You’ve probably heard a lot of buzz about the subject ‘Criminology’ and perhaps already have an assumption about what it might be. But if you are an admission seeker then you should have more than a vague idea. You should know the nuances and potentials of the subject you are considering and then make your decision accordingly. Here’s what you need to know-
It’s not what you think
Did you grow up reading a lot of thriller and detective novels? Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Feluda, our beloved Tin Goyenda perhaps? You might be thinking that studying criminology will turn you into a sleuth and thrust you into dramatic mysteries in your career. I hate to be the one to break it to you but studying criminology will hardly make you a detective. Being a detective is a very different thing and the study of Criminology is more complicated than you imagine.
What will you learn?
Criminology is an interesting subject that includes a wide variety of fields of study. For example, the course outline may include but are not limited to courses from sociology, psychology, law, political science, economics, anthropology, penology, forensic science, ballistics, public administration and more. This is because the endeavours to understand crime and criminals require knowledge from different fields of studies because of its versatile nature.
Is it future proof?
One of the key questions to ask while choosing your undergrad major is to ask whether your subject of choice is future proof- in other words, is it going to become more valuable and relevant in the future or is it going to become obsolete? For criminology, the answer is-yes for a number of reasons.
The most basic reason is that human society has never been without crimes and it never will be. Crime cannot be eradicated, only controlled. So, understanding crimes will always be relevant and for that, one has to study criminology.
In the context of Bangladesh, our society has been going through a transition period for quite a while and the need to understand crime and society’s relation has become more crucial than ever. Logical deduction dictates that criminology will become more and more relevant in the coming days and more career paths will open up.
Job prospect and potential
While it’s true that the present job market for Criminology is a bit limited, the potential is shockingly huge. In the present job market in Bangladesh, a criminology graduate may get hired in different positions at NGOs, human rights organisations, research and consultant firms, legal institutions, media/newspapers etc. Some industries are also hiring investigation officers where they specifically ask for criminology graduates. Such roles will become more popular and common in the coming days.
Criminology graduates enjoy an even more versatile job market in abroad and Bangladesh will bloom into a similar position in the near future. Focusing on academic and research career in criminology can really be a huge boost for aspiring persons since the scope of criminological research in Bangladesh is practically unlimited.
In the end, the choice is yours since you are the one who will be studying and whatever you choose as your major will most probably be the main focus of your career. So, choose carefully and make educated decisions rather than on a whim.