building, A 2003).

If you have reviewed the steps to graduate and have questions about your convocation ceremony, you can email convocation@mun.ca, or contact them by phone (709-864-4445) or in person (Arts & Administration Building, A 2003).

Convocation ceremonies are held twice a year, with one taking place in the fall and one in the spring.

The specific dates for upcoming and future convocation events can be found here. 

Yes.

You can find recorded webcasts of previous convocation ceremonies here.

A link to previous convocation ceremony programs is here. 

You can find information about all of these and more under Undergraduate Important Dates, as well as the respective University Calendar under the University Diary that is in effect at the time of your search and/or needed information.

Memorial has a glossary of terms students can refer to for any unknown or uncertain university and/or calendar language.

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.