Criminal Justice (BS, BA, minor)

Program Goals

The Criminal Justice Major is designed to provide students with substantial knowledge of how the criminal justice system works on the local, state, and federal level. There is also a focus on understanding of the changing nature of interactions between criminal justice institutions and the people in these environments. Students will gain an awareness of the impact of different social forces on the types and rates of criminal conduct. The career choices for criminal justice majors are diverse and can include work in corrections, probation, the court system, and in a wide range of law enforcement agencies. Majoring in criminal justice also provides excellent preparation for students interested in pursuing graduate work in the fields of law, public and criminal justice system administration, political science and social work.

Outcomes

• Define and describe the basic principles of organization of the government and criminal justice system
• Describe concepts of crime and punishment
• Apply ethical standards required of a criminal justice professional and incorporate interpersonal skills into a multi-cultural environment
• Apply analytical and critical thinking skills to become an autonomous thinker, creative problem solver, and informed decision maker
• Use current technologies and demonstrate the knowledge of basic concepts of sciences used in the field of Criminal Justice

Requirements

Please see the University Catalog for more information and program requirements.

Contact

For more information contact the Sociology and Criminal Justice Department.