The bachelor's degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice will provide students with the opportunity to engage in diverse coursework to increase knowledge and analytical skills appropriate for a variety of career paths. These career paths include work in an area of the public justice system, such as police, courts, corrections, regulatory agencies, and environmental protection, or in community-based programs related to crime prevention, rehabilitation, and victim assistance, as well as the pursuit of further education in graduate or law school.

The degree allows exploration of patterns and causes of crime and in-depth study in such areas as immigration, border security, terrorism, environmental crime, and other areas relevant to crime and justice. Students learn about how justice is applied specifically to juveniles, women, and diverse ethnic groups. Students will engage in examining how cultural and political issues are related to criminal justice around the world.

The available coursework will teach students how to put theory into practice (for example, learning how to make schools safer, then going into a local school and developing violence prevention programs for young people). Students may also study how American media and entertainment outlets shape public perceptions of the criminal justice system, how innocent people can be convicted of crimes, and sort through case evidence and trial transcripts with faculty members and local attorneys.