University of Windsor criminology admission requirements: ENG4U, a 70% minimum and a 77% mean average

Windsor lists two honours programs on its criminology page. Criminology focuses on crime, legal issues, policing, regulation, the justice system, surveillance and security. Sociology and Criminology looks at crime inside wider social trends, with courses such as Sociology of Families and Victimology.

Windsor says its criminology program is built into sociology. It argues that a sociological view of crime and policing helps in the job market. Criminology also shows a combined honours option. The department posts a course sequence for Criminology and Psychology Combined Honours. In that plan, first year pairs PSYC 1150 with SACR 1100, plus ENGL 1010 unless you had 80% or more in ENG4U.

Windsor's program page lists the skills the degree builds. They mix law, policy and social behaviour, so expect a lot of reading and writing.

For both programs, Ontario students need ENG4U. Your average is worked out over six Grade 12 academic courses. There is no math or science requirement.

Pick strong courses for the other five spots. Social science courses such as law or sociology can help you test your interest, but Windsor does not require them. Use our course planner to map your Grade 12 year.

Criminology lists a 70% minimum and a 77% mean average. Sociology and Criminology lists the same 70% minimum with an 80% mean. The mean is the average of admitted students, so many had more.

Windsor's Fall 2025 report gives an 82.6% average for all new Ontario high school students in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. That covers every program in the faculty, not only criminology. In that faculty, 17.2% of entrants came in with 70% to under 75%. Windsor does not publish an acceptance rate. Check your number with our Top 6 average calculator.

Neither program lists a supplementary application, essay or interview. The program page shows only ENG4U, the minimum and the mean average. Your grades decide the offer.

Windsor says first year includes Foundations of Social Life and Effective Writing I and II. The department's Honours Criminology sequence lists SACR 1100 and ENGL 1010 in year one, with up to seven electives. It says you are exempt from ENGL 1010 if you had 80% or higher in ENG4U. You also take at least one Indigenous Studies course.

Sample courses on the program page include Introduction to Criminal Justice, Youth in Conflict with the Law, Policing and Security, Drugs and Society, and Surveillance and Society. The sequence PDF is undated and points to the Fall 2025 calendar, so check course codes with an adviser.

Windsor's program page says students entering third year must have at least 70% in Introduction to Criminology and Introduction to the Criminal Justice System. Plan for this from your first term.

The department sequence lists required SACR courses in every year, such as SACR 2910 in second year and SACR 3900 in third year. Fourth year needs two 4000 level SACR courses.

Windsor marks Criminology with H (honours) and C (combined honours). The co-op tag, which some Windsor programs carry, is not shown for either criminology program. Treat this as a no co-op degree unless Windsor tells you otherwise.

Instead, Windsor offers practicums with government and community agencies. In your final year you can take the Criminology Professional Development and Practicum course. The page also suggests field research with faculty, research assistant roles and a Public Administration or Law and Politics Certificate.

Ontario high school students apply through OUAC. Windsor's Ontario high school page does not list a Fall 2027 deadline. After you apply, you activate your UWin Account and finish your To Do List in UWinsite Student.

For the OUAC equal consideration date and other schools, see our Ontario deadlines page.

Windsor posts fees through an online estimator. For Undergraduate, Arts, Humanities and Social Science, full time, Domestic Ontario Residence and the fall term, it shows base tuition of $2,957.85 per term. Those are the approved fees for 2026-2027.

Our estimate, not Windsor's: two terms of base tuition come to about $5,915.70 for the year. Incidental fees such as the bus pass, health and dental plans and student society fees are extra. Windsor suggests budgeting at least $1,000 a year for textbooks and materials.

For 2027-2028, Windsor guarantees a minimum award based on your admission average. An 85% to 89.99% average earns $1,000. A 90% to 94.99% average earns $10,000, paid over 8 terms. A 95% or higher average earns $16,000 over 8 terms.

The renewable awards need an 85% average each year. The entrance award application opens January 1. With a 77% mean, many criminology students sit below the first band, so a strong final term in Grade 12 can pay off.

If your high school average is over 85%, Windsor suggests looking at its Outstanding Scholars program. Windsor calls it an exclusive learning enrichment program. You can also apply after first year.

Criminology's posted mean is 77%. Sociology and Criminology's is higher, at 80%, though both share the 70% minimum. If you like the human side of crime, compare our Windsor Psychology page. If you want lab science, see our Windsor Forensic Science page.

Windsor lists careers such as border services, law enforcement, probation officer, crime analyst and policy analyst. It reports a 95.4% employment rate two years after graduation for social sciences, from the 2020 graduate survey.

The entry bar is open to many students, with only ENG4U required. The real checkpoint comes later. Your child needs 70% in two intro criminology courses to move into third year.

There is no co-op tag, so the practicum and volunteer roles matter for a resume. Also read our Windsor admissions overview for the wider picture.