Criminal Justice
Overview
Saint Joseph’s University's criminal justice degree program will help cultivate a sense of honesty, fairness and integrity and prepare you for a productive and rewarding career dedicated to helping others. As a criminal justice major at Saint Joseph's University, you will explore an interdisciplinary perspective on crime and justice.
What is a Criminal Justice Degree?
Through your coursework, you'll cover historical and current social issues related to drugs and alcohol, gender, race and mental health. The emphasis on theory, qualitative and quantitative research coupled with data analysis training will help you develop practical skills that are indispensable in finding a rewarding career. A criminal justice degree will also help you understand the causes of crime and how society responds to it.
Criminal justice faculty at Saint Joseph’s University provide diverse courses through their active engagement in research and practice in Philadelphia’s criminal justice system.
Ways to Study Criminal Justice
You can pursue a major in criminal justice or a criminal justice minor if you are majoring in another discipline.
What Can You Do With a Degree in Criminal Justice?
Saint Joseph's University's criminal justice graduates have secured jobs in a wide range of career paths, including:
- Law enforcement
- Corrections
- Probation
- Courts and law
- Social services
- Marketing and analytics
- Counseling
- Administrative
- Private security
- Paralegal
- Nonprofits
The major’s curriculum is intended to facilitate entry into graduate programs in criminal justice, sociology and law while retaining a humanistic understanding of the study of crime and victim advocacy. The criminal justice major at Saint Joseph’s is distinguished by its emphasis on independent research projects and student-faculty interaction.
How will Saint Joseph’s University Prepare You for a Career in Criminal Justice?
Our location in Philadelphia and presence in the tri-state region offers students endless opportunities for internships and fulfilling careers in criminal justice. Internships are available in a wide range of sites in close proximity to Saint Joseph's University's campus including:
- The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office
- The Federal Public Defender’s Office in Camden, N.J.
- The New Jersey State Police
- The Victim Witness Services and Special Victims Unit
Continue Your Education in Criminal Justice
Saint Joseph's offers an M.S. in Criminal Justice to students looking to develop their skills and advance their careers in the law enforcement. The program has been at the forefront of education in intelligence-led policing and criminal justice administration. Our program allows you to create a unique plan of graduate study that is compatible with your interests and career objectives in both the public and private sectors.