Criminal Justice (B.A.)
Program Overview
The criminal justice degree program at Messiah University is a liberal arts degree that appeals to students who wish to pursue a career in criminal justice. You will gain a deep understanding of human behavior, including deviance, and social structures that preserve order and address crime. This will allow you to examine new and innovative practices in criminal and restorative justice, and grasp the concept of responsible service in the criminal justice field.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates from Messiah’s Criminal Justice program can:
- Use theory to identify patterns of social behavior.
- Recognize issues and significance of diversity -- race, class, culture, gender, religion ethnicity, values, age.
- Apply information and technology relevant to the social sciences and the study of criminality.
- Demonstrate professional skills in the field of criminal justice.
- Apply critical thinking skills in their examination of social institutions and issues of conflict, inequality, prejudice, discrimination, deviance, and crime.
- Identify career options in the field of criminal justice and assess one's own skills and dispositions for the field.
- Use faith to augment our service to the community.
Major Requirements
Complete the following for your major:
SOAN 442: Writing in the major requirement.
Three credits from the following:
NOTE: At least eighteen (18) credits of the major requirements must be 300- or 400- level courses.
QuEST Requirements
| Experiential Learning requirement |
0 |
| QuEST requirements |
Credits |
| First Year Seminar |
3 |
| Oral Communication |
3 |
| Created and Called for Community (W) |
3 |
| Mathematical Sciences |
3 or 4 |
| Laboratory Science |
3 or 4 |
| Science, Technology & the World (CRIJ 369) |
met/major |
| Social Science (CRIJ 103) |
met/major |
| European History or United States History |
3 |
| Literature |
3 |
| Philosophy and Religion |
3 |
| Arts |
3 |
| First Semester of Language |
3 |
| Second Semester of Language |
3 |
| Third Semester of Language or Cross Cultural |
3 |
| Non-Western Studies |
2 or 3 |
| Bible |
3 |
| Christian Beliefs |
3 |
| Wellness course |
1 |
| Ethics, World Views or Pluralism (SOAN 356) |
met/major |
| QuEST requirements |
45-48 |
| Major requirements |
39 |
| Free electives |
39-36 |
| Total |
123 |