Criminology: Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) is a bachelor's degree in Criminal Law & Justice programme taught at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, Canada. The programme runs for 4 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition is CAD 5,100 per total for local students.
At a glance
Degree:Bachelor's Degree
Field:Criminal Law & Justice
Duration: 4 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 5,100 / total
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Bachelor of Arts in Criminology Degree introduces you to criminal law, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and case-law decisions made by the courts. You will examine in separate courses the three main components of the criminal justice system—police, courts, and corrections—that form an organized response to crime. The program addresses the trends and correlates of crime, including the influences of age, ethnicity, gender, and social class. The major explanations for crime try to account for these patterns by looking at historical, individual, and social causes. The criminological focus is broadened with courses from other disciplines in the Social Sciences and Humanities.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: You must first be eligible for VIU's Bachelor of Arts before you can apply for the Criminology major. VIU normally admits to years one, two and three of the degree.
First-year entry: general admission requirements, a minimum "C" in English 12 or equivalent, and a minimum "C" in Foundations of Mathematics 11 or Pre-Calculus 11 or equivalent.
Second-year entry: at least 24 university credits towards the BA Criminology major. Competitive averages are calculated on your eight most recently completed transferable post-secondary courses, a minimum of 24 credits.
Third-year entry: at least 54 university credits towards the major, or a recognised Criminology diploma that includes the Degree English Requirement. Competitive averages are calculated on your eighteen most recently completed transferable courses, a minimum of 54 credits.
Transfer applicants need a minimum overall GPA of 2.33 ("C+") on their most recent 24 credits.
Enrolment is limited: applicants are ranked by overall GPA, higher grades are considered first, a waitlist is created where needed, and meeting the minimums does not guarantee a seat. Taking Criminology courses without being formally admitted does not secure entry to the major. Indigenous applicants may apply for reserved seats through the Access Initiative for Indigenous Students form. Note that VIU excludes competitive-entry BA majors such as Criminology from its co-admission option with North Island College.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic (Canadian) applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC; Vancouver Island University sets no institution-wide equal-consideration date, and its admissions FAQ states deadlines vary by programme, with applications for most academic programmes opening 1 October in the year before a September start. VIU publishes no general closing date for that window; applicants are directed to each programme's own page for its own deadline. International applicants use the same portal; VIU publishes no international-specific institution-wide date either, and several health programmes (Practical Nursing, Nursing Unit Assistant) are stated as not currently open to international students. Each programme's own page carries its own Start Date, Deadlines, and Additional Application Details table for the 2026-27 cycle, and admission for programmes without a stated window is treated as ongoing/rolling until the intake fills. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
