Whether students are interested in law enforcement, corrections, law, juvenile justice or private security, Mount Mercy’s criminal justice major provides a unique blend of courses taught by professors with a broad range of experiences. Students progress through a liberal arts-based criminal justice curriculum, preparing for graduate school and/or careers in criminal justice-related fields.
CurriculumThe Criminal Justice program is designed to integrate knowledge and skills from both the liberal arts and sciences and the field of criminal justice. All students are required to complete a core curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences drawn from courses offered in Division I: Humanities and International Studies; Division III: Human Development and Human Services; Division IV: Environmental, natural, and Technological Sciences; and Division V: Fine Arts. Major field requirements are offered in Division II: Business, Law, and Public Policy.
Criminal Justice Degree Requirements
Students accepted into the program are required to complete a minimum of 40 courses (120 credit hours), with a minimum of 15 courses (45 credits) taken at Anna Maria College. Up to 25 courses (75 credits) may be accepted as transfer credits from an NEASC approved college or university that has also been approved by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education for participation under the Police Career Incentive Pay (Quinn Bill) Program.
The degree requirements include the Core Curriculum
(17 courses, 51 credits), the Criminal Justice major core requirements (14 courses, 42 credits), and 9 general electives (27 credits).
Students are encouraged to consult their academic advisor before registering for courses.
Course Descriptions and Program Requirements
Click here to view PDF of course descriptions and program requirements
The need for security in our communities will always be important to our society. As a criminal justice professional, it could be your job to help provide this security. This is your opportunity to get an education that could help qualify you for this exciting field. Bauder College’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice programs are designed to give you a solid foundation in criminal justice that can help you stand out to employers.
Enjoy Your Career
Earning a degree in criminal justice is not only fascinating; it could also be rewarding. To provide you with the diverse background employers are searching for, our criminal justice curriculum introduces you to sociology, political science, psychology, social work, and other liberal arts and human services disciplines.
Career Avenues
Corporate security
Law enforcement*
Juvenile corrections
Private sector security or investigation
Public safety
*Additional academy training may be required for law enforcement positions.
Whether students are interested in law enforcement, corrections, law, juvenile justice or private security, Mount Mercy’s criminal justice major provides a unique blend of courses taught by professors with a broad range of experiences. Students progress through a liberal arts-based criminal justice curriculum, preparing for graduate school and/or careers in criminal justice-related fields.
Students considering graduate study in the criminal justice program should have a major in criminal justice, sociology, psychology, liberal arts, or a related field; strong writing and analytical skills; a GPA of at least 3.0; and solid GRE scores.
Master’s students considering doctoral studies should possess a master’s program GPA of at least 3.5, and must submit GRE scores and TOEFL or IELTS scores (for international students). A brief (one-two page) personal statement outlining your career objectives and areas of interest in criminal justice. Three letters of recommendation from academics/professors attesting to your ability to do graduate level work.
The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice is a 120 credit-hour program designed for students who are seeking careers in law enforcement or a related field. The program consists of:
Core. 60 credits.
Major Courses. 30 credits.
Concentration. 9 credits.
Electives. 21 credits.
Core Requirements
The bachelor’s degree programs all require students to complete 60 credits of liberal arts and sciences courses that provide the foundation for the degree.
Core (60 credits)
English Composition (Cm115 or higher)
English Literature (6 credits)
Modern language (6 credits)
Fine Arts
History (6 credits)
Economics, Politics, Sociology, or Urban Studies (6 credits)
Mathematics (6 credits)
Ns110 Scientific Literacy
Biology, Chemistry or Physics
Computer Science or Psychology
Philosophy (6 credits)
Theology (6 credits)
Values Course
Required (30 credits)
Cj150 Deviance
Cj165 Criminology
Cj170 Criminal Justice
Cj280 Delinquency
Cj285 Corrections
Cj315 Procedure
Cj316 Evidence
Cj350 Research
Cj489 Seminar
So200 Ethnicity
Concentration (9 credits)
Electives (21 credits)
Criminal Justice: Criminal Justice
The objective of the department is to provide the student with an understanding of the problem of crime in the United States, the impact of crime on victims, and the systems which identify, process, and treat the offender. Criminal Justice encompasses the areas of law enforcement, prosecution, the courts, and corrections, including probation and parole.
Major requirements include Criminal Justice 1, 3, 9, 22, 30, 31, and four additional courses in Criminal Justice; one semester of American History and Introduction to Sociology. Students who opt to take Criminal Justice 50 Internship will complete six additional courses in Criminal Justice beyond the required courses.
Course Sequence:
Freshman Humanities I Humanities II
Freshman English 103 Freshman English 104
Science Science
Language Language
Criminal Justice 101 Criminal Justice 201
Sophomore Humanities III Humanities IV
Philosophy/Theology Philosophy/Theology
Criminal Justice 231 Criminal Justice 202
Language Language
Intro. to Sociology Liberal Arts Elective
Junior Philosophy/Theology Philosophy/Theology
Criminal Justice 209 Elective
Criminal Justice Criminal Justice
Liberal Arts Elective American History
Liberal Arts Elective Liberal Arts Elective
Senior Philosophy/Theology Philosophy/Theology
Criminal Justice 430 Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Liberal Arts Elective
Liberal Arts Elective Liberal Arts Elective
Liberal Arts Elective Liberal Arts Elective
The criminology major is a blend of the theoretical and applied, and stresses an understanding of crime and punishment in a free and democratic society. The major provides the background and skills that are needed to pursue employment in the criminal justice system. Built on a strong social science foundation within a framework of the liberal arts, the program prepares students in the applied aspects of criminal justice at the associate level and the broader theoretical aspects of criminology at the bachelor’s level. Students completing the program are prepared for employment in a variety of careers in the criminal justice or juvenile justice systems, or to continue in graduate or law school.
The criminology program is a blend of the theoretical and applied and stresses an understanding of crime and punishment in a free and democratic society and provides the background and skills that are needed to pursue employment in the criminal justice system. Built on a strong social science foundation within a framework of the liberal arts, the program prepares students in the applied aspects of criminal justice at the associate level and the broader theoretical aspects of criminology at the bachelor’s level. Students completing the program are prepared to be employed in a variety of careers in the criminal justice or juvenile justice systems or to continue in graduate schools or law school.
There is perhaps no field as interesting as the study of crime and justice. The curriculum in Criminology and Criminal Justice utilizes a small classroom setting environment to offer both full and part-time programs leading to a Bachelor of Science degree. Some students link their degrees in other disciplines with a minor in Criminal Justice. Niagara University combines a challenging faculty, balanced curriculum, fascinating outside speakers, and stimulating internships while providing a broadly based educational experience. Whether the person begins as a Freshman or is one of the many transfer students, the program is designed to provide the student with an education in the liberal arts as well as a comprehensive background in the field of criminal justice. The primary goal of the program is to assist the student in gaining employment upon graduation. The second goal is to prepare the qualified student for graduate work in the social sciences or law school.