Criminology

Core Courses

• CRIM 100 - Introduction to Criminology

  CRIM 100 - Introduction to Criminology

  4.00 credit hours

  Explores and evaluates how crime is defined and measured and examines crime patterns and trends. Provides an overview and critical assessment of the major theories of crime causation, as well as a survey of the consequences of crime and solutions to behavior that has been labeled as "criminal."

  Schedule Of Classes

• CRIM 300 - Intersections of Crime

  CRIM 300 - Intersections of Crime

  4.00 credit hours

  A socio-historical analysis of the effects of race, socio-economic status and gender on legitimate social opportunities, criminal behavior, victimizations and differential treatment by the criminal justice system.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 200 - Social Inquiry I: Quantitative

  SOCI 200 - Social Inquiry I: Quantitative

  4.00 credit hours

  An assessment of the strengths and limitations of various modes of quantitative data collection including experiments, surveys, content analysis and the use of secondary data. Sustained focus on applying the methods and techniques learned to actual social science data. Emphasis is placed on ethical issues, becoming a critical consumer of research and developing the ability to design and carry out an independent study.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 220 - Crime, Law and Society

  SOCI 220 - Crime, Law and Society

  4.00 credit hours

  An analytic and real world examination of the intricate relationship between crime, law and society. Examination of the social roots of criminal behavior, the emergence of criminal laws, the types of crime (homicide, burglary and arson), characterizing segments of society and the criminal justice response to offenders. Special attention devoted to specific types of crime, including white collar and organized crime.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 250 - Pathways in Sociology

  SOCI 250 - Pathways in Sociology

  1.00 credit hours

  This course challenges students to reflect on how sociological skills and insights can be applied to their own lives, future careers and to the broader community. Students will examine the structural constraints individuals face as they consider personal and occupational vocations, explore specific career pathways, discuss the logistics of the job market and begin to develop resources to make them competitive applicants.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 340 - Criminal Justice System

  SOCI 340 - Criminal Justice System

  4.00 credit hours

  An in-depth study of the functions, structure and organization of the agencies that are responsible for the administration of justice. Special emphasis is placed on the institutions and processes of law making and enforcement, the judicial system, corrections and the juvenile justice system. Attention is given to issues such as overburdened court calendars, crowded and explosive jail conditions, pervasive citizen fear of crime and understaffed police departments.

  Schedule Of Classes

Elective Courses

A minimum of 12 credit hours from the following with at least eight credit hours at the 300-level or higher:

• ANTH 352 - Law and Order in Cross-Cultural Perspective

  ANTH 352 - Law and Order in Cross-Cultural Perspective

  4.00 credit hours

  Systems of conflict resolution, resource and property rights and social control and punishment in cross-cultural perspective. Correlation of legal systems with sociopolitical organization across time and space. Examination of classic ethnography from legal anthropology and of cases of contemporary indigenous customary law systems. Development of cultural competency for criminal justice professionals. Opportunities for related field study experience offered occasionally through ANTH 445.

  Schedule Of Classes

• CHAS 390 - Special Topics in Chicago Area Studies

  CHAS 390 - Special Topics in Chicago Area Studies

  4.00 credit hours

  Emerging issues, specialized topics, experimental offerings find their home in this course. That is, the regular curriculum may benefit from the expertise of a new faculty member, a more in-depth discussion of a particular issue or specialized content not represented in the main curriculum. This course provides the flexibility for these discussions and would include topics such as public housing, immigration, urban innovation, sports and urban life.

  Schedule Of Classes

• NEUR 280 - Drugs and Behavior

  NEUR 280 - Drugs and Behavior

  4.00 credit hours

  An examination of the dynamic relationship between how drugs act on the brain and behavior. Topics include the properties of drug action, differentiating drug use and drug dependence, physical versus psychological dependence, as well as the legal and social implications of drug use. A range of legal and illegal drugs such as stimulants, depressants, alcohol, opiates, hallucinogens, and pharmaceutical drugs are investigated.

  Schedule Of Classes

• POLS 203 - Law, Politics and Society

  POLS 203 - Law, Politics and Society

  4.00 credit hours

  Traditional approaches to studying the law emphasize skills like advocating for a client or drafting a legal document. This class takes a different approach by providing an exploration of law's relationship to contemporary society. To do this, we will consider how law shapes, and is shaped by, the political, social, and cultural contexts in which it exists. This course examines a variety of topics, including: the development of the legal system of the United States, the varied approaches to studying the "law," and the relationship between those who make, adjudicate, and directly experience the law in everyday life.

  Schedule Of Classes

• POLS 336 - Rights, Liberties and Justice

  POLS 336 - Rights, Liberties and Justice

  4.00 credit hours

  Introduction to civil liberties and civil rights. We will focus primarily on the decisions of the Supreme Court in areas of religion, speech, privacy, criminal procedure and discrimination. Along the way, we will discuss the historical development of constitutional civil rights and liberties and the politics of Supreme Court decision-making. Students will learn the major legal doctrines governing civil liberties and civil rights, as well as develop a better understanding of the process of Supreme Court decision-making.

