Criminology, Law and Society provides a focused study of the justice system and social, human, and moral problems raised in the justice field. This course of study prepares students for careers in law enforcement, corrections, the courts, investigations, juvenile justice, private and homeland security, and related social and human services. The BS degree provides students a focused approach, requiring more courses within the field of criminology. Students who earn the BS degree either gain work experience in a criminal justice agency or complete a minor, second major, or dual degree in a related field to enhance their study of justice.
Policies
Students pursuing this degree with an internship must complete 60 major credits.
Students pursing this degree with an approved area of specialization (minor, 2nd major or dual degree) must complete 45 CLS major credits in addition to the credits required for the area of specialization, some of which may overlap with the CLS major. Students completing an area of specialization must meet with an advisor in that program to verify requirements and add the program to their record.
For additional information on the areas of specialization see AP.5.3.4 Minors, AP.5.3.7 Credit for More than One Undergraduate Major, and AP.5.3.3 Second Bachelor's Degree.
A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required. Students may apply a maximum of 18 credits of transferable ADJ courses from the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) or comparable courses at another community college to fulfill the degree requirements. Once a student matriculates at Mason, no courses may be taken at another institution without prior written approval from the program and the dean.
No more than 12 credits of CRIM 485 Study Abroad can be applied to the major. No more than 15 credits of CRIM 490 Special Topics can be applied to the major.
For policies governing all undergraduate degrees, see AP.5 Undergraduate Policies.
Degree Requirements
Total credits: minimum 120
Students should be aware of the specific policies associated with this program, located on the Admissions & Policies tab.
Core Courses in the Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CRIM 100 | Introduction to Criminal Justice (Mason Core) | 3 |
| CRIM 306 | Criminal Justice Ethics | 3 |
| CRIM 315 | Research Methods and Analysis in Criminology | 3 |
| CRIM 424 | Constitutional Law: Criminal Process and Rights | 3 |
| CRIM 495 | Capstone in Criminology, Law and Society (Mason Core) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Internship or Area of Specialization
Students are required to do an internship or complete a related area of specialization (minor, second major, or dual degree) from the lists below. For additional information on the areas of specialization see AP.5.3.4 Minors, AP.5.3.7 Credit for More than One Undergraduate Major and AP.5.3.3 Second Bachelor's Degree.
Internship
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 15 credits of internship coursework | ||
| CRIM 479 & CRIM 480 | Criminology: College to Career and Internship | 15 |
Minor in a Related Field
Select a 15-21 credit minor from one of the following categories
Government, Politics, and International Affairs
American Government (18 credits); Global Affairs (15 credits); Global Health (18 credits); Global Systems (18 credits); International/Comparative Studies (18 credits); International Security (18 credits); Political Communication (18 credits); Political Philosophy (18 credits)
Information and Data Analysis
Computational and Data Sciences (15 credits); Computer Science (19-20 credits); Data Analysis (15 credits); Ethics and AI (15 credits); Geographic Information Systems (18 credits); Government Analytics (19-20 credits); Information Technology (18 credits); Intelligence Studies (18 credits); Statistics (15 credits); Urban Informatics (18 credits)
Language and Area Studies
African and African American Studies (18 credits); American Sign Language (18 credits); Arabic (18 credits); Asia-Pacific and Northeast Asian Studies (18 credits); Chinese (18 credits); English (18 credits); French (18 credits); German Studies (18 credits); Islamic Studies (18 credits); Italian Studies (18 credits); Japanese Studies (18 credits); Judaic Studies (15 credits); Korean Studies (18 credits); Latin American Studies (18 credits); Middle East Studies (18 credits); Native American and Indigenous Studies (18 credits); Russian (18 credits); Spanish (18 credits)
Socio-Behavioral Studies
Anthropology (18 credits); Art History (18 credits); Brain, Body and Behavior (21 credits); Communication (18 credits); Community and Public Writing (15 credits); Conflict Analysis and Resolution (15 credits); Economics (21 credits); Forensic Psychology (15 credits); Forensic Science (20-21 credits); History (18 credits); Industrial/Organizational Psychology (15 credits); Leadership (15 credits); Organizational Conflict Resolution (15 credits); Philosophy (18 credits); Psychology (18 credits); Social Work (15 credits); Sociology (18 credits)
