Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

Broad Curriculum – You will take a wide spectrum of courses, including law, criminal justice, political science, sociology, psychology, and public sector administration.

Biblical Worldview - With biblical integration in every course, you will be prepared to lead with integrity and honor God in your vocation.

Real-World Experience – A required internship will give you practical experience to prepare for your future.

Experienced Faculty – Your professors will have more than just book knowledge. They are scholar-practitioners, with both high academic credentials and years of real-world criminal justice experience. Dr. Patrick Oliver, the program’s director, has 27 years of law enforcement experience, including as the Chief of Police for Cleveland, Grandview Heights, and Fairborn, Ohio, and is actively involved with agencies such as the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE).

What can you do with a criminal justice degree? A Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from Cedarville University can lead you to a career as a:

• Correctional Officer (City, County, State)
• Court Reporter
• Crime Scene
• Examiner Homeland
• Legal Secretary
• Paralegal and Legal
• Assistant Police Officer
• Detective Private Investigator
• Probation Officer
• State Trooper
• Criminal Intelligence Analyst
• Park Ranger – Local, State, or National
• County Deputy Sheriff
• Loss Prevention Officer

Our graduates are working in positions such as Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, state police officers, sheriff’s office deputies, and correctional officers and some have been commissioned as officers with the U.S. Army or Air Force. Others have gone on to pursue MBAs and law degrees.

Graduate and professional programs and employers welcome Cedarville University graduates each year. It is important to note that some professional career fields you may pursue require additional education, experience, and/or licensure beyond the completion of your Cedarville University undergraduate degree.

Internships — The criminal justice program faculty believes so strongly in the importance of internship experience that they require an internship as part of the program. Criminal justice majors can intern in a variety of related fields to gain vital experience and obtain first-hand knowledge of what working in particular areas of the field may entail. Internships help students decide what career options to pursue, help to build resumes, and provide experience that sets them apart from those they will be competing against in the job market. Our students are required to have an internship in law enforcement, courts, or corrections. Using the Criminal Justice faculty network, every student is placed in a criminal justice agency for a semester.

National Security Minor — The national security minor will prepare you for a career in intelligence analysis. This minor must be combined with a major (in any field) in order to graduate with your bachelor’s degree and be fully prepared for your chosen career path. Course requirements for this minor involve 21 semester hours including 12 hours in a national security internship.

Real-World Exposure — As part of the program, you will take part in ride-alongs with local police departments and visit state prisons. You will also take experience monthly meetings with guest speakers from the criminal justice field.

D.C. Semester — You can join fellow students and a faculty member for a life-changing experience of learning, development, and service in a semester spent in Washington, D.C.

The Center for Political Studies provides a biblical response to political and social issues of our day.

Student Organizations — Student organizations complement your coursework with opportunities to meet and learn from like- minded students and professionals.

• Alpha Delta Nu provides criminal justice students with the opportunity to enhance their professional development. Members believe that a career in criminal justice is a ministry in a God-ordained institution, which is government.

Building on your core liberal arts and Bible minor courses, you will take core criminal justice courses as well as courses in legal studies and local law enforcement.

Sample Courses

• Career Planning for Criminal Justice Professional
• Introduction to Criminal Justice