SOCIOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY AND CRIMINOLOGY
THE MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN CRIMINOLOGY
Admission Requirements
For admission to the Criminology MA, applications must hold an Honours (4 year) Degree in Criminology, Sociology, or related field from a recognized university.
The admission criteria are as follows:
1) A minimum average of 70%;
2) Strong recommendations based on faculty observations of academic performance demonstrating clear commitment to, and understanding of, criminological concerns, or strong recommendations from a community professionals’ observations of work experience or community involvement in areas relevant to criminology;
3) Consideration of the applicant’s background preparation:
a) Applicants with an honours degree in Criminology or a related field may be admitted into the candidate year of the M.A. program provided they have an adequate background in criminological and sociological theory and social science methodology. Students not having a sufficient background in statistics and/or social/criminological theory may be required to take 02-250 and 48-308 and/or 48-202 and 48-302 or 48-466. An overall 70% average must be maintained.
b) Applicants with a three-year degree in Criminology, transferring into Criminology from another discipline, or those with insufficient preparatory background may be required to take up to ten additional courses before proceeding into the candidate year. These may include: 48-210 or 48-310; 48-466; one course from 48-403, 48-404, 48-405, 48-406, 48-408 or 48-415 and six other courses at the 300 or 400 level, two of which may be outside the program. An overall 70% average must be maintained.
c) Students not having a sufficient background in statistics and/or social theory may be required to take 02-250 and 48-308 and/or 48-202 and 48-302. An overall 70% average must be maintained.
4) Full-time registered students admitted to the programme must normally complete all requirements for the Criminology MA within 24 months from commencement of study. During the end of the first year of registration, all graduate students are required to complete a progress report detailing the achievements of the previous year and the objectives for the next year. At this time, students in the Criminology MA will be required to declare a title and provide an abstract for their thesis as well as to list the members of their supervisory committee. Permission to continue to register in the program depends on a satisfactory report.
Program Curriculum Structure
The graduate course offerings and proposed graduate Criminology course offerings, and related graduate courses from other areas within the Department of Sociology and Anthropology will complement the research focus of the core faculty in the area of criminology. The Criminology MA requires the completion of coursework and the completion of an MA thesis.
Program Requirements
The program requirements are as follows:
1. Course requirements: Satisfactory completion of 5 graduate courses plus the thesis.
Total courses: Five (5) 500-level graduate courses, plus the thesis.
Major Requirements:
48-566 Contemporary Criminological Theory;
48-505 or 48-506 (Qualitative or Quantitative Research Methods);
Two of (48-561, 48-562, 48-567, 48-568,or 48-565);
48-590 (Directed Readings: Development of the Thesis Proposal);
48-797. MA Thesis
The minimum passing grade in a graduate course is 70%. A student who fails to achieve a grade of 70% in a graduate course may repeat the course once (scheduling considerations may require the Graduate Committee to substitute an alternative course). If a student fails to achieve a grade of 70% in their second attempt, or fails to achieve a grade of 70% in two courses, a recommendation will normally be made to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research that the student be required to withdraw from the program. Students are required to achieve an overall 70% average in all five courses. Students have the option of taking one graduate course outside the Criminology program. Permission may be required from the department or program offering the course. Advance permission from the departmental Graduate Committee is required in order to take courses outside the Criminology program.
2. Satisfactory progress in research within each review period: The graduate committee in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology will conduct a periodic review, to establish that the candidate is making adequate progress.
3. The Proposal: Normally within the first year of the program, the student will present in the form of a seminar an outline of their proposed thesis research. This will be presented to the MA committee who must approve, with or without modifications, or reject the proposal. The proposal will be assigned a letter grade.
4. The Thesis: Normally completed within the second year of the program, the student will present their main research findings in the form of a seminar. This will be presented to the MA committee who must approve, with or without modifications, or reject the thesis. Graduate students in the Criminology MA will work on specific thesis topics within the scope of the Criminology program area. Their program of studies will be formulated in consultation with their graduate advisor(s) and approved by the thesis supervisor, who must be from Criminology.
SOCIOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY AND CRIMINOLOGY: COURSES