Bachelor of Science in Criminology

The Bachelor of Science in Criminology or Criminal Justice is a a 4-year college degree program intended for individuals who wish to have a career in the fields of law enforcement, security administration, crime detection and prevention or correctional administration.

The BS in Criminology program aims to foster the values of leadership, integrity, accountability and responsibility while serving fellowmen, community and the country. The course is comprised of CHED mandated general education subjects, profession-related courses and 2-phase practicum. BSCrim students will learn various theories, policies, practices and laws associated with criminal behavior and the methods applied to manage such deviant activities.

Subjects in this course include Police Photography, Ballistics, Forensic Science, Toxicology,Polygraphy and Legal Medicine. The course also offers special Physical Education classes which include Martial Arts, First Aid, Survival Training, Markmanship and Combat Shooting.

Is Criminology a profession?
Criminology is a proffesion. A graduate of BS in Criminology who passed the Criminologist Licensure Examination is called a Criminologist. A Criminologists job includes practice in the field of Law Enforcement as an agent, adviser or administrator; as a Technician in dactyloscopy, ballistics and other scientific aspects of crime detection; as an officer in any correctional and penal institution; as a counselor in various agencies such as those involved in criminal research or public welfare; or as a teacher / instructor of Criminology subjects in universities.

What are the admission requirements for B.S. Crim.?
Requirements at each school may differ, but these are the common requirements:

• Must be a high school graduate.
  Those who did not complete high school education may opt to first attend Alternative Learning System (ALS) and pass the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) to qualify for college. However, some universities only offer selected courses for PEPT passers admission.
• Must pass the college entrance examination
• Must pass the interview conducted by the college / university admission officer
• Medical laboratory results and health certificate
• Good Moral certificate from the previous school (sometimes from enrollees Barangay)
• Some schools require particular rating in the National Secondary Assessment Test (NSAT)
• Some schools require particular high school grade or gross point average
• CHED Memorandum Order no.21 series of 2005 section 16, specifically includes Drug and Psychological Test as requirement for BS Criminology admission.

What skills will help you succeed in this course?
BS Criminology does not require any special skills, except general skills helpful for any course:

• Organization and time management skills – being able to establish priorities and schedules for studies or review, rest and social period
• Interpersonal skills – being able to get along and work well with peers and classmates. It helps to have study groups to assist you in understanding and remembering lessons.
• Communication skills – oral and written ability in English and in vernacular specially when making investigative and technical reports, feasibility studies and project presentation in classroom
• Problem-solving abilities – being able to weigh the consequence of every situation presented and apply a reasonable solution

How difficult is this course?
Many students would classify this field of study as interesting and not difficult at all. The course includes several intriguing subjects such as forensic, criminal phsycology, human behavior and crisis management, criminal investigation, accidents investigation, arson, crime organizations, drugs, criminal procedures, defense tactics and more. Even the 2-phased Practicum is highly anticipated by the graduating students due to its social relevance.

How long does it take to complete BS in Criminology in the Philippines?
Normally, the BS Crim. program takes 4 years to complete. Some schools who apply the trimesteral system do the program in shorter period of time.

On the job training / internship takes 1 semester or 540 hours.

On The Job training / Internship
As mandated by CHED (CMO no.37 series of 2010) BS in Criminology students are required to take Practicum for 1 semester on the fourth year of the program. The Practicum shall be divided in two components, 270 hrs of on-the-job training and another 270 hrs. of Community Immersion, to complete the 540 hrs of internship.

The Practicum is designed to provide practical experiences for BS Crim. students working in the 5 pillars of the Criminal Justice System: Law Enforcement, Prosecution, Judiciary, Corrections and the Community. During this period, the criminology interns are allowed to observe and assist, but not to perform actual operations that may compromise their safety. Interns are expected to keep the informations learned during the practicum confidential.

Specializations

• BS in Criminilogy major in Police Administration – focuses on on basic management functions applied to the police organization. This includes organizational structure and administration of the Philippine National Police, both at the national and the local levels.
• BS in Criminology major in Criminal Justice Administration – focuses on the Law enforcement management of activities such as detection, apprehension, detention, pretrial release, post-trial release, prosecution, adjudication, correctional supervision, or rehabilitation of accused persons or criminal offenders or the collection, storage, and dissemination of criminal history record information.
• BS in Criminology with Forensic – concentrates on the application of a broad spectrum of sciences and technologies to investigate and establish facts of interest in relation to criminal or civil law.
• BS in Criminology major in Jail Management and Penology – is a branch of Criminal Justice study that focuses on the management of prisons and jails for the rehabilitation of convicts and criminals in an attempt to maintain and ensure public safety.

The Board Exam
A Criminology graduate needs to take the Criminologist Licensure Examination before he/she can practice as a Criminologist. The examination is conducted by the Board of Criminology under the supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). It is scheduled twice a year in the months of April and October.

The main subjects of the BSCrim. Board exam are Criminal Jurisprudence, Procedure and Evidence; Law Enforcement Administration; Criminalistics; Crime Detection and Investigation; Sociology of Crimes and Ethics; and Correctional Administration.

