Prepare for a career in justice and criminology with a combined Honours Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Policing.
In the curriculum guide, you'll find:
Complete curriculum listings
Admission requirement details
Tuition & financial aid information
Privacy Policy
The information provided will be securely collected, stored and used by a third party on behalf of Wilfrid Laurier University. Your personal information will not be sold to any third party and will only be used to provide you with information regarding the Laurier Online programs or as provided for in Laurier’s Notice of Collection, Use and Disclosure. If you have questions about how your data is collected and used, please contact privacy@wlu.ca. By submitting, you agree to receive information regarding Laurier’s Online programs via calls and/or text messages to the telephone number you provided. You understand these calls may be generated using an automated technology, including by way of example, auto-dialer and click-to dial technologies. You may withdraw your consent at any time. Calls may be recorded for quality assurance and training purposes and data may be processed and stored in the United States and Israel.
Close
Convenient: complete coursework for your online criminology degree on your own schedule
Relevant: a criminology and policing degree that prepares you for a career in law enforcement, criminology and public safety
Focused: Graduate with a criminology degree online quickly and affordably by taking advantage of transfer credit options
Are you passionate about criminology, public safety, the court system, forensics, youth advocacy or social work? Do you seek a career in law enforcement? Our combined Honours BA in Criminology and Policing is an online criminology degree that prepares you for a career in criminology and justice with focused techniques and real-world experience.
Honours BA in Criminology and Policing Program Summary
Admissions Requirements
No prior experience in law enforcement is needed
Applicants must be permanent residents or citizens of Canada
High school transfers: a secondary school diploma from within Canada with at least a mid-70s average, including university-level English at 60% or higher
College transfers: 70% or higher overall average, with a minimum of 1 year completed in an academic college program
University transfers: 67% or higher overall average, with a minimum of six months of study completed
For high school, college, or university students with an international education background, all previous education must be assessed by World Education Services (WES)
After you apply, an admissions coordinator will evaluate your transcripts to provide an initial assessment. Your final assessment of transfer credits will be completed by the Admissions Committee once your file has been submitted for review.
Real world knowledge: Learn from professionals with experience in the field
Gain a broader view of public safety through a combined focus on criminology and policing
With three starts per year and applications accepted year-round, you don’t have to wait to begin advancing your education
Consists of a combination of core and elective courses that will complete the 20 credits degree requirement
Each course is 12 weeks long and can be taken at any pace to a maximum for three courses per term
By completing two to three courses per term, individuals can earn their degrees in three to four years
Why Choose Laurier’s Honours BA in Criminology and Policing?
100% online: coursework is accessible and convenient
No prior law enforcement experience needed: an online criminology degree that prepares or furthers your career in law enforcement or public safety
Real world knowledge: Learn from professionals with experience in the field
Gain a broader view of public safety through a combined focus on criminology and policing
With three starts per year and applications accepted year-round, you don’t have to wait to begin advancing your education
Hear more about the program from Professor Oliver Stoetzer:
Enrolment Advisor Support
Receive support from a dedicated Advisor, every step of the way
Hear From Our Students
Laurier Online students come from all around the country, with different backgrounds, but they share the same goal: getting a high-quality education with an established curriculum, taught by faculty who have worked in the field. Learn more from some of the students who have invested in their future.
Online BA in Criminology and Policing Program Curriculum
Below is a sample list of courses you will be required to complete for the online BA in Policing program:
This course introduces students to the discipline of criminology from both a historical and a contemporary perspective. Students will be introduced to classical and contemporary theorists in the field, as well as research methods and disciplinary debates, with a focus on both Canadian and global issues in criminology.
PD200: Police Psychology (0.5 credit)
This course will introduce students to the techniques used to measure and assess police personnel, and deepen their understanding of the on-the-job experiences that can affect the mental health of police personnel. Students will learn about intelligence and personality testing, the effects of experiencing trauma and compassion fatigue, the importance of stress management, self-care and fit-for-duty assessments.
CC/HS/PD312: Mental Health and Justice (0.5 credit)
Students will identify what constitutes a mental disorder and understand the prevalence of various mental illnesses in Canada. Students will focus on legal issues related to mental health including NCRMD and fitness to stand trial procedures, provincial mental health legislation, risk assessment and management techniques, violence risk and victimization, dangerousness and stigma, and criminal justice policy. Exclusion: PD303 six week Prerequisite: CC100 or CC102, Senior student status.
CC426/PD426: Qualitative Methodologies in Criminology (0.5 credit)
This course examines qualitative research methodologies in Criminology. It is designed to introduce students to epistemological issues that distinguish qualitative from quantitative methodologies and to provide an overview of dimensions of qualitative research methodologies, including research ethics, grounded theorizing, sampling, data collection techniques, and qualitative analysis. The course will assist in the development of the necessary critical thinking skills for critiquing and evaluating existing research on crime and deviance. Topics may include interviews, participant observation, interpretive research, ethnomethodology, historical research, discourse analysis, and feminist methodologies. Prerequisite: CC100 and OL/CC/HS233 or PS295 and Year four status in Criminology or Policing.
CC210: Psychology of Crime (0.5 credit)
This course will explore sources of individual variation in criminal conduct from a psychological perspective. Students will be introduced to classic biological, developmental, cognitive, and psychiatric explanations of criminal behaviour. Course topics will focus on associations between criminality and genetics, brain functioning, psychophysiology, mental disorders, personality and moral development, and social learning. Prerequisite: CC100.
Career Outlook with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminology
The online combined BA in Criminology and Policing gives you a broader educational base to succeed in jobs related to crime, justice, and criminology. The program enables you to focus on specific areas of interest through curriculum electives.
Below are answers to frequently asked questions about Wilfrid Laurier University Combined Honours BA in Criminology and Policing online programs. To speak with an enrolment advisor who can help answer questions by email, email us at MCSadvising@wlu.ca.
What are the admissions requirements for the Combined Honours BA in Criminology/Policing?
No prior experience in law enforcement is needed
Applicants must be permanent residents or citizens of Canada
High school transfers: a secondary school diploma from within Canada with at least a mid-70s average, including university-level English at 60% or higher
College transfers: 70% or higher overall average, with a minimum of 1 year completed in an academic college program
University transfers: 67% or higher overall average, with a minimum of six months of study completed
For high school, college, or university students with an international education background, all previous education must be assessed by World Education Services
After you apply, an admissions coordinator will evaluate your transcripts to provide an initial assessment. Your final assessment of transfer credits will be completed by the Admissions Committee once your file has been submitted for review.
Is the degree in criminology earned online the same as a criminology degree earned on campus?
Yes, our degrees earned on campus or online are identical
While the on-campus and online criminology programs share courses and instructors, the online criminology program is combined with Policing. This means the online BA in Criminology and Policing has slightly different course requirements.
What will appear on the degree or transcript?
The online degree and transcript will appear as “Combined Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Policing”, with no mention of the online delivery mode.
How long does it take to complete the Combined Honours BA in Criminology and Policing degree?
The length of time required for completion of this Honours degree is dependent on whether a student is granted any transfer credits from previous post-secondary studies, and the chosen workload each semester. The 20 credit degree includes 12 credits of required Policing and Criminology courses. Enrolment in up to three 0.5 credit courses per term is possible, including electives. Twelve-week terms begin in Fall, Winter and Spring.
Further reading on our Criminology and Policing programs