TO:
Dr. Carol Pilgrim, CAS
FROM:
Randy LaGrange, Sociology and Criminology
DATE:
December 17, 2008
RE:
Proposed Curriculum Changes
The Department of Sociology and Criminology is seeking approval from the College of
Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee for several changes to our
Criminology/Criminal Justice program. Last year the department received approval for a
major overhaul of the BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Those changes are now
fully in place. The curriculum changes being submitted at this time are intended to
strengthen the program even more.
Request #1: New Minor in Criminology
The Department of Sociology and Criminology seeks approval of a new Minor in
Criminology. The minor would require 21 hours of Criminology courses (please see
“Criminology Minor Requirements” – appended).
Rationale: The department has wanted to offer a minor in criminology for many
years but has been unable to do so. The combination of heavy student demand and
too few criminology faculty members created pressure to cover the basic courses
for existing majors. Additional faculty hires in recent years plus the curriculum
changes made last year have provided our program with sufficient resources to
offer both a major and minor in Criminology.
Request #2: Change degree name to: BA in Criminology
The current degree name is a “BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice.” We are
seeking approval to simplify the degree name by dropping the reference to Criminal
Justice. We plan to continue offering two options under the BA in Criminology: the
(general) Criminology Option and the (applied) Criminal Justice Option.
Rationale: The proposed name change to BA in Criminology is a more accurate
reflection of our curriculum and faculty expertise. The academic study of
criminology is theoretically broad and methodologically sophisticated.
Criminology actually subsumes the more applied field of criminal justice. We
believe the name change will mesh well with our attempts to elevate the
academic rigor of the program.
Page 2
Request #3: Increase the GPA Requirements for the Major and (Proposed) Minor
The program requests approval of the following GPA requirement: “A grade of
“C” or better is required in CRM 105, and no more than one course with a grade of “D”
may count toward the requirements for the major [or minor] in criminology. An overall
grade point average of 2.0 or better is required among courses used to satisfy the major
[and minor].”
Rationale: Currently the program requires an overall GPA of “C” (2.0) or better
in courses used to satisfy the major. This means in effect that a student could have
received a number of “below average” grades in required courses yet still satisfy
the GPA requirement if they had offsetting “A” or “B” grades. The intent of the
proposed GPA change is to increase the academic standards of the program.
Materials Included:
1. Cover Letter
2. Minor in Criminology: Student Check-Off Form
3. Course Action Forms
a. Establish New Minor in Criminology
b. Change Name of Major
c. Increase GPA Requirement
4. University Curriculum Committee Forms
a. Establish New Minor in Criminology
b. Change Name of Major