BA Criminology at Vancouver Island University

Programme overview

If you're interested in current events, psychology and social justice, consider a Criminology degree. Criminology is a dynamic field of study that focuses on the scientific study of crime and the law. Criminologists also study how social and political factors influence crime policy and look for ways to prevent crime and reduce its harm.

Faculty: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences | Duration: 4 years | Study mode: full-time | Intake: The Bachelor of Arts, Major in Criminology program has one start date each Fall. | Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

What you will study

Courses include Intro to Criminology, Psycho-social Explanations of Criminality, Criminological Theory and the Lived Experience, Psychological Explanations of Criminal and Deviant Behaviour, Intro to the Criminal Justice System, Intro to Canadian Law and Legal Institutions: a Criminal Justice Perspective, Critical Thinking, Intro to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

For admission to first-year university courses, see General Admission requirements.; Admission to Criminology Major; Students may apply for admission to the four-year B.A. with a Criminology Major at all years of the degree, however, we normally admit to years one, two, and three of the degree. Applicants must meet the general admission requirements for VIU's Bachelor of Arts degree in order to be eligible to apply for the Criminology Major.; First year entry; General admission requirements apply.; English 12 with minimum "C" or equivalent.; Foundations of Mathematics 11 or Pre-calculus 11 with minimum "C", or equivalent.; Second year entry; To be eligible for admission to second year, students must have completed a minimum of 24 credits of university courses towards the Bachelor of Arts Criminology Major program. Competitive admission averages will be calculated on the eight most...

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Most programmes start in September; January intake is offered for some bachelor's degrees and other programmes; many programmes offer alternative start dates throughout the year.

The deadline to apply for most undergraduate programs that begin in September is March 31; deadlines for other start dates vary by program.

Extended deadline of August 16, 2026 for Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science; Business Management Certificate, Event Management Certificate, Education Assistant and Community Support Certificate, Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care, Health Care Assistant Certificate and Practical Nursing Diploma list ongoing deadlines.

Applications for most academic programs open October 1 in the year before the program start date (applications for programs beginning September 2027 open October 1, 2026); deadlines vary by program.

Application fee: domestic undergraduate $46.98, domestic graduate $121.86, international all programs $156.06 (non-refundable); no application fee for Adult Basic Education.

Apply through the official page: https://www.viu.ca/apply

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