Criminology and Policing (BA)

Delve into the social and psychological aspects of why crimes occur with Laurier's online combined Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Criminology and Policing program. No matter which community you're inspired to serve, or which aspect of criminal justice you're passionate about, our Policing and Criminology (BACP) program can help you get there. Gain practical and theoretical perspectives and the latest research methods in your policing courses while investigating the role of a society's structure on crime rates and prevention.  

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Program Details

Degree Highlights

Your future professors work hard to make sure your academic experience is current, complete and designed to open doors in your career. Here are a few things you can count on:  

  • Learn from the Experts: Armed with years of real-world experience, your future professors are eager to provide you with the relevant and up-to-date knowledge. Our ongoing consultation with law enforcement agencies across Canada helps to shape the topics covered in your policing courses.  
  • A Career-Ready Education: During your degree you’ll focus on applying relevant criminological and psychological theories to criminal investigations and law enforcement issues, analyzing and interpreting data that contributes to policy development, refining leadership skills and developing research methods.
  • Built-in Flexibility: Our asynchronous, online part-time programming removes barriers typically faced by those living far from campus, or those with full-time work and personal obligations.  

 

Top Experiences

Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree (check out the Criminology Experience Guide for even more!):

  • Access to Professionals: Enjoy learning from, and having conversational access to, professors with law enforcement and public safety backgrounds.
  • Resume-Building: Get a head-start on your resume and take advantage of the Laurier Experience Record, an innovative database of your notable curricular and co-curricular experience that you can share with employers. 
  • Conferences: Attend and participate in a Criminology conference.
  • Online Learning: Benefit from an active online community of peers through Laurier’s online learning platform, MyLearningSpace.

Courses, Options and Pathways

First-Year Required Courses

  • Introduction to Criminology
  • Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
  • Communication Skills for Leadership
  • Police Psychology
  • Intercultural Communication in Policing
  • Introduction to Policing

Sample First-Year Electives

  • Youth Justice
  • Leadership Foundations

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Psychology of Crime
  • Theories of Crime II
  • Indigenous Peoples’ Political Structures
  • Media, Social Media and Crime
  • Cyber Crime

Options and Minors

These are a few of the many popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge:

  • Game Design and Development SpecializationMinor/Option
  • Leadership Minor/Option
  • Psychology Minor
  • Computer Science Minor
  • Politics & Public Policy Option 

Check out other options to enhance your degree.

Specializations

You can specialize in your degree by selecting elective courses to complete the following certificates: 

  • Global Crime and Justice Certificate
  • Gladue Principles Certificate 

Admissions

  • Format: part time
  • Duration: four years
  • Start: September (fall term), January (winter term) or May (spring term)
  • OUAC code: UOP

Your Career Awaits

It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • corrections officer
  • mediator
  • ombudsperson
  • paralegal
  • police officer
  • public administration

Explore more careers.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

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Tuition and Scholarships

Adding a degree to your diploma is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing funding opportunities, such as in-course scholarships, to help you to achieve your goals of obtaining a university degree. You will be automatically considered for in-course scholarships based on your Laurier GPA (grade point average). In-course scholarships are valued between $500 and $1,500 annually. They begin at a GPA of 10.0 (approximately 80%) and above.

 

Laurier is among the top 6 percent in the Global 2000 World University Ranking

 

Laurier students engaged in hands-on learning in 2023

 

Laurier graduates employed or in post-graduate studies in 2023

Program Location

Courses for our Criminology and Policing program are offered entirely in an online format. Designed to engage students in multiple formats such as student-instructor, student-content and student-student interaction, so you have significant opportunities to interact with other students in your class.

Chat with Current Students

Want to know what it’s really like to be in this program? U Community is our Discord server where future Golden Hawks like you can connect with current students to get their first-hand stories and tips on living and learning at Laurier.

Connect with Us

Questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.


You Belong Here

Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?