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.
Excellence in Criminal Justice
- #1 in Missouri and #34 in the country: Best Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
Colleges for Non-Traditional Students (College Factual, 2021)
- #10: Best online Law Enforcement program (Learn.org, 2021)
- #22: Best value Criminal Justice program (Best Value Schools, 2020)
- #11: Best value Homeland Security, Law Enforcement and Firefighting undergraduate degree
(College Factual, 2020)
- #23: Most affordable online BS in Criminal Justice (SR Education Group, 2019)
- Top 10% in the country for best value and the top 15% in the country for most popular undergraduate
degrees in Criminal Justice and Corrections (College Factual, 2020)
- #4 in Missouri and in the top 10% in the nation for “best value” undergraduate Criminal
Justice program (College Factual, 2019)
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 or in the Phillippenes at Holy
Cross of Davao College.
- 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.
- Networking: Our annual alumni showcase will allow you to network with professionals currently
working in the field and learn about requirements and day-to-day operations. In addition,
UCM is Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A's exclusive host for Patrol University,
offering demonstrations and training from water patrol, the crime lab and more.
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
Criminal Justice Student Groups Win Regional Sweepstakes
20th consecutive win for UCM’s ACJA members
UCM’s Lambda Alpha Epsilon-Gamma Epsilon Delta chapter of the American Criminal Justice
Association won Region III Sweepstakes trophies for academic testing in juvenile justice,
crime scene investigation and firearms, among others. Undergraduate and graduate students
in this club also gather for service-learning, social activities and fundraising events
to flex their academic skills and make professional connections outside the classroom.
Meet Thomas H.
BS Criminal Justice and Criminology ’20
“When it comes to educating, empowering and preparing students for future Criminal
Justice careers, the UCM Criminal Justice department is the best in the business.”
Meet CJC Program Faculty Member Dr. Gregg Etter
Extensive law enforcement and gang enforcement experience
Learn about gangs and organized crime from Dr. Etter, who spent nearly 30 years with
the Sedgwick County (Kansas) Sheriff’s Office. He’s also a certified Professional
Gang Expert Level 3 through the National Gang Crime Research Center. In addition to
teaching courses on gangs and organized crime, he instructs on topics in criminal
investigation, homicide investigation and comparative criminal justice systems, among
other topics. Meet the Faculty
Meet Dakota P.
BS Criminal Justice and Criminology ’19
“The Criminal Justice Department at the University of Central Missouri is and will
always be my second family. Anytime, anywhere, I can talk to a professor about anything,
from what is challenging me in life to troubles with an assignment. Every single professor
is not merely an acquaintance to me, but they are knit into the confines of my friends
and family. For that reason, I will forever remember that I have a second home inside
the CJ program at UCM.”
Meet CJC Program Faculty Member Dr. Angela Collins
Director of the Criminal Justice Institute at UCM
Dr. Collins’ expertise includes criminological theory, juvenile justice and delinquency
and life-course criminology. She served as a volunteer victim advocate for The Victim
Center in Springfield, Missouri, and she’s the faculty sponsor for UCM’s Juvenile
Justice Association student group. She brings this expertise to her courses on Introduction
to Criminal Justice, Introduction to Juvenile Justice and more. Meet the Faculty
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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.
