Students with a degree in criminal justice combine the critical thinking skills drawn from a liberal arts education with specific knowledge and skills important to most employers. Through the Curry curriculum, students gain knowledge about crime, criminology, and the administration of justice and the various organizations created to address these real world problems. They learn to critically analyze problems and to develop and test methods to solve those problems through required courses.  They also learn about research methods and statistics that help measure both the nature and extent of criminal activity and assess the programs designed to deal with these issues. Through internships, students gain specific experience(s) in areas such as policing, courts, and probation that enhance their employment opportunities and make them strong competitors in the job market.

Students with an undergraduate degree in criminal justice are especially well educated for jobs in policing at the local/state/federal level, probation and parole, and corrections, as well as in the rapidly growing area of private security.   There are also many opportunities to work in social service venues, counseling youth, helping victims of violence and abuse.

Students graduating with a major in criminal justice have found positions in the social welfare field, in law offices as assistants, in regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Health and Safety Administration, and in business.