Criminology Major
Why Study Criminology at Virginia Tech?
Your major in criminology will prepare you for a career as a federal law enforcement agent or analyst, a police officer, a corrections officer, a probation and parole official, a victim services counselor, or a social justice activist. The major also provides a strong foundation for graduate study in criminology, criminal justice, and law. With classes such as Social Problems, Juvenile Delinquency, Sociological Theory, Cybercriminology, Women and Crime, and a plethora of others, you are able to learn about the experiences people have and how that affects their decision-making, as well as reasons for deviant behavior.
500+
Books Published by Faculty
34
Faculty Members Dedicated to Teaching
13
In-major Electives
Chaya Iyengar, '14
Chaya has been working as a marketing program manager for the U.S. Department of Defense since graduation.
Danielle Hardy, '12
Danielle works for Goodwill Industries International in southwest Pennsylvania as a community donations specialist. She is responsible for engaging the community in Goodwill's mission and acquiring material donations through partnerships with local schools, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.
Alexis Massie, '16
While studying criminology and sociology, Alexis completed internships with Juvenile Probation, VT Police, Victim and Witness Assistance, and the US Marshal Service. These experiences and her masters degree in Forensic Psychology from George Washington University helped her land her dream job working with the federal government.
Maddison Berlinghoff, '20
During her undergraduate career, Maddison participated in several research projects studying education, the opioid crisis, and restorative justice in addition to completing internships with local police departments. She is pursuing a master’s degree in Political Science further exploring penal system policies in the United States.
Hannah Mullen-Fox, '21
While studying criminology, sociology, and psychology, Hannah completed an internship at a law firm in her hometown. Her internship and work with the pre-law advisor on campus confirmed her goal to attend law school. Hannah is enrolled at Elon Law and plans to pursue a career as an attorney.
Amber Mundy, ’21
While at VT, Amber participated in many projects, including serving as a Juneteenth Research Scholar, looking at Black Bodies in Colonial Mexico, The Baltimore City Research Project on Policing in Baltimore City after the death of Freddie Gray, and working in an Entomology lab completing a study on restoring watersheds in Roanoke. Her internship with the Virginia Tech Women’s Center inspired her to pursue a master’s degree in Forensic Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Careers and Further Study
What can you do with a major in Criminology?
Jobs Held by Our Graduates
- Police officer
- U.S. Marshal
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agent
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent
- Probation/parole officer
- Juvenile probation officer
- Victim services specialist
- Mediation specialist
- Attorney
- Corrections counselor
- Private security/background investigation
- FBI analyst
Criminology vs. Criminal Justice
What's the difference between a degree in criminology and a degree in criminal justice?
Criminology
Criminology is a branch of sociology that provides a broad academic education and research skills to prepare you for graduate school, law school, and analytical careers. Criminologists are qualified to enter the same fields as criminal justice majors, and many do pursue jobs in law enforcement. But they also graduate with the skills necessary for a broader range of careers, such as researchers, analysts, legal assistants, victims-rights advocates, mediation experts, conflict management specialists, rehabilitation workers, and governmental researchers.
Criminal Justice
Criminal justice is a professional degree that specifically focuses on methods for detecting crime, detaining criminals, and criminal prosecution and punishment. It's designed to prepare you for entering a career in the criminal justice system, such as law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.
Beyond the Classroom
Experiential Learning
Internships are a popular way to gain experience in the field. Our students often intern at a residential facility for juvenile delinquents or with the Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, or Christiansburg police departments. Other local agencies that host our students in internships include law offices, free clinics, the Raft Crisis Hotline, the Head Start program, and the YMCA.
Contact our internship coordinator, Donna Sedgwick, to talk about internship opportunities.
Our students conduct undergraduate research with faculty in our Center for Race and Social Policy, Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention, and Laboratory for the Study of Youth Inequality and Justice. You can design your own project with a faculty mentor and study topics that interest you. Some recent topics include:
- Policing and urban social control
- Youth violence and juvenile justice
- Race and criminal justice
- Terrorism
- White-collar crime
Join social or cultural student organizations, where you learn about the roles individual and group identities play in society.
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Our professors have a reputation not just for their scholarship, but also for being friendly, caring, and passionate about making the world a better place. They’ve won local and national awards for both research and teaching.
Curriculum
What You'll Study
Bachelor of Science in Sociology Degree
- Including Virginia Tech's Pathways
Criminology Major Requirements
- Introductory Sociology
- Social Inequality
- Sociological Theory
- Social Research Methods
- Senior Seminar
- Statistics for the Social Sciences
Minor and Elective Hours
Our program gives you the opportunity to build knowledge in another area by pursuing a minor, double major, or cognate.
120 hrs
B.S. Sociology
45 hrs
General Education
43 hrs
Major Requirements
32 hrs
Elective
Campus Life
Campus Life
Discover all that Virginia Tech has to offer inside and outside of the classroom. Our campus life aims to build communities, promote holistic education, and cultivate environments that offer opportunities for leadership, innovation, and service.