Criminal Justice

Do you love the law? Want to make a difference by standing up for those who need a voice? Interested in the researching the reasons behind criminal behavior? Want to pursue a fulfilling career as part of the solution? Then a criminal justice major may be for you.

Criminal Justice Careers

With a degree in criminal justice you will combine the critical thinking skills drawn from a liberal arts education with specific knowledge and skills important to employers.

As a student with an undergraduate degree in criminal justice you will be 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, and helping victims of violence and abuse.

Students graduating with a major in criminal justice have found positions in local, state, and federal law enforcement, the social welfare field, the courts (probation and parole), in law offices as assistants, in security, in cyber-crime, in regulatory agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and in business.

Invaluable Internships

Through the internship program you will gain specific experience in areas such as policing, courts, and probation that enhance your employment opportunities and make you a strong competitor in the job market.

The criminal justice faculty constantly stresses the importance of doing multiple internships in the field while at Curry. Our professors, alumni and professional colleagues have real world experience and have helped many of our students secure internships as places such as:

• Quincy Police Department
• Norfolk Probate & Family Court
• Stoughton District Court
• United States Marshals
• Massachusetts State Police
• Various Law Offices

...and many more.

Criminal Justice as a MAJOR

Through the Curry curriculum, you will gain knowledge about crime, criminology, and the administration of justice and the various organizations created to address these real world problems. Through required courses, you will learn to critically analyze problems and to develop and test methods to solve those problems. You will 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.

As a criminal justice student you will:

• study the major systems of social control, policies, and practice
• consider the social and personal consequences of crime and criminal behavior on victims
• look at the issues of juvenile justice
• study corrections, including the history and practice of corrections and the range of institutions meant to treat offenders
• understand the nature and causes of crime, crime typologies, offenders, and victims
• examine criminal law and procedure, understanding how the courts work and how legal decisions are made
• examine the history, theory, and practice of police organizations, including internal views that consider police subculture
• study the issues of ethics in law enforcement and criminal justice
• study deviance and social control
• be grounded in methods, both quantitative and qualitative, for conducting and analyzing criminal justice research, and theory

Criminal Justice as a MINOR

A criminal justice minor offers you the opportunity to combine the study of criminal justice with a major in any other discipline. This multidisciplinary approach can prepare you for a wide range of careers in community-based organizations, law enforcement settings, corporations, or non-profit organizations.

Criminal Justice Concentrations

Please see the Sociology program for recommended concentration courses for criminal justice majors.

Get Started Today!

Visit campus and explore Curry's criminal justice program in person. You also may request information to learn more about the major, minor or concentration of your choice. When you're ready to apply to Curry, we'll help you get started.