Criminology

Description

Our program provides students with foundational knowledge about criminology and the workings of the Criminal Justice System, and offers in depth knowledge in the following streams:

• Carceral studies: Students analyse coercive institutions and practices that generate harm as well as their impact on marginalized populations. It also explores the forms of resistance and prevention aimed at minimizing the use and impact of carceral control and considers alternative ways of addressing crime.
• Crimes of the powerful: Students examine harm produced by and in collusion with government institutions, corporations, other economic actors and political elites. Students also explore forms of resistance and social justice initiatives aimed at countering power-based harm.
• Culture and crime: Students reflect on the wider social and cultural context shaping harm, criminalization and victimization, as well as the cultural creations and practices related to the social construction and contestation of the notions of crime and justice.
• Intervention and social action: Students analyse the impact of criminological intervention on criminalized and marginalized populations as well as the scope and impact of social action and advocacy to effect social change. This stream also explores alternative ways of addressing social harm in practice.

During their fourth year, students explore topics of interest in greater depth through three different options: the traditional course format, field placements or research.

General admission requirements

Program highlights

• The Department of Criminology is one of the largest in the world with professors specializing in many fields of criminology both nationally and internationally.
• Our program’s research option is unique in Canada. During their fourth year, students who choose the research option will participate in four seminars on very different themes offered by professors conducting research in the area of study. In each seminar, students conduct original research under the professor’s supervision.

Ordre des criminologues du Québec: Quebec now has a professional order of criminologists. Students registered in the field placement option of the Honours BSocSc in Criminology and the Joint Honours BSocSc in Criminology and Women’s Studies at the University of Ottawa can obtain a permit to practice if they meet specific conditions. Other sectors of the profession may eventually require membership. Criminology graduates who also complete a 12-unit placement as part of their degree program (9 units for the placement and 3 units for field placement seminar) will be eligible for licensing.

Testimonials

“I joined my program because I wanted to provide a voice to the voiceless, and it was better than I imagined. I was able to explore advocacy as a representative of my students association, in doing an internship to Malawi, volunteering for the Coalition of Women Living with HIV and AIDS. I was able to test theories in my field placement at the Collaborative justice program and through the undergraduate research opportunity.”

Sidra Hashmi, graduate

“We teach our students alternative ways of thinking about the harms we’ve come to call “crime”. By pursuing a criminology degree, you develop the skills needed to engage critically, and more responsibly, in a sector where your decisions have a tremendous impact on the most marginalized members of our society.”

Justin Piché, professor

Discover more testimonials (Department of Criminology)