Criminology/Criminal Justice
www.ufv.ca/criminology

Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice) degree

A four-year, 124-credit program which provides for advanced study beyond the Criminal Justice diploma program. Specifically, the program prepares students for front-line jobs after two years, but it also provides them with the opportunity beyond that (within an additional two years of study) to acquire a liberal arts orientation and the research skills, knowledge base, and analytical ability necessary for graduate studies and advanced career opportunities in the criminal justice field. This program will be of interest to people already working in the criminal justice field who seek supervisory positions, and to those who ultimately seek careers in the areas of criminal investigation, national security, evaluation research, crime prevention, offender case management (including probation and parole), and criminal law.

Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice) degree with minor or extended minor in another discipline

Students who choose to combine their BA in Criminal Justice with a minor or extended minor in another discipline (e.g., Psychology, Sociology, History, Geography, English) must complete all the requirements of the BA in Criminal Justice and all the discipline requirements of the minor or extended minor. If you are interested in pursuing this option, contact the Arts Advice Centre to discuss your program plan.

Entrance requirements

All applicants must:
• Be willing to undergo an initial security clearance check and further checks as may be required in individual courses.
• Be willing to provide a statement from a physician as evidence of good health.
• Provide the complete names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three people (non-relatives) who will be willing to provide a comprehensive personal reference.
• Provide a neat and well written 300- to 500-word statement articulating your personal strengths and weaknesses and interest in criminal justice.
• Attend an orientation session in April during which criminal justice faculty present an overview of the options available and career opportunities in criminal justice. Students will be contacted regarding the orientation process.

Option 1: High school (for students with high school graduation only)

• B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent.
• A minimum C+ average in the following: English 12 and two other Grade 12 courses that offer a provincial exam (mandatory or optional).
• Prerequisite to or completion of CMNS 125, CMNS 155, or ENGL 105. Acceptance will be conditional upon proof of having met this entrance requirement. Applicants are encouraged to submit proof as soon as it is available and prior to registering.

Option 2: University entrance (for students who have attended some post-secondary school)

• Prerequisite to or completion of CMNS 125, CMNS 155, or ENGL 105. Acceptance will be conditional upon proof of having met this entrance requirement. Applicants are encouraged to submit proof as soon as it is available and prior to registering.

And one of the following:
• Completion of a minimum of 9 university-level credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all credits attempted; or
• Completion of a minimum of 30 university-level credits that may be applied to the Criminal Justice program with a program GPA of 2.2 or better on all credits attempted.

Students who do not meet these requirements might consider the Criminal Justice Studies program path.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall semester only. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

How to apply

1. Submit the application fee along with your UFV application for admission form to the Admissions and Records (A&R) office. Application forms are available from any A&R or Student Services office. You can also print an application form from our website at www.ufv.ca/ar, or you can apply directly through the internet at www.pas.bc.ca.

Additional documents required for a complete application:
• A 300- to 500- word statement articulating your personal strengths and weaknesses and interest in criminal justice.
• Official transcripts (or interim transcripts) from every post-secondary institution you have attended showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to UFV from the originating institution; see the Transfer Credit section for details.
• You must attend the orientation or make special arrangements with the program head to be eligible for admission to the program.

2. You will be advised of an admission decision and provided with registration information. A deposit is required when you register (see the Fees and Other Costs section). This money will be applied toward your tuition fees. Final payment of all course fees are due the end of the second week of classes.

3. In cases where interim transcripts are submitted, an admission decision may be made conditional upon completion of academic requirements. Proof of completion of entrance requirements is due the end of the first week in August.

Basis for admission decision

Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section. Books and additional supplies cost approximately $100 per course.

Dates and location

Full-time students are advised to register for the fall semester. Since many courses in the diploma, degree, and university-level options are sequential, students registering in January may be unable to take preliminary courses until the following September.

The normal university year is from September through April, with between 15 and 18 hours of classes required in each of the fall and winter semesters. Students enrolled in field practice in any semester (normally requiring two full days per week) would normally take 11 hours of classes. Occasionally, courses are challenged for credit, making it possible to complete the program more quickly. Mastery of course objectives must be demonstrated in order to successfully challenge a course.

Program requirements

To maintain their status as a program student, individuals with more than 15 credits must maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.0. Further, to maintain status as a degree program student, individuals registering for upper-level criminology courses must possess a CGPA of at least 2.0.

Academic Warning

A student who has a program GPA lower than 2.0 will be placed on Academic Warning. A student on Academic Warning may not register in a course overload.

Continuance in program

Students who do not maintain the required cumulative grade point average will be placed on Academic Warning for one semester. If you do not attain the required CGPA, you will be required to withdraw. Students who have been required to withdraw are not normally readmitted to the program.

Re-taking courses

The Criminology/Criminal Justice department does not approve challenge requests from students who are asking to re-take a Criminology course. These students must register in, and complete the requirements for, a regularly timetabled section of the course.

Auditing courses

Students wishing to audit a course in Criminology/Criminal Justice must request permission from the instructor no later than the end of the fourth week of classes. No changes from regular to audit status will be permitted after this date.

Prerequisites

A prerequisite is a requirement which must be met before a student enters a course or program. A P grade does not, unless stated otherwise, meet a prerequisite requirement. Students who do not have the stated prerequisite courses may not register in a course having these requirements without the permission of the instructor.

Transfer credit

At least 25 per cent of the course work must be completed at UFV. However, students must complete at least 50 percent of the upper-level Criminology credits required for the degree and minor and extended minor at UFV.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

You may be able to obtain credit for prior learning through evaluation of previous studies or learning through experience after you have completed 30 credits in the diploma program. Contact the department for further information.

Course withdrawal deadlines

Course withdrawal deadlines follow university policy.

Graduation

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all program requirements are met. This should be done by regular consultation with a Criminal Justice Advisor. A minimum program GPA of 2.0 is required to graduate.

Candidates who qualify to receive a UFV degree must be approved by the UFV Criminology/Criminal Justice department and the University College Council. Students must submit a Request for Graduation form to the UFV Admissions and Records office by April 1.

Program outline

Lower-level requirements

Semester I

Semester II

Semester III

Note: Students who have taken (the now discontinued) CRIM 260 course may use it instead of CRIM 265. CRIM 160 (now discontinued) may be used as a general elective.

Semester IV

Students wanting a Criminal Justice diploma must also complete CRIM 201, and one of CRIM 202 or CRIM 203. CRIM 201 and CRIM 202 cannot be taken concurrently.

Note: Students should plan their 100/200-level electives to ensure they will have the necessary prerequisites for the required 300/400-level non-criminology electives.

Upper-level requirements

Note: Students must have a minimum program GPA of 2.0 in order to continue into upper level.

Semester V

Semester VI

Semester VII

Note: The prerequisite for BUS 203 (BUS 100 or 102) will be waived for Criminal Justice degree reserved seats.

Semester VIII

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.