Criminology (CRIM)
CRIM 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3 Hours
Survey of criminal justice systems, including police, courts and corrections. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code E-SB | SB
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; winter 2023; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 199 College & Careers in Criminology & Sociology 1 Hour
An orientation to academic life within Criminology & Sociology at WKU, as well as career planning and preparation. Students are introduced to information and skills essential to success as a criminology or sociology major. Throughout the course, students develop their own career paths by employing job search strategies and refining artifacts such as a resume/cv, ePortfolio, and cover letter.
Equivalent(s): SOCL 199
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 222 Introduction to Crime Mapping 3 Hours
This course introduces theoretical and methodological content related to the study of spatial crime concentration in urban environments. Note: Students will need to have consistent access to a computer with a Windows operating system.
Prerequisite(s): CRIM 101 (may be taken concurrently)
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
CRIM 232 Introduction to Law Enforcement 3 Hours
An introduction to policing-including the history of law enforcement, the police and the criminal justice system, principles of law enforcement, and professional issues in law enforcement.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 233 Alternatives to Confinement 3 Hours
An examination of community treatment options in the correctional process with emphasis on contemporary probation and parole practices for adult offenders. Diversion, halfway houses, drug and alcohol treatment, restitution, house arrest, community service, and new community-based programs for women will be discussed.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2022; fall 2023; fall 2024
CRIM 234 Crime and Popular Culture 3 Hours
Course examines depictions of crime and justice in popular culture and its influence on public perceptions of crime and the criminal justice system.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; spring 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 238 Victimology & Victim Advocacy 3 Hours
Survey of the major theories and research in victimology. Topics include violent victimization, sexual assault, child abuse, and response of criminal justice system to victims—including the unique occupational field of victim advocacy.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 330 Criminology 3 Hours
Survey of crime in the United States, focusing on theoretical explanations of crime causation, crime classification, and measurement.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; winter 2023; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 332 Juvenile Delinquency 3 Hours
An examination of the socio-legal aspects of delinquency, including a critical analysis of trends and contemporary treatment modes. Field trips required.
Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2022; spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 339 Experiential Learning in Criminology 3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
Practical experience in service learning or community-based learning alongside a group of enrolled students and mentored by program faculty. May be repeated once for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
CRIM 340 Criminal Courts and Sentencing 3 Hours
This course is intended to provide students with an introduction to American criminal courts and sentencing, including how criminal courts operate, who the important actors are, and how theory and empirical research inform sentencing approaches.
Prerequisite(s): CRIM 101
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
CRIM 346 Special Topics in Criminology 3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
Survey of topics, issues, and developments in the discipline of criminology and criminal justice. Course may be repeated with a different topic.
Prerequisite(s): CRIM 101
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2024
CRIM 361 Race, Class, and Crime 3 Hours
Course examines how race, ethnicity, and social class pose differential risks for offending, victimization, and disparate processing by the criminal justice system. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC
Prerequisite(s): (SOCL 100 or CRIM 101) and 21 hours of Foundations and Explorations Courses, or junior status
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; spring 2023; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 370 Issues in Policing 3 Hours
This course acts as a critical appraisal and exploration of the history, role, and research on the police, particularly in the United States. As the gatekeepers to the criminal justice system, police are afforded a great deal of discretion, and it is this discretion which is often at the heart of debate and research into the police in contemporary society. While this course is concerned with providing an even-handed account of policing in the United States, we will explore many controversial issues including the discretionary use (and abuse) of police authority, especially those factors which may relate to or signify bias in police decision-making, and the ways in which police may be held accountable by the public.