  Schedule Of Classes

• PSYC 330 - Community Psychology

  PSYC 330 - Community Psychology

  4.00 credit hours

  Community Psychology focuses on the integration of social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental influences to promote prevention, health, and empowerment in communities. Course topics include program development and evaluation, grant writing, and community organizing.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 210 - Gender: Patterns/Privileges/Possibilities

  SOCI 210 - Gender: Patterns/Privileges/Possibilities

  2.00 credit hours

  Explores the social construction and importance of gender and sexualities in our social world including life experiences, opportunity structures and institutions, such as the military and the media. Evaluates who is privileged and disadvantaged in this categorization system and some of the ways in which current practices are being challenged. Particular attention paid to the intersection of race/ethnicity, social class and disabilities.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 211 - Race/Ethnicity: Conflict and Change

  SOCI 211 - Race/Ethnicity: Conflict and Change

  2.00 credit hours

  An examination of racial and ethnic diversity in American society, with a focus upon racial and ethnic inequality; prejudice, discrimination and institutional racism; patterns of race and ethnic relations; racial and ethnic responses to racism and subordination. Attention to the various ways race and ethnicity are created and recreated in society, and the way these social constructions permeate all aspects of societal life, despite remaining largely invisible and normalized.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 212 - Social Class: Get Ahead/Fall Behind

  SOCI 212 - Social Class: Get Ahead/Fall Behind

  2.00 credit hours

  Social class impacts every aspect of life-from food choices, to college attendance, career options, good health, vulnerability to crime, happiness, life span, and on. Most importantly, it impacts the chances for getting ahead in society or falling behind. The social causes and personal consequences of class in American society are examined through a discussion of key concepts and theories, a cultural and structural tour through the class system, an examination of social mobility, and a debate on possible solutions to the problems of growing inequality.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 221 - Youth Justice, Crime and Law

  SOCI 221 - Youth Justice, Crime and Law

  4.00 credit hours

  A close-up look at juvenile laws, crimes committed by young people and the juvenile justice system. Special attention given to specific crimes such as shoplifting, tagging and vandalism and more serious crimes of theft, assault and drug behavior. Discussions of social policies related to treatment and prevention and an analysis of juvenile courts, diversion program and incarceration.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 222 - Power-Based Personal Violence

  SOCI 222 - Power-Based Personal Violence

  4.00 credit hours

  Debunks pervasive myths by delving into the causes and consequences of Power-Based Personal Violence, which takes many forms (e.g. harassment, stalking, sexual assault, intimate partner violence). Utilizes the lenses of intersectionality and social justice. Engages deeply with community partner prevention programs and trains with a strengths-based model of survivor empowerment. Makes space for candid conversations about the emotional impact of researching PBPV and anticipated career challenges in fields, such as criminal justice and social services.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 223 - Community and City Life

  SOCI 223 - Community and City Life

  4.00 credit hours

  Discover the breath of experiences, the range of life styles, and the persistent problems that make city life the social setting for the richest opportunities and most perplexing inequalities in contemporary society. Attention given to issues of urban culture, schooling, housing and planning for more sustainable and equitable environments.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 295 - Research Practicum

  SOCI 295 - Research Practicum

  1.00-4.00 credit hours

  Work in collaboration with faculty on ongoing research. Activities vary according to project needs and student background, but may include bibliography construction, literature review, recruitment of participants, data collection and entry, qualitative coding or statistical analysis. This course is graded pass/no pass. May be taken more than once for up to four total credit hours.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 299 - Independent Study

  SOCI 299 - Independent Study

  1.00-12.00 credit hours

  Individual studies undertaken with guidance of a faculty member. May be repeated with different content.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 300 - Social Inquiry II: Qualitative

  SOCI 300 - Social Inquiry II: Qualitative

  4.00 credit hours

  Social researches and detectives have much in common. Both are concerned with human behavior and both investigate the world to gather evidence that produces valid and meaningful conclusions. This class provides students the opportunity to learn, practice and develop their research skills though the investigation of social worlds, with special emphasis upon in-depth interviews, observations, content analysis, focus groups and the ethical standards associated with each of these methods.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 330 - Policing and Corrections

  SOCI 330 - Policing and Corrections

  4.00 credit hours

  Reviews how criminal punishment and the justifications for it (e.g. deterrence, retribution, rehabilitation, incapacitation and restoration) have evolved over time. Reflects on contemporary trends, such as the increased militarization and mass incarceration. Assesses the strategies of police and corrections officers and identifies best practices in criminal investigations, law enforcement, prisoner supervision, rehabilitation and reintegration. Special emphasis on relationships with the broader community.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 390 - Special Topics in Sociology

  SOCI 390 - Special Topics in Sociology

  4.00 credit hours

  An in-depth consideration of current topics in sociology.

  Schedule Of Classes

• SOCI 399 - Independent Study

  SOCI 399 - Independent Study

  1.00-12.00 credit hours

  Individual studies undertaken with guidance of a faculty member. May be repeated with different content.

  Schedule Of Classes

Capstone

Four credit hours from one of the following:

• CRIM 497 - Criminology Internship

  CRIM 497 - Criminology Internship

  4.00 credit hours

  A dynamic and interactive course serving as a capstone option for the Criminology major. Participation in an internship for a minimum of 180 experiential learning hours at a mutually agreed upon location. Through interactions with practitioners, students develop marketable skills, begin to establish networks, and recognize and apply learned concepts from the major course sequence as they are applied in the professional environment. Allows for the development of career/graduate readiness.

  Schedule Of Classes

• CRIM 496 - Criminology Senior Thesis I

  CRIM 496 - Criminology Senior Thesis I

  2.00 credit hours

  The first in a two-semester sequence of courses required to fulfill the Capstone Senior Thesis. A research-based seminar for students planning on attending graduate school or pursuing a career in research, policy or analysis. Students will draw on their knowledge of theory, methods and policy learned in core and elective courses to analayze and propose a research plan on an important topic in criminology.

  Schedule Of Classes