In Introduction to Criminology at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI you can learn the same topics, transfer it and save tuition fees by a mile. This course, worth 3 transferable credits and approved by NCCRS, is designed to help students at Aquinas College gain practical skills and, preparing them for success in degree programs and real-world careers. Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to: articulate foundational concepts and definitions in criminology while describing its historical development; explain the principles of Classical and Neoclassical Criminology including their contemporary applications; define the legal characteristics and elements of crime; categorize various types of crime based on legal and social criteria, and discuss the methodologies and significance of crime measurement in criminal justice research; examine historical and contemporary crime trends in the United States; analyze demographic influences on crime and evaluate the impact of crime on communities; define victimology, explore key theories and historical context, analyze the concept and costs of victimization; trace the development of victims' rights, and identify risk factors for victimization; describe and apply Rational Choice Theory; explore the principles of the Positivist School of Criminology; identify factors and biases in Individual Trait Theory and evaluate the implications of these theories on social policy and crime; provide an overview of sociological theories of crime; examine social conflict theories; discuss developmental theories of crime; and explore various social process theories, including their applications and impacts on policy and practice in criminology.