Policy and Legal Studies
Environmental Policy (21 credits); Health and Social Policy (18 credits); Human Development and Family Science (15 credits); Immigration Studies (15 credits); Legal Studies (18 credits); LGBTQ Studies (18 credits); Nonprofit Studies (15 credits); Philosophy and Law (18 credits); Philosophy for Social Change (18 credits); Professional and Technical Writing (15 credits); Public Health (18-19 credits); Public Policy and Management (18 credits); Religious Studies (18 credits); Social Justice and Human Rights (16 credits); Sustainability Studies (16 credits); Women and Gender Studies (18 credits)
Second Major/Dual Degree in a Related Field
Anthropology BA; Applied Computer Science BS; Communication BA; Community Health BS; Computational and Data Sciences BS; Computer Science BS; Conflict Analysis and Resolution BA; Economics BA; Economics BS; English BA; Environmental and Sustainability Studies BA; Foreign Languages BA; Forensic Science BS; Geography BA; Geography BS; Global Affairs BA; Government and International Politics BA; History BA; Human Development and Family Science BA; Information Technology BS; Integrative Studies BA; Integrative Studies BS; International Security and Law BA; Philosophy BA; Psychology BA; Psychology BS; Public Administration BS; Religious Studies BA; Russian and Eurasian Studies BA; Social Work BSW; Sociology BA; Statistics BS
Electives in the Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select ten electives from the following: 1 | 30 | |
| Introduction to Criminology | ||
| Introduction to Law and Society | ||
| Introduction to Homeland Security | ||
| Public Law and the Judicial Process | ||
or GOVT 301 | Public Law and the Judicial Process | |
| Delinquency and the Juvenile Justice System | ||
| Computer Crime, Forensics, and Auditing | ||
| Crime and Crime Policy | ||
| Social Inequality, Crime, and Justice | ||
| Human Rights and Justice | ||
| Introduction to the Intelligence Community | ||
| Intelligence Analysis Techniques | ||
| Crime and Place | ||
| Hate Crime | ||
| Counterintelligence | ||
| Applied Criminal Psychology | ||
| Policing in America | ||
| Punishment and Corrections | ||
| Community Corrections | ||
| Crime Victims and Victimization | ||
| Law and Justice around the World (Mason Core) | ||
| Family Law and the Justice System | ||
| Advanced Topics in Law and Society | ||
| Criminal Courts | ||
| Community Policing | ||
| Criminal Investigations | ||
| Innovations in Policing | ||
| Guns and Crime in America | ||
| International Crimes and Accountability | ||
| Controversial Legal Issues | ||
| Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties | ||
or GOVT 423 | Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties | |
| Criminal Justice Management | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Surveillance and Privacy in Contemporary Society | ||
or GOVT 460 | Surveillance and Privacy in Contemporary Society | |
| Law Enforcement and Homeland Security | ||
| Prevention and Deterrence of Crime | ||
| Theory and Politics of Terrorism | ||
| Criminology: College to Career 2 | ||
| Study Abroad | ||
| Special Topics 3 | ||
| Honors Seminar I | ||
| RS: Honors Seminar II | ||
| Research Practicum | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Family Law and Public Policy | ||
| Human Trafficking and Smuggling 3 | ||
| Sociology of Delinquency | ||
| The following graduate courses are available to students in the Accelerated Master's Pathway | ||
| Justice Organizations and Processes | ||
| Policing | ||
| Evidence-based Crime and Justice Policy | ||
| Implementing Crime and Justice Policy | ||
| Leadership in Justice Organizations | ||
| Legal and Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice | ||
| Criminal Justice Research Methods and Data Analysis | ||
| Evaluation of Crime and Justice Policies and Practices | ||
| The Constitution, Criminal Procedure, and Security | ||
| Law and Social Control | ||
| Conduct of Justice Organizations at the Street Level | ||
| Corrections | ||
| Crime Analysis | ||
| Politics of Crime Policy | ||
| Crime and Place | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
- 1
Students may select an optional concentration to fulfill a portion of this required elective credit.
- 2
CRIM 479 can be applied to the elective requirement if not used as part of internship.
- 3
A maximum of 6 credits of INTS 417 Human Trafficking and Smuggling and/or CRIM 490 Special Topics when topic is Human Trafficking can be applied to the major.
Optional Concentrations in the Major
Criminology, law and society majors have the option of obtaining a concentration by completing 15 of their 30 elective credits within one of the following areas. Students can pursue only one concentration.
