Criminal Justice and Criminology, BS

What you will study

In addition to gaining the basic skills and knowledge needed in criminal justice careers, you’ll have the opportunity to self-focus and hone your strengths in certain areas based on your goals. 

All in-person and online Criminal Justice degree majors will take core classes such as Introduction to Criminal Justice; Policing a Democratic Society; Criminal Law and Procedure; and Crime, Justice and Social Diversity; among others. You’ll then round out your bachelor’s degree with electives that you can concentrate in areas such as juvenile justice, law enforcement and policing or legal studies. In fact, our students consistently list our wide selection of undergraduate electives as one of the reasons why bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and Criminology degrees from the University of Central Missouri are the best. Electives you can choose from include:

• Evidence and Courtroom Procedure
• Federal Law Enforcement
• Homicide Investigation
• Miscarriages of Justice
• Terrorism

Earn your BS and MS at the same time

With our program curriculum, students can even earn your BS in Criminal Justice and Criminology degrees faster by enrolling in the Accelerated Dual Degree program. In it, you’ll work toward earning both your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Criminal Justice and Criminology in just five years.

Discover the criminal justice and criminology focus that’s right for you

Our goal is to make sure you get the education you need to fully realize your passions. When you pursue a Criminal Justice and Criminology BS at UCM, you will learn from faculty who are invested in helping you grow personally and professionally. Throughout the program, faculty are accessible to you and eager to help you succeed. In addition to providing detailed course instruction, they will be by your side on field trips, with you in your student groups and sit down with you to mentor you outside of the classroom. 

 

 

Unique learning opportunities in the Criminal Justice bachelor’s program

We make it easy for you to be an active participant in your CJC education. In addition to engaging undergraduate coursework taught by seasoned experts, you’ll have a breadth of experiential learning opportunities available to you.

• Internships: Stand out to future employers by entering the job market with tangible experience in the field. Our internship coordinator is dedicated to helping students earning bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and Criminology degrees find opportunities that match their career goals. We’ve placed students with local police departments and prosecutors’ offices, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Missouri Department of Corrections, the U.S. Postal Inspector and more.
• Study abroad: Go on faculty-led study tours to learn how criminal justice systems work around the world. These 10–14-day trips have included France, Italy, Japan, Turkey, Belize and more. One past trip took students to South Korea’s equivalent of the CIA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and a former prison. You can also take part in a semester-long study abroad program in Spain at the Universidad de Alcalá near Madrid. There, you’ll live on or near campus while immersing yourself in Spanish culture.
• Research opportunities: Engage with faculty members by assisting on research projects. You’ll learn valuable research methods and build connections with mentors who can help you get a job in criminal justice after graduation by providing letters of recommendation, giving career advice and connecting you with influential people in the field. In one past project, undergraduate students worked with Dr. Cho on a study on Korean youth and delinquency.

 

What can you do with degrees in Criminal Justice and Criminology?

Through focused coursework and learning opportunities outside the classroom, your bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and Criminology will prepare you for a career serving your community. You’ll be ready to excel in jobs that involve policing and enforcing the law, investigating fraud and abuse and helping people in the criminal justice system through youth programs and legal aid. 

In addition to finding employment in county sheriffs’ offices, federal and local law enforcement agencies, police departments, law practices and insurance companies, graduates have found rewarding careers in security operations, investigations analysis, victim services, casework and more with organizations such as:

• CASA
• Compass Health
• GardaWorld
• Hospitals and universities
• Kansas City Chiefs
• National Parks Service
• State of Missouri

You can also pursue graduate school or a professional degree if you’re interested in practicing law, teaching or going into a research field.

Criminology and criminal justice careers

No matter the criminal justice career path you choose, you’ll have a wide variety of job opportunities available to you. Use the tool below to discover job openings in the field, employment trends, salary ranges and more.

 

 

Financial assistance options for degrees in Criminal Justice

The University of Central Missouri’s BS degrees in Criminal Justice and Criminology consistently rank among the best in the nation for its affordability. That means you’re getting a valuable education that you won’t spend the rest of your career paying off.

On top of the program’s affordability, we help you find ways to pay for your undergraduate degree. Some UCM Alumni Foundation scholarships are even available exclusively to majors in Criminal Justice and Criminology degrees, including:

• Bill P. Colvin Criminal Justice Scholarship
• Guillermo “Bill” Davila Scholarship for Criminal Justice
• Paul Joseph “Jack” Lashbrook Scholarship
• Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI Scholarship

Student life for majors in Criminal Justice and Criminology

Join other majors in Criminal Justice and Criminology in learning outside the classroom. From honor societies to networking opportunities, CJC-related student groups have a lot of exciting things to offer.

• Alpha Phi Sigma (APS): This national criminal justice honor society runs the student mentorship program and attends the annual meeting at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
• Juvenile Justice Association: If you’re interested in working with youth and juvenile offenders, join your peers in this group for networking and experiential learning opportunities.
• Lambda Alpha Epsilon (LAE): In this group, you can participate in volunteerism, social events and national competitions that focus on mastering physical agility, mock crime scene investigations, firearms and overall industry knowledge.
• Mock Trial Team: Participate in local, regional and national mock trial competitions with students from other majors who share the same interests.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness: This club started as part of an assignment in a CJC course and focuses on educating people about mental illness to reduce the public stigma associated with it.
• Pre-Law Students Association: Learn about issues concerning the field of law through speaker events hosted by this group, and benefit from their advisor program that helps students prepare for law school and better understand the field as a whole.

 

Air Force Members Qualify for AU-ABC

The University of Central Missouri's BS degrees in Criminal Justice and Criminology is the first of several programs offered by the university in partnership with the Air University - Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC).

Air Force members (who have a CCAF in Criminal Justice) can apply their Air University college credits toward a baccalaureate degree from UCM. This can be accomplished completely and conveniently online and at the active military tuition rate, which provides a savings for military members seeking undergraduate credit. For more information about the AU-ABC, contact UCM’s Military and Veterans Services by visiting their webpage or email vets@ucmo.edu.