Crime poses a serious challenge to society.

The Criminal Justice program seeks to provide insight into this problem while preparing future leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to operate an effective and humane system of justice. The program is designed to provide a liberal arts education for students planning a career in the field of criminal justice. Many of the courses in the curriculum are interdisciplinary in nature, with perspectives of other disciplines like psychology and sociology being offered.

The Criminal Justice curriculum has become attractive to a diverse group of students with a broad range of career interests, including local, state, and federal law enforcement positions, juvenile work, counseling, corrections, probation and parole, social work, security and investigation, and law. .

The salaries of these positions vary significantly depending on years of service, rank, location and size of the community in which the agency is located. Generally, federal level agencies pay the highest salaries followed by large city departments, parish/county agencies and small cities and towns.

Many students aspire to become Federal Bureau of Investigation agents. It is an extremely competitive process. Applicants must be graduates of an accredited college, aged 23 to 34, and in excellent physical condition. Five types of college degrees are allowed: Law, Accounting, Engineering and Science, Language and "Diversified." Criminal Justice majors fall under the"Diversified" category and must have three years full time experience in addition to an earned bachelors degree. The entry level is classified as a GS 10.

A growing number of students advance to graduate school or law school after completing the bachelor's degree. The Criminal Justice Society, a student organization, is very active in promoting the career and extracurricular interests of its members.