Criminology: Understanding the Complexities of Crime!

Course Requirements

• A strong interest in crime and how society deals with it.
• An open mind to explore new ideas and challenge your assumptions.

Course Description

Ever wondered what makes a criminal tick? Or how the whole cops-and-courts thing actually work? If those questions keep you up at night (or you’re a major true-crime fan), this is the course for you.

Think of it as your guide to the messy, fascinating, and sometimes surprising world of crime. We’ll cover the theories, and the different kinds of crime out there, and take a good look at the system meant to deal with it all. We’ll even teach you the research tricks of the trade.

Basically, you’ll come out of this course way smarter about crime than when you started. You might even be inspired to do something about it!

What Will You Learn?

• Get the inside scoop on crime and why it happens. We’ll break down why people commit crimes, the different theories out there, and what makes this whole field so fascinating.
• Explore all the different ways crime shows up. From the stuff you see on the news to sneaky white-collar crime, the sneaky online scams, and even how organized crime works – we’ll cover it all.
• See how the ‘system’ really works. We’ll take an honest look at the police, courts, and prisons, and how they all handle crime (or sometimes don’t).
• Learn to think like a crime researcher. Think of this as your toolkit for figuring out crime – we’ll cover the methods, the numbers, and how to do it all with good ethics.
• Tackle the big questions in crime today. How do we stop crime? Does the media hype everything up? What’s the deal with crime going global? Let’s dig into it.

Course Curriculum

Module 1: Introduction to Criminology

• Lecture 1: What is Criminology?
• Lecture 2: The Scope and Importance of Criminology
• Lecture 3: The Intersection of Criminology with Other Disciplines
• Lecture 4: Careers in Criminology

Module 2: Theoretical Foundations

• Lecture 5: Classical and Neoclassical Theories
• Lecture 6: Biological Theories of Crime
• Lecture 7: Psychological Theories of Crime
• Lecture 8: Sociological Theories of Crime
• Lecture 9: Critical Criminology and Contemporary Perspectives

Module 3: Types of Crime

• Lecture 10: Understanding Street Crimes
• Lecture 11: White-Collar and Corporate Crime
• Lecture 12: Cybercrime and Technology-Driven Offenses
• Lecture 13: Organized Crime and Transnational Criminal Organizations
• Lecture 14: Environmental Criminology and Green Crimes

Module 4: Criminal Justice System

• Lecture 15: The Role of Police in Society
• Lecture 16: Judicial Processes: Courts and Sentencing
• Lecture 17: Correctional Systems and Rehabilitation
• Lecture 18: Juvenile Justice System

Module 5: Research Methods in Criminology

• Lecture 19: Quantitative Research Methods
• Lecture 20: Qualitative Research Methods
• Lecture 21: Mixed Methods Research
• Lecture 22: Ethical Considerations in Criminological Research

Module 6: Contemporary Issues in Criminology

• Lecture 23: Crime Prevention and Control Strategies
• Lecture 24: The Impact of Media on Public Perception of Crime
• Lecture 25: Globalization and Crime

Module 7: Course Wrap-Up

• Lecture 26: Integrating Criminological Knowledge
• Lecture 27: Implications for Policy and Practice
• Lecture 28: Continuing Your Journey in Criminology

Who Is This Course For?

• Anyone obsessed with true-crime shows who wants to go deeper than the headlines.
• People interested in how society works (and how it sometimes doesn’t), especially when it comes to law, justice, and crime.
• Students thinking about careers in anything related to crime – law, psychology, social work, you name it.
• Folks working in the justice system who want a refresher and some new perspectives.

Sound interesting? Enroll now and let’s get started!

Certificate of Completion:

Upon the successful completion of this course and final assessment, students will receive a Certificate of Completion from Eduta.