The sociology program at Dominican University offers two separate majors in sociology and criminology. These specializations: social analysis, social services and gerontology. These specializations are designed to underscore the centrality of race, class, gender, age and culture in the social organization of human behavior. The criminology major is oriented toward the social scientific study of crime, law and deviance. Both majors provide solid training for a variety of professional careers.

Either the sociology or criminology major would be appropriate for those interested in pre-law studies, because it is essential for tomorrow’s lawyers and paralegal professionals to become fully aware of the complex social forces that shape the legal order. From issues of discrimination and civil rights to the study of crime and deviance, social problems and the foundations of modern business, the study of sociology or criminology can be a vital prelude to graduate or law school or to a rewarding career in a variety of professional endeavors. Both majors require 36 semester hours chosen in consultation with a departmental adviser.

Criminology

Criminology is a specialized sub-field of sociology that focuses on the scientific study of state, law and crime. By examining a broad range of social activities from the social psychology of child deviance to the globalized networks of organized crime, criminology strives toward a greater understanding of patterned deviance and its relationship to structural factors such as social inequality and the legal order. As a social scientific enterprise, criminology informs the fields of social justice studies, legal studies and criminal justice, ultimately finding its use not only in the practical work of social control agencies but also in a variety of communitybased institutions organized to protect our civil and human rights.