What is Criminology? - Definition & Areas of Study

<p>Criminology's meaning involves analyzing illegal human behaviors and crime prevention methods. The field of criminology blends social science and <a href="http://learn.org/articles/Graduate_Schools_with_Criminal_Psychology_Programs_Your_Questions_Answered.html">psychology</a> with criminal justice. As a criminologist, you'll explore the many causes of criminal activity among different groups of people. </p> <p>Additionally, you'll investigate how factors such as race, ethnicity, education, and socioeconomic status can influence crime incidences. Often, you'll look at the history and success rates of different law enforcement methods. Examination of how individuals react to specific types of crimes, along with the overall effect of crime on American culture as a whole, is also included. Crime affects more than just the perpetrator; it can also have severe consequences for the victims, families, and other citizens. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutCriminology">Important Facts About Criminology</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>Online Availability</td><td>Full coursework online</td></tr> <tr><td>Prerequisites</td><td>Bachelor's required for master's and doctoral degrees</td></tr> <tr><td>Possible Careers</td><td>Parole officer, criminal investigator, lawyer, forensic psychologist</td></tr> <tr><td>Concentrations</td><td>Corrections, law enforcement, human relations, law and society</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---EducationOpportunities">Education Opportunities</h3> <p>What is a criminology degree? It is offered at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral level. <a href="http://learn.org/articles/Bachelors_Degrees_in_Criminal_Psychology.html">Undergraduate criminology programs</a> are more common, but many careers in this field require an advanced degree. What does a criminology student study? During your classes, you'll study topics like criminal public policy, white-collar crime, corrections, and juvenile crime. Graduate programs emphasize statistical research and include a final project, thesis, or dissertation. </p> <h3 id="section---CareerInformation">Career Information</h3> <p>Entry-level criminology careers that require a bachelor's degree involve work with corrections, police services, and law enforcement. You generally need a graduate degree to pursue a career as a criminologist specifically. Criminologists may research crime behavior in various settings, like crime scenes, courtrooms, and prisons, through a mix of ethnographic and statistical methods. They may focus on specific issues surrounding corporate environmental crimes, terrorism, or gangs. </p> <p>According to <i>PayScale.com</i>, the majority of criminologists earned a salary ranging from $25,000-$70,000 annually as of May 2019, and the average annual salary was $42,946. A doctoral degree in criminology prepares you for advanced research and postsecondary teaching in the criminology and criminal justice field. The BLS stated that postsecondary criminal justice and law enforcement teachers earned a median salary of $61,900 per year as of May 2018, and sociology professors earned $74,140. In addition, the BLS forecasted a job growth of 12% for postsecondary criminal justice and law enforcement teachers and a 10% job growth for sociology professors during the 2016-2026 decade.</p>