B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice
The University of Maryland, College Park offers its Bachelor of Arts in Criminology & Criminal Justice at the Universities at Shady Grove educational center. Students transfer into this Program after completing their freshman and sophomore years elsewhere, typically at a junior college. Through this Program, students complete their junior- and senior-year coursework at the USG educational center with the option to attend full- or part-time. Upon completion of this Program, students are awarded a University of Maryland, College Park B.A. degree.
Studying Criminology and Criminal Justice
Criminology and criminal justice encompasses the study of both the causes of, and responses to crime. It involves studying individual, group, and mass behavior, as well as the institutions, professions, and laws that exist to detect, control, and ameliorate the effects of crime. As a discipline, criminology and criminal justice is situated at the nexus of other social science disciplines such as sociology, psychology, and government, in addition to public policy and legal studies.
Through small class sizes and close contact with professors, students enjoy a rewarding and unique experience in this program. Coursework is complemented by the activities sponsored by CRIMSA, the Criminology and Criminal Justice Student Association. Also through CRIMSA, students cooperatively prepare for graduation and beyond, whether immediately beginning their careers or furthering their education at law or graduate school.
Program Curriculum
At USG, courses are offered in criminology and criminal justice as well as other subjects necessary to meet University of Maryland, College Park distribution and major requirements. Full-time students admitted as juniors complete five courses per semester and graduate after four semesters.
The 20 courses offered to each class in this program constitute the 60 upper-level credits of the 120 total credits required for graduation. Fourteen courses are taken in the major field of criminology and criminal justice. A complete list of possible CCJS courses is provided in the Schedule of Major Courses: Junior & Senior Years.
The remaining six courses are generally offered in the areas of English, government, psychology, and sociology. Full-time students take one or two non-major courses per semester.
For additional information about academic and program policies, please see the Guide for Current Students 2007-2008.
Class Schedules
Classes are scheduled during the day, Monday–Thursday. Up to 12 of the 60 credits required may be earned through a combination of criminology and criminal justice internships. Please see the class schedules below for specific information about current class offerings.
This program's academic calendar follows that of the University of Maryland, College Park, with regard to all holidays, vacation periods, and semester starting and ending dates.
Please see the current and previous schedules provided below for detailed information about classes offered in this Program:
Requirements for Admission
Applicants should attain junior standing (defined as 56 or more transferable college credits) by the time of enrollment. Also prior to enrollment, students should have substantially completed the required lower-level coursework described in the General Guide for Lower-Level Coursework.
- Applicants should have an overall GPA of 2.5 or better, and
- a grade of "C" or better in each of the four courses specifically required by the major.
Exceptions:
Students who do not meet either the GPA or credit-level requirement are admitted on a case-by-case basis. However, admission in such circumstances does not constitute a waiver of program requirements. Students will be required to complete or repeat any necessary lower-level coursework at either their previous institution or the University of Maryland, College Park.
Advising for Applicants:
In conjunction with submitting an application, prospective students are strongly encouraged to complete an applicant advising meeting. To set up an advising appointment, contact Dr. Stephanie Gerstenblith at sgerstenblith@crim.umd.edu or (301) 738-6307. Please bring an unofficial or official transcript(s) to this meeting.
Deadlines
Admissions occur on a rolling basis. Students who wish to begin studies in the Fall Semester should submit an application by June 1 for priority consideration. After June 1, qualified applicants are admitted on a space-available basis. Students who wish to begin studies in the Spring Semester should first inquire with the Program Director about mid-year enrollment, and apply by November 1.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Students enrolled in this program are charged the same full- or part-time tuition as students attending the University of Maryland, College Park, but some student fees are reduced. Financial aid is available to students enrolled in this program, and is administered through the University of Maryland, College Park.
MHEC Scholarship Search Engine
New Transfer Scholarship for Fall '06 -- Deadline 3/1/06
UMCP Maryland Transfer Advantage Program (MTAP)
Lejins Prize
Each year we recognize the student graduating with the highest overall GPA with the Lejins Prize - named after the founder of our department. The name of the person selected is engraved on a permanent display in our office on the College Park campus and the Lejins family trust gives the person selected a small honorarium
Contact Information
For further information about financial aid and application forms, please contact the Office of Student Services at 301-738-6023 or shadygrove@umd.edu.
For further information about this program or admission requirements, please contact Dr. Stephanie Gerstenblith, director of the program in Criminology and Criminal Justice, at 301-738-6307 or sgerstenblith@crim.umd.edu.
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