Available Concentrations
- Concentration in Criminal Justice (CJUS)
- Concentration in Homeland Security and Justice (HSJ)
- Concentration in Law and Society (LAWS)
Concentration in Criminal Justice (CJUS)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 15 credits from the following: | 15 | |
| Introduction to Criminology | ||
| Delinquency and the Juvenile Justice System | ||
| Computer Crime, Forensics, and Auditing | ||
| Crime and Crime Policy | ||
| Social Inequality, Crime, and Justice | ||
| Crime and Place | ||
| Hate Crime | ||
| Applied Criminal Psychology | ||
| Policing in America | ||
| Punishment and Corrections | ||
| Community Corrections | ||
| Crime Victims and Victimization | ||
| Criminal Courts | ||
| Community Policing | ||
| Criminal Investigations | ||
| Innovations in Policing | ||
| Guns and Crime in America | ||
| International Crimes and Accountability | ||
| Criminal Justice Management | ||
| Law Enforcement and Homeland Security | ||
| Prevention and Deterrence of Crime | ||
| Study Abroad (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Special Topics (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) 1 | ||
| Honors Seminar I (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| RS: Honors Seminar II (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Research Practicum (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Independent Study (when appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Human Trafficking and Smuggling 1 | ||
| Sociology of Delinquency | ||
| The following graduate courses are available to students in the Accelerated Master's Pathway | ||
| Justice Organizations and Processes | ||
| Policing | ||
| Evidence-based Crime and Justice Policy | ||
| Implementing Crime and Justice Policy | ||
| Leadership in Justice Organizations | ||
| Evaluation of Crime and Justice Policies and Practices | ||
| Conduct of Justice Organizations at the Street Level | ||
| Corrections | ||
| Crime Analysis | ||
| Politics of Crime Policy | ||
| Crime and Place | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
- 1
Students may select an optional concentration to fulfill a portion of this required elective credit.
- 3
A maximum of 6 credits of INTS 417 Human Trafficking and Smuggling and/or CRIM 490 Special Topics when topic is Human Trafficking can be applied to the major.
Concentration in Homeland Security and Justice (HSJ)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 15 credits from the following: | 15 | |
| Introduction to Homeland Security | ||
| Introduction to the Intelligence Community | ||
| Intelligence Analysis Techniques | ||
| Counterintelligence | ||
| Law and Justice around the World (Mason Core) | ||
| Surveillance and Privacy in Contemporary Society | ||
or GOVT 460 | Surveillance and Privacy in Contemporary Society | |
| Law Enforcement and Homeland Security | ||
| Theory and Politics of Terrorism | ||
| Study Abroad (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Special Topics (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) 1 | ||
| Honors Seminar I (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| RS: Honors Seminar II (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Research Practicum (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Independent Study (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Human Trafficking and Smuggling 1 | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
- 1
A maximum of 6 credits of INTS 417 Human Trafficking and Smuggling and/or CRIM 490 Special Topics when topic is Human Trafficking can be applied to the major.
Concentration in Law and Society (LAWS)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 15 credits from the following: | 15 | |
| Introduction to Law and Society | ||
| Public Law and the Judicial Process | ||
or GOVT 301 | Public Law and the Judicial Process | |
| Human Rights and Justice | ||
| Hate Crime | ||
| Law and Justice around the World (Mason Core) | ||
| Family Law and the Justice System | ||
| Advanced Topics in Law and Society | ||
| Criminal Courts | ||
| Guns and Crime in America | ||
| International Crimes and Accountability | ||
| Controversial Legal Issues | ||
| Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties | ||
or GOVT 423 | Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties | |
| Criminal Law | ||
| Surveillance and Privacy in Contemporary Society | ||
or GOVT 460 | Surveillance and Privacy in Contemporary Society | |
| Study Abroad (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Special Topics (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) 1 | ||
| Honors Seminar I (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| RS: Honors Seminar II (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Research Practicum (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Independent Study (when topic is appropriate with permission of undergraduate director) | ||
| Law and Social Control | ||
| Family Law and Public Policy | ||
| Human Trafficking and Smuggling 1 | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
- 1
A maximum of 6 credits of INTS 417 Human Trafficking and Smuggling and/or CRIM 490 Special Topics when topic is Human Trafficking can be applied to the major.
Writing-Intensive Requirement
The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated "writing intensive" in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in criminology, law and society fulfill this requirement by successfully completing CRIM 495 Capstone in Criminology, Law and Society (Mason Core). Students should complete ENGH 302 Advanced Composition (Mason Core) before taking the writing-intensive course in the major or take the two courses simultaneously.
Upper Level Requirement
Students seeking a bachelor’s degree must apply at least 45 credits of upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above) toward graduation requirements.
Additional Electives
Any remaining credits may be completed with elective courses to bring the degree total to 120.
