B.A., Criminal and Social Justice

Bachelor of Arts

This flexible B.A. program explores the intersection of criminal and social justice through the lenses of psychology, sociology, and data analysis. In addition to studying the foundations of the criminal justice system, students analyze systemic issues such as addiction, race, gender, and violence to understand the social and economic roots of crime and identify ethical approaches to addressing them.

 

Taught by experts in the field of criminal justice—including attorneys, police chiefs, academics, and practitioners—the program combines in-depth study of criminal law and criminology with electives on social change, psychology, and sociology. Boston College’s Jesuit tradition of inquiry and service prepares graduates to help build an ethical, rehabilitative criminal justice system.

Careers

The B.A. in Criminal and Social Justice prepares students to work in fields and roles such as:
 

Law

Social Work

Corrections

Community and Victim Advocacy

Government

Law Enforcement

Nonprofit Sector

Security

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Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 

View Articulation Agreements

Deadlines

Fall Enrollment
August 1
Spring Enrollment
December 1
Summer Enrollment
April 15
Rolling Admission
After deadlines, as space permits.

Application

Start Your Application

If you are mailing hard copies of application materials, please send them to:

Boston College
Woods College of Advancing Studies Admissions Office
St. Mary's Hall South
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

*Current Woods College Undergraduate degree students interested in adding a certificate to their plan of study should not use the online application. 

Declare your certificate here

Academic transcripts

Submit the following:

  • Official high school transcript with degree conferral date or official GED
  • Official college transcript(s) from all previously attended colleges or universities

If you have been conferred your associate's degree, you may submit an Attestation Form in lieu of an official high school transcript. The completed form can be sent to wcasadm@bc.edu

Please mail transcripts to:

Boston College
Woods College of Advancing Studies Admissions Office
St. Mary's Hall South
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

If your academic institution provides electronic transcripts please indicate wcasadm@bc.edu as the recipient.

Applicants whose Native language is not English are required to demonstrate English language proficiency, for required scores, visit our International Student page.

International Student page

Essay

To be uploaded to your online Application Form.

Please submit one essay by responding to one of the topics listed below. The essay should be typewritten, double-spaced, and should be limited to 500 – 750 words in length.

The essay is essential to the Admissions Committee as it allows the committee to assess your personal goals, your reasons for choosing the program to which you are applying, your commitment to your educational goals, and your writing ability. 

  1. Discuss your reason(s) for applying to the B.A. program at the Woods College of Advancing Studies at this time. Support your reasons with specific examples.
  2. Discuss your academic goals and how they apply to your planned career and/or life goals.

The essay must be uploaded as part of your online application.

Application Fee

Application fee: $45

  • Paid through online application.

Recommendations

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required. Letters must be sent directly from the recommender through our online application portal or sent directly to Woods College (wcasadm@bc.edu).

Please note: Letters of recommendation should be provided by recommenders who can speak to your professional or academic abilities.

If you are having difficulty securing a second letter of recommendation, please email wcasadm@bc.edu to schedule an interview with the Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions. This interview will serve in lieu of the second letter of recommendation.

International Students

1. Demonstrated English Language Proficiency required (minimum TOEFL score of 90-100)

For additional information about scores, visit our International Student page.

2. Interview

For all international students and non-native English speakers, interviews are conducted as part of the application process.

The purpose of the interview is for the admission committee to gain a better sense of an applicant and how the program fits his or her academic and vocational needs. Additionally, the interview provides the committee an opportunity to assess a student’s specific information and to address the unique needs one may have in transitioning to Boston College.  The interview will last no more than 15 minutes.  Interviews will only be scheduled once an application has been submitted.

3. Transcript Evaluation

All students who have, or are currently attending, an institution outside of the United States must provide a detailed, course-by-course transcript evaluation indicating the following:

For BA applicants: conferral of a secondary school degree that is equivalent to a U.S. high school’s degree from an accredited institution.

For MS applicants: conferral of an undergraduate degree that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

This evaluation is not just an English translation, but a document provided by an accredited evaluating agency that shows all grades, course titles, credit hours, United States degree equivalency, grade-point average (GPA), and date of degree conferral.
This detailed, course-by-course transcript evaluation must be submitted to complete the application.

Please request a detailed, course-by-course transcript evaluation for all international institutions where a degree was conferred from one of the following agencies:

Educational Credential Evaluators
P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470

www.ece.org

Center for Educational Documentation
P.O. Box 170116
Boston, MA 02117

www.cedevaluations.com

SpanTran
450 Seventh Ave, Suite 804
New York, NY 10123

SpanTran

 

World Education Services Inc.
P.O. Box 5087
Bowling Green Station
New York, NY 10274-5087

www.wes.org

 

Financial Aid & Scholarships

For Financial Aid and Scholarship information, please click the link below

Financial Aid and Scholarship Information

 

Questions

Schedule an appointment with an admissions counselor through our online calendar. 

Online Calendar