The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Saint Joseph’s University provides students with opportunities to analyze and assess human behavior and its impact on society. The sociology department is comprised of expert teachers and active researchers working to understand society and make positive, practical applications of their findings. Sociology majors go on to work in government, law, public service, criminology, research and nonprofit organizations.
Criminal Justice
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 Sets Our Program Apart
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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.
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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.
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Saint Joseph's offers an M.S. in Criminal Justice to students looking to develop their skills and advance their careers in law enforcement. For students looking for an exciting and challenging curriculum of study, criminal justice majors can enroll in our 4+1 Criminal Justice B.S/M.S. program during their study.
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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 study that is compatible with your interests and career objectives in both the public and private sectors.
What Can I 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.
Why Pursue a Criminal Justice Degree in Philadelphia?
Our location in Philadelphia and presence in the tri-state region offer students endless opportunities for internships and fulfilling careers in criminal justice. Internships are available in a wide range of sites close 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
Program Details
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View required courses for this program in the academic catalog. Please contact us if you have any questions about the program curriculum.
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Affordable tuition rates can be found on our Tuition and Fees page.*
*Pricing does not include room and board, health insurance or any professional, clinical or transportation fees. Visit our Tuition and Fees page for a detailed breakdown.
Admission Information
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To apply for this program, complete an application online. SAT and/or ACT scores are optional but you can submit them if you think they’ll strengthen your application.
Learn more about admissions requirements and how to apply as a first-year student, transfer student or international student.
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First-Year Students
Applications for high school students are available beginning August 1 of your senior year. Early Decision, Early Action and Regular Decision options are available. For a full timeline of deadlines, visit our admission page.Transfer Students
Applications to transfer to Saint Joseph’s are accepted on a rolling basis for fall and spring start terms. -
1. To be considered for admission, you must have graduated from an approved secondary school (or be on track to graduate), received a diploma from an accredited home school association or earned a GED.
2. A high school transcript with an official school stamp or an official GED transcript is required. High school transcripts must include courses completed through your junior year as well as courses in progress during your senior year. If you’ve attended any post-secondary institutions, official transcripts for those institutions are required as well.
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Transfer credit may be awarded for previous coursework. A course must meet the following requirements to be considered for transfer to Saint Joseph’s University:
- Undergraduate courses with a grade of “C” or above
- Graduate courses with a grade of “B” or above
- Pass/Fail grades are not eligible for transfer credit
- Must be from a regionally or programmatically accredited institution
- The coursework must match the course offered at Saint Joseph's
- Some programs have a time limit for specific courses
- Earned credit may be submitted for review based on a timeline of less than or equal to 5 to 10 years between completion of course and enrollment at SJU
Visit the Transfer Admission page for a detailed breakdown of courses and institutions eligible for transfer.
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If you are not a United States citizen, you must show proof of permanent resident visa status. Students educated in another country may be admitted if they:
- Satisfy general admission requirements
- Earn a minimum of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based) on the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey
Students from English-speaking countries may choose to take the SAT or ACT as an option to the TOEFL exam. An evaluation of foreign transcripts by the World Education Service or other approved agency is required.
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Saint Joseph’s is a military-friendly institution and offers assistance and services to veterans and their dependents who are utilizing educational benefits. Benefits include:
- Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill®
- Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation
- Chapter 33 Post 911 GI Bill®
- Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Assistance
- Chapter 1606 National Guard or Reserves
- Chapter 1607 National Guard or Reserves (REAP) (*if eligible, must be utilized by November 25, 2019)
- Pennsylvania National Guard Educational Assistance Program (EAP)
- Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA)
Explore Other Degree Programs
Economics majors at Saint Joseph’s University will study how economic reasoning is used to determine how society can effectively meet its human and material needs. By analyzing buyer and seller behavior in various markets, students will be able to think like an economist and how they view the world in terms of problem-solving and decision-making.
The political science major and minor at Saint Joseph’s University offers the opportunity to examine politics, government and the political process. This program is ideal for those interested in the study of power, behavior, compromise and relationships between political figures in a variety of different contexts.