FAQ

Students must complete a Placement Application by May 1st.  Applicants are ranked according to a grade point average calculated from the marks received for CRCJ 1000, CRCJ 2100, CRCJ 2200, LAWS 1001/1002 (previously LAWS 1000), 2301, 2302; PSYC 1001/1002, and 2400; SOCI 1001/1002, and 2450. Only courses completed at Carleton are used. Transfer credits are not included. The 80 top-ranked students will be offered a spot in CRCJ 3901. The next 10 students will be put on a waiting list in the event that any of the first 80 students decline the offer to participate.

We never know what the cut-off will be because it comes from the applications we receive. If you’re interested, submit an application form!

Again, it varies from year to year. In 2014 there were over 200 applicants and in 2015 there were around 175 applicants.

Absolutely. Many of the students doing CRCJ 3901 this year are in their 4th year. In fact, some students and some of the agencies prefer it.

There is a requirement on the audit for 1.0 Credit in CRCJ 3901 OR 1.0 credit in Approved CCJ Electives at the 3000-level or above. CRCJ 3901 sits in this spot. Students who also complete CRCJ 3902 for a second credit will see that course sit in the electives section of the audit. All students who wish to do the field placement should review their audit to ensure they will not exceed the maximum allowed CCJ courses. We often see previous credits completed being set aside and wasted because students have not ensured they have adequate space on their audit for the placement credits. Please contact the main office for advising if you require assistance with this.

There are a variety of placements available. Note that availability change from year to year. Our field placement page presents some of the placement opportunities available to CCJ students. To learn more, please click here.

No. Work at the Agency is done for academic credit only.

Sometimes. It depends on whether there are positions available at the agency and whether you are eligible/qualified for them. Again, it varies from year to year as to whether or not agencies may be in a position to hire new staff.

Absolutely! If requested, at the end of the course we can provide a “Letter of Completion” indicating how many hours you completed and the result of your final evaluation.

Honours students who have already been accepted into CRCJ 3901 and are assigned to an agency that needs the student to work at least 16 hours per week will be given permission to register in both CRCJ 3901 and CRCJ 3902 for the fall and winter terms to receive 2 credits for their placement.

Once you submit an application, and we have determined the top 80 applicants by GPA, you will be notified by an email to your Carleton Connect account around the middle of May as to whether or not you were accepted.

Once accepted, you’ll receive an email from the Placement Co-ordinator with choices for placement and instructions as to what to do next. You will have some input on this. After reviewing the wishes of each accepted student as well as the agency supervisor, the Field Placement Co-ordinator will notify you of your agency assignment.

Every effort will be made to have a decision rendered before the registration period in June, however many placements are still being determined over the summer months. Placements are generally all finalized by mid-August.

If you applied to do the Field Placement in your third-year but weren’t accepted, you can apply again in fourth-year. If you are not accepted or choose not to apply at all, then you must complete 1.0 credit in approved Criminology electives at the 3000-level or higher.

If you are looking to gain some experience, you could look into volunteering. Many of the agencies that take field placement students also have volunteer opportunities available. Stop by the office or contact the Field Placement Coordinator for assistance with where to look for these opportunities.