Best Criminology Schools in the Philippines

James Ryan Jonas

Would you like to work for an institution that is in the front line in terms of preserving the security and stability of a nation, like law enforcement agencies, security administration offices, crime detection groups, and prevention or correctional administration units? A Bachelor of Science in Criminology or Criminal Justice may be the degree that you are looking for.

The BS Criminology or Criminal Justice course is a 4-year college degree program where aspiring criminologists will learn different theories and practices related to Police Photography, Ballistics, Forensic Science, Toxicology, Polygraphy and Legal Medicine, alongside special Physical Education classes such as Martial Arts, First Aid, Survival Training, Marksmanship, and Combat Shooting.

Continue reading to know more about Bachelor of Science in Criminology course in the Philippines.

Admission Requirements for BS Criminology

Each school may have different requirements for admission but the following are the usual requirements that every aspiring Criminology student should prepare:

  • Must be a high school graduate – If there is non-completion of high school education, the student may opt to attend Alternative Learning System (ALS) and pass the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) to qualify for college.
  • College entrance exam
  • Interview
  • Good Moral Certificate
  • Drug and Psychological Test as per CHED Memorandum Order no. 21 series of 2005, section 16

Criminologists in the Philippines

While many BS Criminology graduates who pass the Criminologist Licensure Examination end up as police officers, there are many other jobs awaiting them in the field of law enforcement, such as:

  • an officer in a correctional and penal institutions (jails), for instance, in the Bureau of Corrections;
  • a teacher/ instructor of Criminology subjects in universities/colleges;
  • an agent, adviser or administrator; or
  • a member of crime detection groups, for example, in the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police

The BS Criminology course may seem difficult at first but many students can attest that this is an interesting degree to study. However, before one can enjoy full practice of criminology, he/she must first pass the Criminologist Licensure Examination.  

Criminologist Licensure Examination

The Criminologist Licensure Examination (CLE) is conducted twice a year by the Board of Criminology under the supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

The following are the scope and coverage of the CLE board exam:

  1. Criminal Jurisprudence, Procedure and Evidence (20%)
  • Criminal Law Book I, Criminal Law Book II
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Evidence and Court Testimony

2. Law Enforcement Administration (20%)

  • Police Organization and Administration with Police Planning
  • Industrial Security Administration
  • Police Patrol Operations with Police Communication System
  • Police Intelligence
  • Police Personnel and Records Management
  • Comparative Police System

3. Criminalistics (20%)

  • Personal Identification
  • Police Photography
  • Forensic Ballistics
  • Questioned Documents Examination
  • Polygraph (Lie Detection)
  • Legal Medicine

4. Crime Detection and Investigation (15%)

  • Fundamentals of Criminal Investigation
  • Traffic Management and Accident Investigation
  • Special Crime Investigation
  • Organized Crime Investigation
  • Drug Education and Vice Control
  • Fire Technology and Arson Investigation

5. Sociology of Crimes and Ethics (15%)

  • Introduction to Criminology and Psychology of Crimes
  • Philippine Criminal Justice System
  • Ethics and Values
  • Juvenile Deliquency
  • Human Behavior and Crisis Management and Criminological Research and Statistics

6. Correctional Administration (10%)

  • Institutional Corrections
  • Non institutional Corrections

Top Performing Schools for  Criminologists Licensure Exam

Find out below the the top schools for BS Criminology. Below are the data about the average passing rates in previous Criminologists Licensure Exams. View the table below to see if the school you are considering to enroll in is in the list!

Category 1: Criminology Schools with 201 and above examinees

RankBANK / INSTITUTIONUITFJAN - MAY 2018 RETURN %
1Union BankUnionBank Tax Exempt Portfolio0.92%
2EastWest Banking CorporationEastWest Peso Long Term Bond Fund0.42%
3ATRAM Trust CorporationATRAM Total Return Peso Bond Fund0.03%
4Manulife Asset Management and Trust Corporation (MAMTC)Manulife Income Builder Fund (Class I)0.01%
5LandBank of the PhilippinesLANDBANK Bond Fund-0.31%
6United Coconut Planters BankUCPB Peso Bond Fund (Formerly United Conservative Fund)-0.32%
7Rizal Commercial Banking CorporationRIZAL PESO BOND FUND-0.32%
8BPI Asset Management and Trust CorporationBPI Fixed Income Portfolio Fund-Of-Funds-0.42%
9Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co.Metro Corporate Bond Fund-0.58%
10Manulife Asset Management and Trust Corporation (MAMTC)Manulife Income Builder Fund (Class A)-0.61%
11Bank of CommerceDIVERSITY PESO BOND FUND-0.73%
12Union BankUnionBank Long Term Fixed Income Portfolio-1.36%
13China Banking CorporationCBC FIXED INCOME FUND (Formerly CBC GS FUND)-2.06%
14Security Bank CorporationSB PESO BOND FUND-2.76%
15BPI Asset Management and Trust CorporationOdyssey Peso Bond Fund-3.04%
16BPI Asset Management and Trust CorporationABF Philippines Bond Index Fund-3.17%
17BPI Asset Management and Trust CorporationOdyssey Tax-Exempt Peso Fixed Income Fund----

Category 2: Criminology Schools with 101-200 examinees

RANKSCHOOLCITY / LOCATIONPASSING RATENUMBER OF PASSERSTOTAL NUMBER OF TAKERS
1University of the Philippines DilimanQuezon City98%153156
2Batangas State University - Alangilan CampusBatangas City97%313320
3Mapua UniversityManila94%184194
4Technological University of the Philippines - VisayasTalisay City 91%176193
5University of Santo TomasManila90%221245
6Technological University of the PhilippinesManila89%271303
7Saint Louis University Baguio City88%283321
7Holy Angel UniversityAngeles City88%121137
7Adamson UniversityManila88%97109
8Polytechnic University of the PhilippinesManila84%212252
8University of Southeastern PhilippinesDavao City84%96114
9Technological Institute of the PhilippinesManila82%122147

Category 3: Criminology Schools with 100 and below examinees

RANKSCHOOLPASSING RATENUMBER OF PASSERSTOTAL NUMBER OF TAKERS
1University of Santo Tomas, Manila100%638638
1Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro100%161161
1Benguet State University, La Trinidad100%114114
2Saint Louis University, Baguio City99%336337
2West Visayas State University, Iloilo City99%222223
2Cebu Doctors' University, Mandaue City99%125126
3Mariano Marcos State University - Main, Batac City98%169171
4Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City97%166171
5San Pedro College, Davao City95%162169
5Central Philippine University, Iloilo City95%112117
6Bicol University - Main Campus, Legazpi City88%159179
7Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Zamboanga City87%181206
7Mindanao State University - Main Campus, Marawi City87%145166

Note: The tables above only rank the passing rates of First-time takers; repeaters are not included in the passing rate. All figures are based on the four (4) past Criminologists Licensure Exams in December 2017, June 2017, October 2016, and April 2016.

Source: PRC Philippines (prc.gov.ph)

James Ryan Jonas teaches business management, investments, and entrepreneurship at the University of the Philippines (UP). He is also the Executive Director of UP Provident Fund Inc., managing and investing P3.2 Billion ($56.4 Million) worth of retirement funds on behalf of thousands of UP employees.