Department of Criminal Justice

About the Department of Criminal Justice

The field of Criminal Justice is characterized by substantial and dynamic growth in both academic and practitioner sectors. There is a diverse array of professions within criminal justice that are hiring at local, state, and federal levels and there is also a demand for formally educated administrators and policy planners. Examples of such professions include policing, human service provider, probation officer, rehabilitation counselor, security administrator, parole officer, prison/jail staff, asset protection, community correctional personnel, juvenile justice worker, graduate school,   victim/witness advocate and federal law enforcement. 

The Department of Criminal Justice is one of the largest on campus with over 300 majors. We have a cooperative agreement with Delta College Police Academy that permits our students to earn 12 Academy credits towards the SVSU B.A. degree for police certification. We also have an elaborate Field Work program where student interns are placed with criminal justice agencies for academic credit. Our class sizes range from 20 to 35 students, allowing for meaningful faculty-student interaction. In addition, a majority of the core classes are taught by departmental faculty.

Considering a law career?

Criminal justice programs are excellent pre-law curriculums for persons planning a career in public law (e.g. defense attorneys, public prosecutor, special attorney to the court, etc). 

Program Goals

• To prepare students for entry-level positions in a variety of public and private agencies related to criminal justice.
• To provide the opportunity for practicing police officers and other practitioners to enhance their professional knowledge and abilities.
• To provide students with the background necessary to pursue graduate studies.

Considering a degree in Criminal Justice? The Criminal Justice faculty welcomes student inquiries about our Program and hopes that the information provided here helps students in the planning of their academic and professional careers.