After graduation, students have 5-6 months to review the material before the October exam. Those who completed the course on irregular timeframe typically choose the April examination date. Review programs are usually provided by the school. However, some students decide on enrolling at specialized review centers.

Career opportunities for BS Crim. Graduates

• Jobs for licensed Criminologists (board exam passers)
  • Entry Level jobs Jobs requiring no prior to minimal level of experience:
    • Police Patrol Officers – Patrol assigned area to enforce laws and ordinances, regulate traffic, control crowds, prevent crime, and arrest violators
    • Forensic Photographers – Photographs accidents and crime scenes for use as evidence in court.
    • Court Peace Officer – provides security and order within the premises of the court house
    • Discipline Officer – staff member who has been appointed and trained to adjudicate alleged violations, counsels and facilitates conducts investigation, surveillance and interview report
  • Mid-Level Positions Require trainings and prior job experience of a few years:
    • Investigator / Paralegal Officer – In charge of data gathering, investigation and surveillance, and build up of cases of abuse/exploitation. Assists the lawyer in preparing affidavits, follow up and update of cases.
    • Dactylographer or Dactyloscopy Technician – the person who study fingerprints for purposes of identification
    • Polygraph Examiners (Lie Detector Operators) – conducts interviews with crime witnesses, criminal suspects and others to determine whether they are being truthful regarding specific questions asked by the examiner.
    • Forensic Science Technicians – help solve crimes by collecting and interpreting evidence from crime scenes. They use sophisticated technology to analyze fiber, hair, weapons and bodily fluids.
    • Forensic Document Examiners (FDEs) – help lawyers by examining and offering written opinions on a variety of disputed document problems including: wills, deeds, medical records, income tax records, time sheets, contracts, loan agreements, election petitions, checks, and anonymous letters.
    • Fraud Investigator – Investigates cases of fraud involving use of charge cards reported lost or stolen, cash refunds, and nonexistent accounts in retail stores: Receives information from credit, sales, and collection departments regarding suspected fraud cases. Interviews store personnel, and observes and questions suspected customers to obtain evidence
    • Court Deputy – Supervises and coordinates activities of court peace officers engaged in providing security and maintaining order within individual courtrooms and throughout courthouse.
    • Security Guard Dispatcher – send out security personnel to client's site for private, protective-service, notifies guards of work assignments. Compiles and records data for dispatch, payroll, billings, and personnel records.
    • Academician – professor, instructor or teacher for Criminology subjects in any university, college or school
  • Advanced Positions Require years of extensive experience and practice:
    • Chief of Police Department – top official in the chain of command of a police department
    • Head Correction Officer – Supervises activities of Correction Officers and issues duty assignments. Directs release or transfer of prisoners based on court order instructions. Maintains prison records and reports.
    • Chief Security Guard – Supervises and coordinates activities of security force of establishment, such as industrial plant, department store, or museum.
    • Chief Deputy Sheriff – Directs and coordinates activities, work assignments and deployment of human resources in patrol division and transmits orders to subordinate officers for execution. Supervises investigations of narcotics traffic and auto theft, evaluates progress with investigators, and plans actions, such as raids, surveillance, or arrests.
    • Armored Transport Service Manager – Plans, directs, and coordinates activities of personnel engaged in providing armored car services
    • Identification and Communications Supervisor – supervises designs and installs criminal identification filing systems, such as fingerprint, photograph, modus operandi and name, criminal-wanted and crimes reported files, to facilitate information retrieval.
• Jobs for Non Board Passers:
  • Security Officer – Guards shipments of valuables and investigates reports of theft or damage of shipments of valuables, such as money, bullion, strategic metals, or prototype machinery.
  • Alarm Investigator – investigates the source of alarm and trouble signals on subscribers' premises, as recorded in central station of electrical protective signaling system.
  • Personal Bodyguard – Escorts individuals to protect them from bodily injury, kidnapping, or invasion of privacy.
  • Bouncer – patrols place of entertainment to preserve order among patrons and protect property. Circulates among patrons to prevent improper dancing, skating, or similar activities, and to detect persons annoying other patrons or damaging furnishings of establishment.
  • Industry Detective – patrols premises of business establishment to preserve order and enforce standards of decorum established by management.
• Jobs not related to criminology that graduates can apply to
  • Call center agent – answers phone calls and inquiries of clients and provides customer support, usually to people from other countries
  • Administrative Staff – personnel responsible for the organization and management of office duties and tasks; positions that include office secretary, personal assistant and office clerk
  • Freelancer working online – doing online jobs for clients abroad, such as data entry, article writing, SEO, customer support, administrative support etc., which mainly depends on your skills
• Career Opportunities Abroad
• There are only a limited number of job opportunities abroad for Filipinos in fields of Security, Paralegal and Armed Forces
• Salary Levels
• In the Philippines, Criminology graduates starting a career in Law Enforcement usually begin as Police Officer 1 (PO1) with the entry salary of about php14,000 per month; or as Jail Officer 1 (JO1) in the Bureau of Jail Management & Penology with the same salary. Police and BJMP Directors earn a monthly salary of php50,000, while the highest ranking Police officer, a Director General earns php67,000 a month.
  
  Salaries for those who work abroad are generally much higher.

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