Prerequisite(s): CRIM 101
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2023; fall 2024
CRIM 380 Punishment and Society 3 Hours
This upper-level course explores the evolution and philosophy of correctional practices from early to contemporary times. Initially, the course examines the role of prisons and other penal practices in historical context focusing on American corrections. Next, the course provides a comprehensive review of the issues in modern American corrections. The goal of this course is to stimulate evidence-based thinking about correctional policies and practices.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 430 Comparative Systems of Juvenile Justice 3 Hours
The comparative study of juvenile justice systems, focusing on the varying local, state, regional, or societal structures which influence these systems. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SY
Prerequisite(s): 21 hours of Foundations and Explorations Courses, or junior status
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; summer 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; summer 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 432 Sociology of Criminal Law 3 Hours
An examination of the sociological research and theory focusing on social structural factors affecting the creation of criminal codes, the enforcement of criminal law and the imposition of penal sanctions. Note: 6 hours of CRIM are required prior to enrollment in course.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; summer 2022; winter 2023; summer 2024
CRIM 434 Organized Crime 3 Hours
The study of both traditional and nontraditional organized crime from a sociological perspective. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-LG
Prerequisite(s): 21 hours of Foundations and Explorations Courses, or junior status
Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2022; fall 2022; summer 2023; fall 2023; winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 437 The Death Penalty in America 3 Hours
Course examines the death penalty in relation to public policy, legal, historical, and ethical issues, as well as arguments for and against its use. Note: 6 hours of CRIM or 6 hours of SOCL courses are required prior to enrollment in course.
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
CRIM 439 Internship in Criminology 1-6 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
Internships are unique experiential learning opportunities. Once placed with a community partner, the student works toward an enhanced understanding of prior coursework through practical experience in a supervised work situation. Note: Course pass required.
Prerequisite(s): (SOCL 300 or SOCL 302)
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior, Freshman, Junior or Sophomore may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 440 Police Interrogations and False Confessions 3 Hours
Overview of police interrogations and factors contributing to false confessions. Topics include how false confessions can occur, the factors that contribute to them, and both the potential long term consequences of a false confession and policies to prevent or remediate them.
Prerequisite(s): CRIM 101 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2022; fall 2023; fall 2024
CRIM 446 Gender, Crime, and Justice 3 Hours
Explores how gender shapes reactions toward victims, offenders, and professionals working in the juvenile and criminal justice systems.
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior, Freshman or Sophomore may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023
CRIM 447 Life-Course Criminology 3 Hours
Survey of the theoretical and empirical research examining the onset, escalation, persistence, and desistance of crime and offending patterns over the human life-course.
Prerequisite(s): CRIM 330
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
CRIM 448 International Justice and Crime 3 Hours
Comparative survey of crime, national criminal justice systems, and international and transnational criminal justice.
Prerequisite(s): CRIM 330
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
CRIM 451 White-Collar Crime 3 Hours
An overview of the definitions, history, nature and extent of white-collar crime as well as theories and explanations that address its causes, correlates, and efforts at control.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024
CRIM 456 Homicide and Serial Homicide 3 Hours
Examination of empirical research pertaining to single and multiple victim homicide, including subtypes, theoretical explanations, victimology, and offender behavior.
Prerequisite(s): (CRIM 101 or CRIM 231 or SOCL 231) and CRIM 330
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; spring 2023; spring 2024
CRIM 489 Criminology Study Abroad 1-6 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
Study of comparative criminology, criminal justice systems and topics in international locations.
Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor
Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2022; summer 2022; winter 2024
CRIM 495 Directed Study in Criminology 1-3 Hours (repeatable max of 3 hrs)
Individual and intensive reading and research in a specific area of criminology in close cooperation with supervising faculty. Course pass required.
Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Freshman or Sophomore may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023
CRIM 496 Directed Study in Criminology 1-3 Hours (repeatable max of 3 hrs)
Individual and intensive reading and research in a specific area of criminology in close cooperation with supervising faculty. Course pass required.
Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Freshman or Sophomore may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
CRIM 499 Senior Seminar 1 Hour
This course integrates fundamental concepts, theories, research methods, and substantive subject areas learned during the study of criminology. This course serves as the capstone course for the criminology major.
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Freshman, Junior or Sophomore may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2022; fall 2022; spring 2023; fall 2023; spring 2024; fall 2024