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Criminology

Criminology majors study crime and its causes, and assess social policies and programs designed to address it.

These are complex issues, but we make sure you have the criminology expertise and broad range of learning opportunities to prepare you to make essential contributions to the field and to society.

Our criminology courses balance theory with practice - classes like Policing in American Society and Criminalization of Mental Illness will encourage you to think critically while providing a historical background. Your coursework will provide a comprehensive understanding of the social causes of crime and insights into our criminal justice system.

Top Reasons

Learning from Field Experts

Your professors will not only share with you the insights they’ve gained from their many years of scholarship and practical experience, but they will also connect you with practitioners in the field. You’ll have the chance to hear from representatives from the Secret Service, DEA, and U.S. Marshals Service.

Collaborative Research

We offer plenty of collaborative criminology research opportunities with faculty. Through classes such as Judicial Processes, Methods of Social Research, and Criminalization of Mental Illness, your coursework covers all aspects of the field.

Practical Experience

Our students are passionate about what they do and whether it’s through classroom activities or campus clubs and organizations, they are gaining real-world experience as early as their first year. You’ll have the opportunity to go on ride-alongs with local law enforcement agents, getting firsthand experience so that you can better understand what is involved in patrol work.

Research Opportunities

Through our Research Methods course, professors will run you through the scientific method for criminology where you will investigate a topic of interest. Students also get to present their project results in a department poster session at the end of each term. Oftentimes, students also take that knowledge and publish their findings in prestigious publications.

Meet Our Mocs

Lucas Blackwell
Madison Wristen
Sierra Laatsch

Criminology Research and Student Travel

students under a tiki hut
Criminology students in the First-Year Experience Learning Community traveled to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum in Clewiston, Florida. At this museum, students learned about the Seminole Indian Tribe and how race, ethnic group, and culture can influence interactions and outcomes within the criminal justice system.
students kneeling for a photo in the netherlands
The Criminology Department hosted a Junior Journey to The Netherlands and Brussels. FSC students are pictured in front of the town gates in Bruges, Brussels.
students presenting their research
Criminology students in CRM 4420: Research Methods, present their project results in a department poster session at the end of each term.
students presenting their research
FSC Criminology majors present their research at the Southwestern Social Science Association’s (SSSA) annual meeting. The SSSA is the longest-running social science conference in the United States.
Lisa Carter, Ph.D.

Featured Faculty

Lisa Carter

I find few things more rewarding than being afforded the opportunity to generate thoughts in my students about complex issues and share my knowledge and experiences with those eager to learn. My goal is to illuminate a path that my students will be able to follow during their college career, and afterwards, when they enter the workforce. Along this path I hope my students will encounter and collect the following attributes: knowledge, enthusiasm, guidance, and critical thought.

Program Details

AVAILABLE IN:

BA

BS

Minor

Admission Requirements

First-Years

All freshman applicants to Florida Southern Colleges full-time degree programs must submit the following information:

Transfers

Applying to Florida Southern as a transfer student is easy.

If transferring less than 24 credits, we also need your:

  • Official high school transcript
  • SAT and/or ACT scores

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Internationals

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Program Contact

Office of Admissions Office of Admissions

France Admissions Center

 863.680.4131

Lisa Carter Lisa Carter, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Criminology

Ordway - 156

 863.680.4307

 863.680.3866