Criminology Board Exam Coverage 2026: Subjects, Weights, Passing Grade and Requirements

Updated:

The Licensure Examination for Criminologists evaluates an applicant’s knowledge of criminal law, law-enforcement administration, investigation, forensic science, criminological theory and correctional administration.

This guide explains the six current examination subjects, their percentage weights, important review topics, the passing grade, applicant qualifications and general PRC requirements.

Current examination structure: PRC now uses six subjects: Criminal Law and Jurisprudence, Law Enforcement Administration, Crime Detection and Investigation, Forensic Science, Criminology and Correctional Administration.

Criminology Board Exam Subjects and Weights

Subject Weight Main Focus
Criminal Law and Jurisprudence 20% Criminal law, procedure, evidence, jurisprudence and court testimony
Law Enforcement Administration 15% Police organization, planning, administration, patrol, intelligence, communication and records
Crime Detection and Investigation 20% Investigation methods, crime-scene procedures, traffic, organized crime, drugs and special investigations
Forensic Science 15% Identification, photography, ballistics, questioned documents, polygraph and legal medicine
Criminology 20% Criminological theories, criminal justice, ethics, behavior, juvenile delinquency, research and statistics
Correctional Administration 10% Institutional and community-based corrections
Important: Older reviewer pages may show different subject names and weights. Use the latest PRC examination program as the final reference.

1. Criminal Law and Jurisprudence — 20%

Topics to review

  • General principles of criminal law
  • Felonies and stages of execution
  • Criminal liability
  • Justifying and exempting circumstances
  • Mitigating and aggravating circumstances
  • Persons criminally liable
  • Penalties
  • Crimes against persons and property
  • Crimes against public order and public interest
  • Criminal procedure
  • Rules on evidence
  • Court testimony and legal documentation
  • Relevant jurisprudence

2. Law Enforcement Administration — 15%

Topics to review

  • Police organization and administration
  • Police planning
  • Patrol operations
  • Police communication systems
  • Police intelligence
  • Personnel administration
  • Records management
  • Industrial security administration
  • Comparative police systems
  • Leadership and supervision
  • Community relations and public safety

3. Crime Detection and Investigation — 20%

Topics to review

  • Fundamentals of criminal investigation
  • Crime-scene protection and documentation
  • Interview and interrogation
  • Evidence collection and preservation
  • Traffic management and accident investigation
  • Special crime investigation
  • Organized crime investigation
  • Drug education and vice control
  • Fire technology and arson investigation
  • Report writing and case preparation

4. Forensic Science — 15%

Topics to review

  • Personal identification
  • Fingerprint classification and comparison
  • Police photography
  • Forensic ballistics
  • Questioned document examination
  • Polygraph examination
  • Legal medicine
  • Forensic laboratory procedures
  • Chain of custody
  • Scientific evidence and expert testimony

5. Criminology — 20%

Topics to review

  • Introduction to criminology
  • Theories of crime causation
  • Psychology of crime
  • Philippine criminal justice system
  • Ethics and values
  • Juvenile delinquency
  • Human behavior
  • Crisis management
  • Victimology
  • Crime prevention
  • Criminological research
  • Statistics and data interpretation

6. Correctional Administration — 10%

Topics to review

  • Institutional corrections
  • Jail and prison administration
  • Inmate classification and treatment
  • Security and custodial management
  • Probation
  • Parole
  • Pardon and executive clemency
  • Community-based corrections
  • Rehabilitation and reintegration
  • Correctional ethics and human rights

Continue Your Criminology Review

Use practice questions and related reviewer resources after checking the full examination coverage.

Browse Practice Tests View Latest Reviewers

Criminology Board Exam Passing Grade

To pass the Licensure Examination for Criminologists, an examinee must obtain:

  • A general average of at least 75 percent; and
  • No rating below 50 percent in any subject.
Both conditions must be satisfied. A high overall average does not compensate for a subject rating below 50 percent.

Qualifications for the Criminologists Licensure Examination

Under the Philippine Criminology Profession Act, an applicant must generally:

  • Be a Filipino citizen or qualify under reciprocity rules;
  • Be of good moral character;
  • Hold a Bachelor of Science in Criminology degree from a government-recognized institution;
  • Have no final conviction for a crime involving moral turpitude; and
  • Comply with other PRC and Board requirements.

General PRC Application Requirements

Common requirements for Criminology applicants may include:

  • PSA-issued birth certificate;
  • PSA marriage certificate or contract for married female applicants, when applicable;
  • Transcript of Records with scanned picture and the remark “For Board Examination Purposes”;
  • Valid NBI Clearance;
  • Other clearances or good moral certificates required by the current PRC checklist;
  • Proof of completion of the Bachelor of Science in Criminology program; and
  • Payment of the applicable examination fee.
Verify before filing: Do not rely on an old checklist or old fee amount. Check the current PRC requirements page and LERIS instructions before filing.

How to Review for the Criminology Board Exam

1. Follow the current subject weights

Give greater review time to the three 20% subjects while continuing regular practice in the 15% and 10% subjects.

2. Connect laws with actual situations

Review criminal law, procedure and evidence through practical cases rather than memorizing provisions alone.

3. Practice investigation sequences

Study the correct order of crime-scene protection, documentation, evidence collection, chain of custody and case preparation.

4. Review forensic concepts visually

Use diagrams and comparison tables for fingerprints, ballistics, questioned documents and evidence handling.

5. Build a criminology theory comparison chart

Compare each theory’s main idea, major proponents, explanation of criminal behavior and practical application.

6. Take timed mixed-subject tests

Mixed practice improves recall and prepares you to shift between law, investigation, forensics, criminology and corrections.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many subjects are in the Criminology Board Exam?

The current examination has six subjects.

Which subjects have the highest weight?

Criminal Law and Jurisprudence, Crime Detection and Investigation, and Criminology each carry 20%.

What is the passing grade?

Examinees must obtain a general average of at least 75%, with no rating below 50% in any subject.

Is Criminalistics still a subject name?

The current PRC structure uses the subject name Forensic Science, which covers major criminalistics areas such as identification, photography, ballistics, questioned documents, polygraph and legal medicine.

Does passing automatically qualify a person for the PNP?

No. Passing provides professional eligibility as a registered criminologist, but PNP appointment remains subject to separate recruitment, physical, medical, age and documentary standards.

Continue Your Review

Final Reminder

Use this Criminology Board Exam coverage as your review framework, but verify the current exam schedule, subject order, documentary requirements, room assignment and examination-day instructions through PRC.