Overview

Criminology is the sociology-based study of crime and the criminal justice system. Through the criminology and criminal justice studies major, students learn about the dimensions of the crime problem, explanations of the prevalence of various types of crime, and the various agencies and programs designed to prevent and control crime and delinquency. These agencies and programs include the police, courts, probation and parole systems, and correctional institutions. Attention also is given to such issues as youth and crime, women and crime, and the place of control agencies in the larger societal context.

As a social science/liberal arts field, criminology provides majors with a variety of techniques for examining and responding to important questions about the causes and consequences of crime and the workings of the criminal justice system.

Program objectives

Students in the criminology and criminal justice studies program will:

develop comprehensive knowledge of the criminology and criminal justice studies discipline;
understand criminological and sociological theories and concepts;
apply research methods and statistical analysis to questions about the causes and consequences of crime and the workings of the criminal justice system;

prepare for employment or graduate school through a series of academic and experiential learning opportunities.

Possible careers

An Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies program from The Ohio State University provides an excellent liberal arts foundation, and graduates are able to apply their skills and knowledge across a wide variety of occupations and professions and for graduate or professional education. Some graduates enter directly into the labor force in law enforcement, delinquency prevention and control services, crime prevention, corrections, probation or parole, criminal justice administration, and research. Like other social science majors, undergraduate criminology majors also are employed in non-crime-related sectors: health and social services (in substance abuse and rehabilitation counseling); community work (in child welfare agencies); and federal, state and local government (in urban planning and housing).

Graduate degrees lead to teaching and/or research positions in universities or colleges, governmental agencies, business and industrial firms, research institutes in the nonprofit sector, or self-employment and consulting

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Criminology
Research Methods of Sociology
Sociological Theory and Sociology
Statistics in Sociology
Electives
Sociology

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-11 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-01 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-11-01 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-08-24 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Columbus, United States
Marion, United States
Mansfield, United States

Disciplines

Criminal Law Criminology Criminal Justice View 127 other Bachelors in Criminal Law in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

Required

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Successful completion of university preparatory courses

High school performance (class rank or GPA), including participation in accelerated programs like Honors, AP and IB; Ohio State does not have minimum requirements for class rank or GPA

Standardized test score (ACT or SAT); Ohio State does not have minimum requirements for ACT or SAT scores

Ability and desire to contribute to and engage with a diverse campus community

Experiences that demonstrate leadership or engaged involvement(e.g., co-curricular activities, work experiences or military service)

Status as a first-generation university student

High school performance if adversely affected by physical, mental or learning environment factors

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

45526 USD / year

≈ 45526 USD / year
Out-of-State

42423 USD / year

≈ 42423 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

13641 USD / year

≈ 13641 USD / year

Living costs

Columbus

United States

940 - 1520 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Possible careers

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Columbus

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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