Undergraduate Major in Criminology

[Declaring a Criminology Major / Course Requirements ]

Welcome to the University of Pennsylvania's Undergraduate Program in Criminology!
Under the direction of John M. MacDonald, the Penn Criminology Major offers students a unique education in crime and criminal justice policy. Students in the Criminology Undergraduate program will gain a broad understanding of the socio-political context of crime and the bio-psychological analysis of violent and anti-social behavior. Every major will be required to work on a faculty research project and complete a Senior Thesis.
Undergraduate Major Penn offers the only undergraduate major in criminology at an Ivy League university. Majors are exposed to a diverse liberal arts education that is closely linked to allied social sciences. A research-focused undergraduate major exposes students to the scientific study of the causes and prevention of criminal behavior, informed by normative, legal and philosophical perspectives on scientifically established facts. The undergraduate course offerings in criminology are interdisciplinary and expose students to an expanding body of applied science that has practical importance , including becoming knowledge on functional aspects of controlling crime, the structure of the courts, and the evidentiary basis for public policy decisions in crime control. Students develop keen insights on both the theory and research of crime and its consequences.  Undergraduates are exposed to quantitative work in criminology including: cost-benefit analysis, controlled experiments, social network analysis, crime mapping and social area analysis, and other ways of thinking numerically about the patterns of crime, theoretical explanations, and appropriate social policy responses. Students majoring in criminology develop their own independent research project.  The undergraduate program is quantitatively oriented and students collect and analyze data for their senior thesis.
The Science of Criminology Research in criminology is largely conducted through quantitative tests of hypotheses derived from formal theories. These approaches include: Randomized field trials of the effects of punishment and prevention programs Quasi-experimental tests of the effects of public policy on crime Spatial and temporal analysis of the concentrations of crime events and rates Studies of criminal behavior over the life course that collect social, psychological, and biological data The World’s leading scientific publication Science Magazine has published a number of research articles in criminology on subjects as varied as public policy responses to crime, neuroscience, and violence. Some examples of articles published include: Race and Imprisonment Decisions in California Stephen Klein, Joan Petersilia, Susan Turner Science , New Series, Vol. 247, No. 4944. ( Feb. 16, 1990 ), pp. 812-816. Neighborhoods and Violent Crime: A Multilevel Study of Collective Efficacy Robert J. Sampson, Stephen W. Raudenbush, and Felton Earls Science, Vol. 277 ( August 15, 1997 ), pp. 918-924. Interpreting Dutch Cannabis Policy: Reasoning by Analogy in the Legalization Debate Robert MacCoun, and Peter Reuter October 3, 1997 Science 278: 47-52 ( Articles). Regulating Firearms as a Consumer Product Susan B. Sorenson* November 19, 1999 Science 286: 1481-1482 (Policy Forum). *Faculty member at Penn in Criminology Role of Genotype in the Cycle of Violence in Maltreated Children Avshalom Caspi, Joseph McClay, Terrie E. Moffitt, J Jonathan Mill, Judy Martin, Ian W. Craig, Alan Taylor, and Richie Poulton Science 2002 August 2; 297: 851-854 (in Reports)
Criminology Affects Everyday Life University-generated research in criminology affects everyday practice. Some examples of research pioneered by faculty at Penn affecting public policy include: Place matters - Research indicating that less than 5% of street addresses produce over half of police service calls, indicating that crime is clustered in geographic “hot spots.” Police departments around the country now use this information to more efficiently allocate resources. Neuroscience - Research showing that those with aggressive antisocial personalities have poorer functioning in the prefrontal cortex of the brain – evidenced by a reduction in neurons – and that malnutrition during childhood is a risk factor. This body of research evidence is being used to promote early childhood prevention programs that focus on maternal health during pregnancy and shortly after birth, and emphasize better nutrition for children at risk for becoming offenders later in life. Chronic offending and prediction - Research indicating that a relatively small fraction of chronic offenders (6-10%) are responsible for over half of all serious felonies. The evidence on chronic offenders has lead to the use of data mining approaches from the statistical sciences for forecasting future homicide offenders and victims among those assigned to probation and parole. Intimate Partner Violence - Women in the U.S. are more than twice as likely to be shot and killed by a male intimate than killed in any other way (e.g., shot, stabbed, etc.) by a stranger. This research has lead to increasing recognition that enforcement prohibitions on firearm purchase and possession among persons previously convicted or under restraining orders for domestic violence is vital for reducing homicides of women. Ideas developed and tested through applied social and biological science research in criminology hold the potential to revolutionize crime prevention, increase human rights, and improve the efficiency and efficacy of systems of justice! References: Berk, R.A., Sherman, L.W., Barnes, G., Kurtz, E., and Ahlman, L. (2008). “Forecasting Murder within a Population of Probationers and Parolees: A High Stakes Application of Statistical Learning.” Journal of the Royal Statistical Society (Series A). Raine, A. (2002). The biological basis of crime. In J.Q. Wilson and J. Petersilia (Eds.), Crime: Public Policies For Crime Control (pp. 43-74). San Francisco : ICS Press. Sherman, L. W., Gartin, P. R., and Buerger, M. E. (1989). "Hot Spots of Predatory Crime: Routine Activities and the Criminology of Place." Criminology, 27, 27-55. Vittes, K. A., and Sorenson, S. B. (2008). “ Keeping Guns Out of the Hands of Abusers: Handgun Purchases and Restraining Orders.” American Journal of Public Health, 98, 828-831. Wolfgang, M., Figlio, R. M., and Sellin, T. (1972). Delinquency in a Birth Cohort. Chicago : University of Chicago press.
