How should I compare the criminology programs at the University of Maryland and Florida State?

Florida State is likely the better fit if you want criminology to be the center of your undergraduate experience. Its College of Criminology and Criminal Justice is a dedicated professional school, rather than a department within a larger social-science structure, and the undergraduate curriculum is built specifically around crime, criminal justice institutions, research methods, and policy. Maryland’s Criminology and Criminal Justice program is also academically strong, but FSU offers a more concentrated criminology-focused environment.

FSU’s program is especially appealing for students who want substantial exposure to faculty research and a clear pathway into criminal justice-related careers or graduate study. The college’s specialized focus can make it easier to find courses and mentors connected to areas such as policing, corrections, courts, victimization, juvenile justice, and crime analysis. Look closely at each school’s course catalog to see whether your interests lean more toward sociology and policy, forensic or analytic work, or law-enforcement and corrections systems.

Maryland has an important career advantage for students interested in federal criminal justice, public policy, intelligence, or advocacy. Its location near Washington, D.C., creates access to internships and events involving federal agencies, national nonprofits, research organizations, and policy institutions that would be harder to replicate in Tallahassee.

FSU, meanwhile, benefits from being in Florida’s state capital, where internships can connect students with state government, courts, legislative offices, and Florida criminal justice agencies. Compare the internship requirements, career advising, research assistant openings, and the specific organizations where students have recently interned. Those practical opportunities, along with campus culture, cost, and whether you can see yourself in College Park or Tallahassee for four years, should carry real weight in the decision.