Criminal justice as a discipline is concerned with the broad areas of law enforcement, courts/law and corrections, as well as criminological and legal theories which inform practice in these areas. The work of criminal justice practitioners include police patrol, criminal investigations, supervising juveniles on probation, practicing law, counseling and correctional work in institutions, group homes, or halfway houses, and other rewarding careers. Within these and other career fields, criminal justice practitioners enjoy exciting professional challenges and opportunities for serving society and helping people.
Criminal Justice Major
The Criminal Justice major encompasses the broad areas of law enforcement, courts, corrections, and social services. Professional positions may include federal law enforcement, state and municipal law enforcement, juvenile and adult probation, counseling and correctional work in institutions, victim advocacy programs, and agencies that provide services to homeless populations, runaways, and individuals with drug and alcohol addiction. Within these broad areas, the criminal justice practitioner enjoys exciting professional challenges and opportunities for serving society and helping people.
Examples of agencies that have employed NDSU graduates include: the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, local police departments, sheriff's departments, Border Patrol, juvenile courts, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, US Secret Service, probation and parole departments, juvenile and adult correctional instructions, halfway houses, and crime and delinquency prevention programs.
The Criminal Justice curriculum covers all areas of the criminal justice system (police, courts/law, and corrections). It also includes specialized courses such as Deviant Behavior, Criminal Investigations, and Serial Killers/Serial Killings, to name a few. The curriculum draws from a variety of disciplines including the social sciences, behavioral sciences, humanities, computer sciences, and accounting. A total of 46 credits (depending on coursework) is required for a major in criminal justice.
Criminal Justice Major Curriculum Guide
Criminal Justice Minor
The minor in Criminal Justice provides an opportunity for students with majors in fields outside of the Criminal Justice program to gain valuable knowledge regarding criminological theory and the history, operation, and effectiveness of various parts of the criminal and juvenile justice system.
Criminal Justice Minor Curriculum Guide
Our Programs
Undergraduate Program
The criminal justice program at North Dakota State University has graduated students who have pursued criminal justice careers in local, state and federal agencies throughout the United States. The program is designed so our graduates will succeed in both beginning and advancing their criminal justice careers.
Graduate Program
The Department of Criminal Justice offers graduate study leading to both a Master of Science (M.S) .and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Criminal Justice. The M.S. degree has three tracks: Applied Criminal Justice, Criminology, and the Plan C option (which is geared toward professionals working in the criminal justice system and social service agencies).
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