While the criminal justice system includes the police, courts and corrections, our research and teaching explore the broader social context within which the criminal justice system exists.
The justice system has developed into a major social institution in modern American society. It consists of over 60,000 local, state and federal agencies with nearly 2 million employees at an annual cost of more than $145 billion.
Choose Your Degree Program
This program offers two pathways to degree completion.
- One is designed for main-campus students who are pursuing a bachelor's degree in criminology.
- The other is offered in an online, traditional format for students wishing to complete their degree outside the traditional classroom.
Online and main campus programs share the same faculty, with online classes including a mix of online and main campus students, leading to an engaging and challenging learning environment. Although not required, students in the online program have typically earned an associate’s degree, or similar number of credits, prior to enrolling.
Choose Your Concentration
Students can select from three concentrations:
- Criminology
- Criminal justice
- Public criminology
Depending on the concentration you select, your core courses will include Introduction to Criminal Justice, Introduction to Sociology, Criminology, Methods of Social Research, Data Analysis, Criminological Theory and a senior seminar.
In addition, you can choose from among a host of electives such as Victimology, White Collar Crime, Collective Violence, Restorative Justice, Racialization and the Criminal Justice System, Police in Society, Criminal Courts and Corrections.