The Demand for Criminology and Post-Graduate Opportunities The expanding science of criminology informs the widespread demand for greater understanding of crime, crime prevention and justice—social behaviors which consume at least ten percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) each year (Anderson, 1999). Cities, states, and governments across the World are seeking knowledge on how to use criminological research to guide crime prevention strategies. There are a variety of post-graduate career and educational opportunities students can pursue with a major in criminology including: Policy analysts at federal, local, and state government agencies Research analysts at non-governmental research firms and foundations Business and management consulting Intelligence analysts and agents in national security agencies Law school Graduate educations in criminology or other allied social sciences Reference: Anderson, David A. 1999. "The Aggregate Burden of Crime," Journal of Law and Economics, 42, 611-642. See also Undergrad Intership Opportunities
Declaring a Criminology major is easy, just use the following guidelines: See your College academic advisor to create an official worksheet on Penn in Touch Make an appointment with the Undergraduate Chair John MacDonald by emailing Janel McCaffrey at janelm@sas.upenn.edu or stopping by Criminology at 483 McNeil Building. We’ll be happy to talk to you about the major. If you decide to declare, we will also help you choose a Faculty Advisor. Early in the senior year, meet with your Faculty Advisor to make sure you have taken all the Criminology courses and fulfilled the other requirements of the major. Course Requirements: 14 Credit Units: 8 Criminology Courses, 6 Cross-departmental Courses Criminology Courses (All required, or substitutes indicated) Fall 2009 Criminology Course Timetable 2009-2010 Criminology Course Register (Course descriptions) CRIM 100 - Criminology CRIM 200 - Criminal Justice CRIM 350 - Quantitative Analysis CRIM 360 - Crime and Human Development (or PSYC 180 - Developmental Psychology) CRIM 370 - Biosocial criminology CRIM 380 - Ecological Criminology (or SOCI 140 - Sociology of Conflict) CRIM 410-412 - One 400-level Research Seminar in Criminology CRIM 450 - Senior Research Thesis Socio-Political Context of Crime Fall 2009 Course Timetable 2009-2010 Course Register (Course descriptions) SOCI 03 - Deviance and Social Control (Required) and any two of the following: CLST 130 - Ancient and Modern Prison Narratives CRIM-415  Fatal Violence in the United States ENGL 16 - Discipline and Punish: Crime and Criminality in Early America HIST 168 - History of American Law to 1877 HIST 169 - History of American Law since 1877 HIST 352 - Legal History: English Fundamentals PHIL 077 - Philosophy of Law PHIL 277 - Justice, Law and Morality PHIL 278 - Comparative Law PSCI 130 - Introduction to American Politics PSCI 171 - American Constitutional Law SOCI 125 - Classical Sociological Theory SOCI 135 - Law and Society SOCI 140 - Sociology of Conflict Bio-Psychological Analysis Fall 2009 Course Timetable 2009-2010 Course Register (Course descriptions) Any three of the following: BIBB 109 - Intro to Brain and Behavior PSYC 001 - Intro to Psychology PSYC 162 - Abnormal Psychology PSYC 160 - Personality PSYC 125 - Drugs, Brain and Mind PSYC 149 - Cognitive Neuroscience PSYC 170 - Social Psychology PSYC 180 - Developmental Psychology
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