Mason Core
Some Mason Core requirements may already be fulfilled by the major requirements listed above. Students are strongly encouraged to consult their advisors to ensure they fulfill all remaining Mason Core requirements.
Students who have completed the following credentials are eligible for a waiver of the Foundation and Exploration (lower level) requirement categories. The Integration category (upper level) is not waived under this policy. See Admissions for more information.
- VCCS Uniform Certificate of General Studies
- VCCS or Richard Bland Associate of Science (A.S.), Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Arts and Sciences (A.A.&S.), or Associate of Fine Arts (A.F.A.)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Requirements | ||
| Written Communication (lower-level) | 3 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 3 | |
| Information Technology and Computing | 3 | |
| Exploration Requirements | ||
| Arts | 3 | |
| Global Contexts | 3 | |
| Global History | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Natural Science | 7 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| Just Societies (optional) 1 | ||
| Integration Requirements | ||
| Written Communication (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Writing Intensive 2 | 3 | |
| Mason Apex 3 | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
- 1
In addition to covering content related to the designated category, Exploration level courses marked with a Just Societies "flag" are specifically designed to help students learn how to interact effectively with others from all walks of life, including those with backgrounds and beliefs that differ from their own. Courses marked with the Just Societies flag are available for students starting in Fall 2024. Students admitted prior to the Fall of 2025 are not required to take courses with a Just Societies flag but may wish to do so to increase their knowledge and skills in this important area. Students interested in this approach to completing their Mason Core Exploration Requirements should work closely wiht their advisor to identify the appropriate Just Societies-flagged courses.
- 2
Most programs include the writing-intensive course designated for the major as part of the major requirements; this course is therefore not counted towards the total required for Mason Core.
- 3
Minimum 3 credits required.
Bachelor of Science in Criminology, Law and Society Sample Plan of Study
A sample four year graduation plan and degree planning worksheet can be found at https://academicaffairs.chss.gmu.edu/undergraduate-students/advising/advising-sheets. The plan is a recommended sequencing of courses based on prerequisites and scheduling. This may not fit every student's needs and is a guideline, not a requirement. Students should confirm major requirements with their academic advisor each semester and with their PatriotWeb Degree Evaluation to ensure they enroll in the proper courses and are on track to graduate.
Honors in the Major
Highly qualified students may pursue advanced work leading to graduation with honors in the major. Students admitted to the honors program in the major take a two-course sequence: CRIM 491 Honors Seminar I and CRIM 492 RS: Honors Seminar II. To graduate with honors in criminology, law and society, students must complete both courses with a minimum GPA of 3.50 in the two courses.
Program Outcomes
1. Acquire core knowledge of Criminology, Law and Society:
Students will develop core knowledge about the organization and operation of various institutions administering justice, such as police, courts, corrections, juvenile justice, as well as constitutional law and criminal justice ethics that serve as the foundation for these and other justice institutions.
2. Acquire more specific knowledge of a variety of topics in criminology, law and society:
Students will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of electives in CLS, including classes related to theories of criminology, law and society, judicial processes and the law, human rights and social justice, intelligence and homeland security, juvenile justice, criminal psychology, policing, crime prevention, contemporary justice issues and reforms, and leadership. Students may also choose to further specialize their coursework by completing an optional concentration in Criminal Justice, Law and Society, or Homeland Security and Justice.
3. Students pursuing the BS degree will select from two options: an internship or the completion of an approved minor. Students who elect the internship program will gain experience working in a justice-related environment and applying knowledge learned from their degree to these environments. For those electing a minor, students will gain specialized knowledge from a related field to enhance their study of justice.
4. Develop written communication:
Students will learn how to effectively communicate in writing through papers and exams, which require students to analyze, synthesize, and apply what they have learned.
5. Understand and apply research methods:
Students will learn about basic research methods used in the study of criminology, law and society, to not only be able to digest research in the field, but also consider how to use research and analysis tools to answer key questions in criminology, law and society. The degree includes several courses that offer the opportunity for students to engage in research on crime and justice.
6. Develop critical thinking skills:
Students will demonstrate an ability to think critically about crime and the justice system through course offerings and have the opportunity to analyze contemporary justice problems and reforms. This will include assessing the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches and models of justice in the U.S. and internationally and developing a critical understanding of how the justice system relates to broader ideas of justice, equality, and human rights.
7. Be able to synthesize across skills and education:
The required Capstone course in CLS is a writing-intensive course that allows students to exercise and showcase the skills they have learned throughout their degree.