Description of Criminal Justice and Criminology Major

The Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice is designed to study the origins, nature, and causes of norm-violating behavior as well as societal reactions to this behavior. The study of criminal justice begins with a study of the entire criminal justice system and its interrelation with society. Advanced study inquires into the political, organizational, social, and behavioral aspects of various components of the criminal justice system. Research courses give students the tools to analyze criminal justice and the skills important for career development. Legal courses provide an awareness of the values of due process and the limits of government power in a democratic society.

Criminology and Criminal Justice is multidisciplinary, drawing on broad fields of knowledge, including law,  the social and behavioral sciences, and the natural sciences. Indiana University Southeast offers a Bachelor of Science degree through the School of Social Sciences. A major in criminology and criminal justice provides an excellent liberal arts background for a wide variety of career fields. Career opportunities in criminal justice include police agencies, prosecutors, defense attorneys, courts, and correctional agencies. Other specialized roles in criminal justice include juvenile probation officers, volunteer administrators, criminologists, forensic scientists, forensic psychologists, medical examiners, and policy analysts. The criminal justice program offers undergraduate students an opportunity to pursue studies leading to law school, graduate school or a career in the administration of justice.

Those who seek employment after completing their degree requirements have generally good prospects in such areas as correctional counseling, court administration, law enforcement and private security. In addition, many public and private agencies will have criminal justice related job openings for planners, researchers, data analysts and others who have sharpened their skills in statistics and computer science.

RELATED SKILLS:
Written and presentation skills
Research strategies
Understanding societies' reaction to crimes
Ethics and moral values
Considerations of gender and race
Interviewing skills
Quantitative skills
Strong background in humanities, social science, and natural science
Skills in research and scientific methodology   
Broad understanding of criminal law and the criminal justice system
Critical thinking   
Computer literacy
Understanding nature of crimes
Ability to identify and analyze social problems and develop solutions
Decision-making
Knowledge of legal structures
Patience supervision and management skills

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