Criminal Justice

Be a Peacekeeper in the Community—and the World. Our Criminal Justice major is designed for students interested in pursuing a wide range of careers such as law enforcement, non-profit work, public service and law. You’ll explore your future career interests with classes like Forensic Science, Policing and Society, International Law and Mental Health & the Criminal Justice System. You’ll gain marketable skills like researching crime patterns and matters of social justice, data analysis, presentation, writing and critical thinking. Your faculty typically have direct experience working in careers that might interest you, including law enforcement officers, non-profit workers and lawyers. 

All Criminal Justice majors take an interdisciplinary set of required courses which aim to develop students’ skills in communication, writing and critical thinking, as well as build an understanding of applying social scientific inquiry to issues related to crime, law and justice. 

In addition to the courses required for all Justice majors, students choose one of three career pathways for their remaining credits: criminal justice, law or social justice. While it is recommended that students choose the courses under the career pathway that is of most interest to them, they can choose courses from any of the career pathways to fulfill the remaining credits of the major. 

• Criminal Justice: Students choose this pathway if they are interested in law enforcement, forensic science and investigations, corrections, or the courts. 
  
  
• Law: Students choose this pathway if they are interested in a career as a lawyer, legal advocate, judge, or a position in government agencies, politics, corporate law, public interest law, or international law. 
  
  
• Social Justice: Students choose this pathway if they are interested in working on social justice issues, including food insecurity, housing inequity, domestic violence, human trafficking, or mental health advocacy. Students might choose a career with a non-governmental organization or non-profit agency. 

Justice might be a great major for you if you want to explore varied career paths that address issues involving social justice and/or crime, including law enforcement, non-profit work, public service and the legal profession.

The Justice major curriculum is flexible and allows students to double major or or double minor and graduate within four years. Suggested options include Business Administration, Communication, English, Global Studies, History, Philosophy, Psychological Science, Spanish and Theology. 

View a sample program plan to see what courses you'll take in our Justice program.