Education

what is a criminologist? 

As a criminologist, you conduct research to determine what causes individuals to commit crimes and the effects those illegal activities have on the perpetrators, victims and society. You will use the results of your research to formulate theories about crime prevention and proper methods of criminal rehabilitation. This field is interdisciplinary, combining criminal justice, sociology and psychology to develop an understanding of human behavior and to use that knowledge to analyze, predict and prevent conditions leading to criminal acts. 

What type of education do you need?

People interested in becoming criminologists usually pursue a minimum of a master's degree in the field. You could start with a baccalaureate degree in criminology, psychology or sociology. Criminologists also need to understand laws and law enforcement procedures, so you may take criminal justice courses, as well. Many programs incorporate internships to provide related work experience. Graduate programs emphasize experiment design and results analysis, so you are likely to take courses in research methods and statistics. Those who are interested in conducting advanced research or teaching at the collegiate level may choose to pursue a doctoral degree.