{"id":12938,"date":"2025-10-10T09:17:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T14:17:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=12938"},"modified":"2025-10-10T09:17:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T14:17:15","slug":"uwl-launches-criminology-major","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/uwl-launches-criminology-major\/","title":{"rendered":"UWL launches criminology major"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Photo:<\/a>
The newly added criminology major reflects UWL\u2019s commitment to student interests and community partnerships.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New program blends research, experiential learning to meet critical need<\/h3>\n

UW-La Crosse is introducing a new major designed to meet growing student interest and regional workforce needs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Criminology will be added as an offered major\u00a0<\/span>starting this spring, after the Board of Regents approved the program during its September meeting. The major is a long-requested addition that will give students a deeper understanding of crime, criminal behavior and their impact on communities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere our current\u00a0criminal justice minor<\/a>\u00a0focuses on the agencies of the criminal justice system, students of the criminology major will gain in-depth education on criminal behavior itself and its ties to factors such as poverty, discrimination, trauma, mental illness and substance use disorders,\u201d says Professor\u00a0Tim Gongaware<\/a>, chair\u00a0 of the\u00a0Sociology & Criminal Justice Department<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"\"
A survey of UWL criminal justice minors found that approximately 75% would likely declare a criminology major if available.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The program will prepare students to assess and engage criminal justice institutions, interpret research on crime and apply findings as they work with clients and organizations throughout the community. Students gain practical experience through course-embedded research, collaborative projects, community-based learning, extensive writing and a senior capstone focused on real-world, community-engaged experiences.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Workforce demand was a key factor in developing the program.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCriminology research identifies risk factors that can inform preventative measures,\u201d the proposal to the Board of Regents states. \u201cEmployers in these areas need professionals who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and compassion to address criminogenic risks identified in communities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Graduates may pursue careers in law enforcement, courts and corrections, but also in health services, counseling centers, schools, private industry and community-based prevention programs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor many years, we\u2019d heard from our current students that they wished we offered a major in either criminology or criminal justice,\u201d Gongaware explains. A survey of UWL criminal justice minors found that approximately 75% would likely declare a criminology major if available, and some had considered transferring to schools that offered the program.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFaculty have also heard from a variety of regional employers that they are seeking to hire people in crime-related fields of study,\u201d Gongaware adds. \u201cAs the number of community partners related to criminology grows, adding this program will more adequately meet the needs of these employers and those of our students by increasing opportunities for internships, community-engaged learning and employment.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With its combination of hands-on learning, research opportunities and\u00a0community engagement<\/a>, the new criminology major positions UWL students to make meaningful contributions in a wide range of fields while addressing complex social challenges and meeting the evolving needs of the region.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Written by UW-La Crosse<\/p>\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uwlax.edu\/news\/posts\/uwl-launches-criminology-major\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New program blends research, experiential learning to meet critical need UW-La Crosse is introducing a new major designed to meet growing student interest and regional workforce needs.\u00a0 Criminology will be added as an offered major\u00a0starting this spring, after the Board of Regents approved the program during its September meeting. The major is a long-requested addition […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":12939,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[104],"story_category":[],"class_list":["post-12938","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-la-crosse"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/12938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12938"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=12938"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=12938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}