Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Find your Criminal Justice and Criminology future at UCM

In the University of Central Missouri’s Criminal Justice and Criminology programs, you learn just as much outside the classroom as inside it. You’ll be ready for any number of criminal justice and criminology careers after participating in activities such as:

• Undergraduate internships: Take advantage of the professional connections provided by our 6,000 criminal justice alumni and faculty mentors. If you’re interested in a specific internship, we likely have a connection who can help you get a position. Past students have interned everywhere from the Missouri Department of Corrections to the U.S. Marshals Service.
• Experiential learning opportunities: Our faculty take undergraduate students on excursions locally and abroad. Classes frequently travel to local courts and correctional facilities for enhanced learning. Some students even go abroad to learn about criminal justice systems in other countries.
• Student groups: Join students with similar interests in campus organizations such as Alpha Phi Sigma (APS), Juvenile Justice Association, Lambda Alpha Epsilon (LAE), UCM Mock Trial, NAMI and the Pre-Law Students Association.
• Graduate and undergraduate research: UCM’s committed faculty make our program a great choice for those looking for the best school for Criminology and Criminal Justice. We give you the opportunity to pair with a faculty mentor on research projects for additional experience in the field. Choose from a variety of areas, such as the National Institue of Justice (NIJ) grant to study terrorism. Awarded to Dr. Jennifer Carson, this is the first NIJ grant received by UCM. 
• Networking and mentorship: Each fall, you will have the opportunity to network with criminal justice alum at the Alumni Showcase. Interact with alumni who have a variety of backgrounds and build professional connections to prepare you for your future career. 

 

What can you do with a degree in one of UCM’s Criminal Justice and Criminology programs from UCM?

Whether you want to take courses for criminal justice online or attend our classes in person, the University of Central Missouri prepares you for success in this dynamic and important field.

Our undergraduate and graduate classes educate you in criminal justice and criminology careers focused on central themes such as enforcing rules, helping people within the criminal justice system, working in a law office or investigating offenses such as fraud and abuse.

A degree from UCM’s Criminal Justice and Criminology programs prepares you for criminology careers such as:

• Child/elder abuse investigator
• Crime analyst
• Law enforcement
• Law or graduate school
• Probation and parole
• Victim advocate
• Or to advance in your current job

If you’re looking for the best school for Criminology and Criminal Justice studies, the University of Central Missouri is the place for you to jumpstart your career.