Criminology Department
We provide our students with a broad justice education. We focus on the structures and processes of criminal justice and we emphasize historical, theoretical, conceptual and critical approaches.
We offer the first two years of university transfer courses. Our courses range widely from general and beginning courses to special topics. Detailed information is available in the Criminology Student Handbook (PDF).
We promote our students' employability by developing the following:
- writing skills
- communication and interpersonal skills
- critical thinking and problem solving abilities
- presentation and self-confidence
Courses typically involve a variety of teaching techniques and may include group work, debates and student presentations aside from lectures.
Department Website
For an overview of this program, including faculty listings and frequently asked questions plus other resources, visit the departmental website.
Career/Further Educational Opportunities
We offer the first two years of a wide range of university-transfer courses. All criminology credits can be transferred to Simon Fraser University, the University of the Fraser Valley, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Some can be transferred to the University of British Columbia, the University of Ottawa and to other universities in Canada.
Employment in Criminal Justice can be found in government, private sector, educational institutions and non-profit societies. Students can consult the Criminology Volunteer and Career Opportunities Manual that details a wide variety of contacts and agencies in the Criminal Justice community. Copies of this manual are available in the Department of Criminology and on the Criminology Web site.
Location
Criminology courses are offered at both the New Westminster and David Lam campuses.
Intake Dates/Application Deadlines
**Application deadlines may be extended.
All Criminology courses are open enrolment university transfer courses and are offered in all three semesters - Fall, Winter, and Summer. Refer to specific course description section of this calendar for detailed information.
Prerequisite Compliance
Students who are requesting transfer credit from other institutions or submitting high school transcripts from outside of BC to satisfy prerequisite compliance are required to apply and submit those documents no later than three months in advance of the intake.
Other Information
This program offers a free Information Session.
Credentials
- Diploma in Criminology
- Certificate in Criminal Justice Studies
- University Transfer Courses
- Diploma in Legal Studies
- Associate of Arts (Forensic Studies)
Recommended Course Sequence
Students should consult with a Criminology faculty member or academic advisor if they have questions about course selection. The following are the requirements for the diploma, university transfer and certificate programs.
Diploma Program
Careers in the criminal justice field demand increasing knowledge, skills and sensitivity. The diploma program seeks to prepare students to enter this field as practitioners or academics with the ability to meet the day-to-day requirements of their various occupations. Through the study of the central issues in Criminology and the structures and processes found in the Canadian justice system, students learn to appreciate the complex problems encountered in the criminal justice field.
Students may transfer to a university upon completion of the program to pursue a degree in Criminology or some other field. Students who successfully complete the program are eligible for a Diploma in Criminology.
Admission Requirements
An effort is made to offer the complete program to both full-time and part-time students.
Students should consult periodically with the Criminology faculty or an academic advisor about course selection and other questions.
Criminology Diploma Program Requirements
The student must successfully complete 60 credits of university transfer courses. Program requirements are as follows:
- Core Courses (33 credits)
CRIM 1100, 2140, 1150, 1160, 2260
CRIM 1120 or 1170
CRIM 2251 or 2252
ENGL 1130
PHIL 1101, 1102, 1103, 1152, 1201 (choose one)
PSYC 1100
SOCI 1125 - CRIM courses (12 credits), selected by the student
- Electives (15 credits), including at least six credits of non-Criminology courses. Course options
outside the criminology discipline include any university transferable course. The following are
suggested as relevant to the Criminology diploma:
ANTH 1100, 1120, 1160
GEOG 1100, 1160, 1180
HIST 1113, 1114
IDST 1100, 1110
POLI 1102, 2202
SOCI 2230, 2240, 2250
CSIS 1110
The following is a typical program of study for the Diploma in Criminology
Semester I
| Course | Title | Credits |
| *CRIM 1100 | Introduction to the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| *PSYC 1100 | An Introduction to Psychology I | 3 |
| *SOCI 1125 | Social Processes | 3 |
| *ENGL 1130 | Academic Writing (or any first-year literature course) | 3 |
| *CRIM 1160 | Canadian Legal System | 3 |
| 15 |
Semester II
| *PHIL 1101, 1102, 1103, 1152 or 1201 | (choose one) | 3 |
| *CRIM 1150 | Introduction to Criminology | 3 |
| *CRIM 2260 | Criminal Law | 3 |
| *CRIM 1120/1170 | (choose one) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| 15 |
Semester III
| *CRIM 2251/2252 | (choose one) | 3 |
| *CRIM 2140 | Interviewing & Professional Skills | 3 |
| Crim Option | 3 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| 15 |
Semester IV
| CRIM Option | 3 | |
| CRIM Option | 3 | |
| CRIM Option | 3 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| 15 |
*Required core courses
Students wishing to satisfy the SFU transfer requirements (the first two years of a BA in Criminology) should take those courses required for the Diploma in Criminology and both CRIM 2251 and 2252. Also, students should choose the following electives: CRIM 2254, CRIM 2261, PSYC 1200 and PSYC 2300.
Students wishing to transfer into third year at UFV or any other university to complete a degree in criminal justice or criminology should check with that university for their requirements. Choose electives with long range plans in mind.
Criminology Certificate Program
The Criminal Justice Certificate program appeals to students who do not plan to transfer to university but who want to take a series of courses in the field of criminal justice in order to increase their knowledge of the structures and processes in the Canadian justice system.
For many, this provides an opportunity to consider vocational goals or to prepare for the access to justice-related occupations. The majority of courses in the program are university transfer courses so students, if they wish, can continue their studies at a university.
Admission Requirements
An effort is made to provide the complete program to both part-time and full-time students.
NOTE: Students should consult an Academic Advisor concerning program plans.
Program Duration
This certificate program may be completed in one year. In order to complete the one-year program in two sequential semesters, it is advisable, but not necessary, to begin the program in September. The program may also be completed on a part-time basis.
Certificate Program Requirements
The student must successfully complete 30 credits: 21 credits of core courses, six credits of Criminology options and three credits of electives (normally any three credit course). The following is a typical program of study for the Certificate in Criminal Justice Studies.
Semester I
| Course | Title | Credits |
| *CRIM 1100 | Introduction to the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| *PSYC 1100 | An Introduction to Psychology I | 3 |
| *ENGL 1130, CMNS 1110, CMNS 1111, CMNS 1115 | (choose one) | 3 |
| *SOCI 1125 | Social Processes | 3 |
| *CRIM 1120 | Introduction to Policing | 3 |
| 15 |
Semester II
| *CRIM 1160 | The Canadian Legal System | 3 |
| *CRIM 1170 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
| CRIM Option | 3 | |
| CRIM Option | 3 | |
| Elective | (any UT course) | 3 |
| 15 |
*Required core courses.
Diploma in Legal Studies
The Diploma in Legal Studies is a 60-credit diploma program and is the only one of its kind in British Columbia. It is ideal for students who have a general interest in the law as an area of study in the liberal arts.
The program covers a wide range of law and legal system courses including the administration of justice, business law, criminal law, criminal procedure and evidence, public law (including immigration and human rights law), constitutional law, and private law (torts, contracts and property). The program also offers an exposure to legal research skills, legal remedies and the basic principles of legal reasoning.
In keeping with the liberal arts basis of the program, students must take 24 credits of electives and are strongly encouraged to take a wide variety of courses outside of their law and legal system courses.
The Diploma in Legal Studies is university transferable, and has been designed to ensure a smooth transition for students into the SFU major in Criminology and minor in Legal Studies.