Program mission
The mission of the Criminal Justice program is to cultivate ethical leaders prepared for dynamic professional careers and advanced academic pursuits. We achieve this by integrating academic rigor with practical, hands-on application and experiences.
We provide students with a comprehensive, interdisciplinary foundation in legal, sociological, and ethical principles, fostering the critical-thinking and analytical skills necessary to understand the complexities of crime and justice.
Ultimately, our goal is to graduate professionally competent individuals who are dedicated to serving and strengthening their communities within the Midwest region and beyond, ready to excel in fields like law enforcement, the court system, and corrections.
Program distinction (what makes us unique)
- Practical experiences: From gangs to drugs, we offer classroom experiences that rely on our practical experience in the community working for law enforcement, nonprofits, and more.
- Active classrooms: We work to foster involved, student-centered classrooms that are engaging and focused on course content.
- Student research: We foster student research on campus and beyond at events like Student Research Day, the Undergraduate Student Research Conference, and Regionals at the Rotunda.
- Online flexibility: Our online program offers flexibility for busy students and gives options for both eight-week courses and 16-week courses during the spring and fall semesters. Six-, eight-, and 12-week courses are taught during the summer semester as well.
- Small classes in a regional setting: Most importantly, our program caters to the regional mission and our regional community, working to serve students in smaller classes that give them more attention.
Meet the Criminal Justice faculty
