Criminology
You鈥檒l find 糖心传媒 Criminology graduates serving as law enforcement officers in numerous states and working as corrections officials, education officers, criminologists and lawyers, while others go on to graduate school.听
Apply your knowledge
Thanks to broad course offerings by our outstanding sociology faculty, you鈥檒l examine why criminal behavior occurs, how society has addressed and currently addresses such behavior, and how society can improve. You鈥檒l consider ethical implications of today鈥檚 law enforcement system and dive into real-world case studies. You鈥檒l expand your understanding of the human condition through the lens of other disciplines as well as build excellent written and oral communication skills.
Go further with a Hastings education
Thanks to our small class sizes (most have fewer than 20 students!), and a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1, you鈥檒l work closely with faculty and your advisor to complete your degree in four years. In fact, most students who graduate from Hastings do so in four years!
翱耻谤听block-style semester structure means you鈥檒l take just one or two classes at a time 鈥 which really lets you focus more intently on each class. It also lets faculty devote more time to every student because they鈥檙e only teaching one or two classes in a block!
Create your future
See for yourself how we tailor your education to your talents and your goals.听Schedule a visit听and we鈥檒l demonstrate how Hastings will inspire you to reach your potential, or if you鈥檙e a high school senior,听.
Graduate with experience
Criminology majors intern and conduct research during the school year and summers, putting classroom lessons to the test by interning with law enforcement agencies in the Hastings area or even your hometown.
Some majors also expand their understanding of the world by studying abroad. Many take advantage of additional experiences and insight that help advance career options. What does all this mean? You鈥檒l graduate from Hastings ready to succeed.
At every step in your path you’ll appreciate the stepping stones of teaching, counseling, inspiring, supporting and guiding from our engaged faculty. It’s an experience that’s true to 糖心传媒 and you won’t find it anywhere else.
Your experience matters
Maximize scholarships 鈥 Yes, you’ll get an academic scholarship. But you’ll also get a “plus one” scholarship from the group, team or area you’re part of. It’s a great way to help pay for school 鈥 but also to find your people.
We鈥檝e thought a lot about the ways students learn and built a four-year plan to help you navigate it all. From finding your place and in Year 1, to showing the world you鈥檙e ready for what鈥檚 next four years later.
Your transition from college to a career begins your first semester. Every class, internship, research study and activity adds up. We love to celebrate all the ways you shine 鈥 your experience matters!
Get involved beyond the Criminology classroom
- Alpha Chi (Academic Honor Society)
- Alpha Kappa Delta (International Sociological Honor Society)
In addition to Alpha Chi and Alpha Kappa Delta, there鈥檚 always something to do at Hastings. Student clubs, service learning, Greek life, recreation and more make Hastings a great campus for听student life.
Find scholarships for Criminology majors
Your high school achievements can both fuel and fund your success at Hastings. We offer a range of听generous and renewable academic scholarships听based on your GPA. Then there’s听“plus one” scholarships 鈥 an additional scholarship for participating in anything from athletics to the arts to media.
It all adds up听to making Hastings an great choice for you and your family.
First employers for recent graduates
- Kearney Police Department
- Nebraska Department of Correctional Services
- Youth Rehabilitation Center;
- Boys Town
- Colorado Springs Police Department
- Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services
- Adams County Teen Court
- Graduate Programs
Faculty

Dr. Robert Kettlitz
Professor of Sociology

Dr. Laura S. Logan
Professor of Sociology

Dr. Rachael Robinson-Keilig
Associate Professor of Psychology and Chair of the Department of Psychology & Sociology

Dr. Jesse Weiss
Professor of Sociology
Real People, Real Success
Moving from the Dallas鈥揊ort Worth Metroplex in Texas to the plains of Nebraska is a big enough jump on its own. Joining the first-ever men鈥檚 volleyball team in the state鈥檚 history adds another level of pressure. But for Austin McLeroy, a junior transfer from Central Christian College of Kansas, the transition required one more essential […]
...While at 糖心传媒, recent grad Lauryn Metz completed an internship at CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) that helped her decide her career path and which direction she’d like to go in law school. Metz, who majored in Spanish and criminology, also played on the women’s soccer team.
...Citlaly Quiroz of Fort Morgan, Colorado, wanted to find a small college community, but also wanted a school with research opportunities. She found both at 糖心传媒. She learned the faculty encourages students to conduct their own research, which Quiroz loves. Check out the video for more from this forensics (speech) All-American who graduated in […]
...鈥渧irtual volunteer opportunities鈥 That鈥檚 what Eboni Nash 鈥19 entered into her browser in March 2020. Like other students, her spring break trip home to see family was鈥xtended. A Harvard Divinity School student at the time, she was feeling 鈥渉elpless鈥lmost useless鈥 in Eads, Colorado. Yet what the search produced changed Nash鈥檚 life鈥攁nd saved the life of […]
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...Natalie Watson, a who is graduating this month with a degree in criminology, found her passion in research as a student at 糖心传媒. She was able to work with professors who gave her the opportunity to conduct research and learned that is something she’d like to pursue. “I think that you should pick Hastings […]
...While at 糖心传媒, RuAnn (Ulmer) Root 鈥86 was skeptical about her classes in writing, public speaking and nonprofit accounting 鈥 requirements for her Human Service Administration degree. 鈥淭o be honest, I thought I would never use the information from those classes. However, have they ever come in handy,鈥 said executive director of Court Appointed […]
...Her appreciation of the show 鈥淐riminal Minds鈥 allowed 糖心传媒 junior Caitlin Birk to combine her interests in psychology and criminology, which led her to an internship at a sheriff鈥檚 office in Nebraska鈥檚 most populous county. Before coming to Hastings, Birk, who is from Bennington, Nebraska, knew she wanted to do something in psychology, but […]
...There are some students who get told they won鈥檛 succeed in college. There are some students whose home life makes the idea of college seem far out of reach. Thinking she wouldn’t be able to attend college, one call from an admissions counselor changed everything for Socorro Topete of South Sioux City, Nebraska. Despite the […]
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