Criminal Justice (B.A.)

The Criminal Justice degree offers a multidisciplinary understanding of crime and justice within the framework of broader social processes within our society. It looks at all major aspects of the justice system from an ecological systems approach rather than a specialization in one narrow content area. The curriculum provides a theoretical understanding of the discipline, combined with an understanding of the scientific method as it applies to criminal justice.

The Criminal Justice curriculum will allow students to expand their education by learning to evaluate broader aspects of the criminal justice system and develop theoretical and analytical knowledge and skills. The course delivery will incorporate a social justice lens on each course, rather than a law enforcement approach or legal approach.

This includes an emphasis on sensitization of students to the human impact of crime including differential impacts of race/ethnicity, social class, gender, sexual orientation, religious creed and physical and developmental disabilities. For example, the program will expose students to the latest research regarding marginalized groups disproportionately represented in our prison system and also to evidence-based approaches for working with families of victims and perpetrators of crime.

Career opportunities

The criminal justice curriculum is positioned to provide knowledge and skills to students who plan to seek employment with agencies that provide services for the children and families of the incarcerated as well as law enforcement and correctional settings. Rooted in a social work program with expertise in working with children, youth and families, this program will offer a unique focus on criminal justice from an ecological and social justice perspective allowing students to implement evidence-based models in a variety of criminal justice settings. Graduates of this major may decide to continue on for advanced degrees in disciplines such as social work, law or criminal justice.

Minor

A minor in Criminal Justice is also available to students in other academic programs. The minor is designed to provide a foundation for students who are interested in a career in criminal justice settings as a specialty of their major field, students interested in issues of justice and crime, or non-matriculated students who are already employed in criminal justice settings and seek additional coursework as a means of advancing their careers.

Campus Open House

Interested in learning more? Please feel free to drop by our next Campus Open House for more information.