Career scope in criminology

Q.  I am a student from Rohtak who has opted for the Humanities stream with Sociology, Political Science and Psychology as my subjects in Class XII. Are there any options open for me to study Criminology?

–          Ronak Mehta, Rohtak

A. Criminology is considered to be one of the many fields of sociology. It revolves around every aspect of crime and criminality, such as causal factors, criminal behaviour, punishment, criminal law, criminal investigation, forensic medicine, etc. Therefore, your knowledge of law enforcement, sociology or psychology will prove essential for the field. As a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary subject, you will have to deal with research conducted in fields like anthropology, psychology, economics, and psychiatry to explain criminal behaviour. Criminology spreads beyond laboratories. The social setting resulting in deviant behaviour is given an equal amount of attention.

 If you wish to pursue a career in Criminology, you may do so by opting for a Certificate or BA course in Criminology. Further, an MA, MSc and PhD can help you achieve career roles within government agencies, including policy analysis, forensics, investigation, management, and administration. The course will equip the students with the necessary skills to be proficient in fieldwork. These include research skills, observation skills, analysis, logical reasoning, active visualisation, excellency in written and verbal expression, empathy, and developing a strong sense of character.

Various institutions in India offer Criminology courses. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi; Maharaja’s College, Mysore; University of Madras, Chennai; Patna University, Patna; Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University of Social Sciences, Indore; are some colleges to look into.

Criminology is a subject that is a collaboration of both forensics and social sciences. As a student  of  humanities, you will be the brains behind the arms for preventing multiple criminal occurrences.

 The writer is Chief Mentor and CEO at Maven Career Coaching