Bachelor of Arts [B.A] [Criminology, Law and Society] From University of California

Social Ecology faculty apply scientific methods to the study of a wide array of recurring social, behavioral, and environmental problems and specialize in conducting research “with considerations of use” in society. Among issues of long-standing interest in the School are crime and justice in society, social influences on human development over the life cycle, and the effects of the physical environment on health and human behavior. While the field of ecology focuses on the relationships between organisms and their environments, social ecology is concerned with the relationships between human populations and their environments.

Social Ecology’s faculty is multidisciplinary, including psychologists with a variety of specialties (e.g., developmental, social, and health psychology); criminologists; sociologists; anthropologists; political scientists; lawyers; urban and regional planners; and program evaluation experts. The School’s research and teaching is distinguished by an emphasis on the integration of the concepts and perspectives of these multiple disciplines. This focus is based on the School’s core belief that the analysis and amelioration of complex societal problems requires interdisciplinary efforts.

The Department of Criminology, Law and Society focuses on the problem of crime and on understanding the social, cultural, political, and economic forces that interact with the law. Basic courses present overviews of American legal systems with particular emphasis on criminal and juvenile justice, forms of criminal behavior, the role of law in understanding social and psychological phenomena, and the applications of sociological theory in understanding law and legal systems. 

The course of study provides excellent preparation for law school and for graduate study in sociology, criminology, and criminal justice. Careers for students who terminate their University education at the baccalaureate level may be developed through placements in criminal justice and regulatory agencies, in organizations determining public policy, and in programs that deliver services to people who have difficulties with some aspect of the legal system.