Criminal Justice
A bachelor of science degree in Criminal Justice from Western New England University will prepare you to take advantage of expanding career opportunities in this diversified and fascinating field. Our courses are taught by award-winning scholars engaged in research across multiple areas of the criminal justice process, as well as practitioners teaching specialized courses in areas such as forensic science, law enforcement, and corrections. Within the major, students will have the ability to pursue three Concentrations: Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security and Terrorism, or Victim Studies. These options give you the opportunity to shape your criminal justice major in a way that best prepares you for your future. The program also provides a solid foundation for students who wish to pursue graduate studies.
Why Choose Criminal Justice?
Criminal justice today is much more than law enforcement. Whether working in social services, policing, in a correctional facility, as a court administrator, or in any of the other related fields, criminal justice professionals must possess strong communication skills, including research presentation skills and technical report writing. They must understand current technology, human behavior, and have management skills to advance into roles of increasing responsibility. Criminal justice professionals serve the public interest and must also recognize the importance of upholding the highest ethical and professional standards in their chosen career path.
What Will You Study?
Our criminal justice curriculum is designed to provide our graduates with the knowledge, skills, and attitude that are essential for success as a criminal justice professional. As a criminal justice major, you will develop strong analytical, problem solving skills, and be encouraged to apply critical thinking toward current issues in the field of criminal justice. You will also build upon your leadership and communication skills in coursework that has you developing criminal justice research projects and presenting to your peers and professors. And finally, as a criminal justice major the importance of showing good judgment and the development of a strong moral code will be enhanced in preparation for your career.
Career Opportunities
Students graduating from the WNE criminal justice program are prepared to begin careers in a variety of areas.
- Business: private security, intelligence, loss prevention, property loss management, staffing and training, and consulting
- Education: teaching, research, supervision, and consultation
- Judiciary and Law: legal assistance, court clerkship, legal research, court reporting, and administration
- Law Enforcement Agencies: investigating, surveillance, loss prevention, forensics, probation, patrol, and homeland security
- Social Services: corrections, counseling, juvenile justice, probation, advocacy, administration, consulting, and reporting
Our alumni have worked at places such as Baystate Law Group, Equinox, Kaman Corporation, Northeast Security, Hampden County Jail, the United States Army, and the Virginia Beach Police Department.
Clubs & Organizations
From our Criminal Justice Association to the Alpha Pi Sigma Honor Society, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to become an active, engaged member of the WNE criminal justice community. Plus, the University hosts a variety o local, state, and federal experts as part of our professional speaker series. Many of our students also participate in varsity and intramural sports, special interest groups, and student government.
Faculty
Our faculty draw upon both a wide array of professional experience and training, with many of our faculty graduating from the top criminal justice graduate programs in the country. Courses are taught by award-winning scholars engaged in research across multiple areas of the criminal justice process, as well as accomplished practitioners teaching specialized courses in areas such as criminal law, cybercrime, and forensic science.
Unique Learning Opportunities
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Internships and Field Work
In your junior and senior years, you will have the opportunity to complete up to two internships, working side-by-side with practitioners in various criminal justice-related agencies. Some of the most popular internship sites include federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies; state and federal courts; state and federal probation offices; victim/witness advocate programs; pre-release programs; correctional facilities; state and municipal police training academies; social service agencies; and offices of local criminal attorneys. Recent internships include BayState Law Group, Baystate Medical Center, Belchertown Animal Control, Connecticut State Police, Department of Youth Services, the FBI, Hampden County District Attorney's Office, Hampden County Superior Court Probation Office, Hartford Juvenile Probation, the IRS, the New York City Police Department, The Big E, and many others.
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Study Abroad: Become a Global Citizen
Today’s workforce needs professionals who see the big picture. The College of Arts and Sciences will help you to become a student of world cultures and histories as they relate to your studies while making valuable contributions in your explorations. Whether you participate in a faculty-led summer seminar course or spend a semester at an international university, the experience will broaden your horizons and help you compete in the global landscape.
Study Abroad
