Criminal Justice Major
MVNU’s Criminal Justice program goes beyond theory, featuring extensive opportunities for hands-on experience and a wide range of practical electives.
The program offers a selection of courses that prepare students to work in this highly diversified field, seeking justice for the perpetrators and victims of delinquent or criminal acts. This emphasis on restorative justice connects the program directly to the mission of service at the heart of MVNU.
- Immersive learning — You’ll be offered the opportunity to visit and study prisons and correctional facilities, spend a day with the Columbus SWAT team, participate in mock investigations and execute search warrants, and work closely with local authorities. This means hands-on experience in your field long before graduation and an in-depth look at what your career options are with this degree.
- Experienced faculty — Courses are taught by knowledgeable and reputable Criminal Justice professionals with decades of experience.
- Restorative justice — Emphasis is placed on justice as a pursuit of ultimate restoration for offenders, victims, families, and communities, within an ethical framework that is focused on rehabilitation and redemption.
- Research opportunities — In addition to research conducted in courses, department faculty encourage talented and motivated students to pursue a senior honors thesis. Students work closely with a faculty mentor that provides encouragement, advice, and guidance along the entire process of selecting a topic, developing a research hypothesis and method, and finally analyzing and interpreting the data. Student scholars are encouraged to present their work at the MVNU undergraduate research symposium (sURC)
- Dr. Thad Hicks, Professor of Emergency Management & Criminal Justice / GPS Program Coordinator for Public Administration
- Professor Carla Swallow, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Department Chair
- Professor Richard Brenneman, Adjunct Professor
Check out the catalog for a complete list of the requirements, courses, and objectives for the Criminal Justice program!
Criminal justice majors have the opportunity for dozens of off-campus activities. Faculty guide students on trips visiting such locations as: Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio Parole Board in Columbus, Licking County Sheriff’s Department, Drug Court in Mansfield, ReEntry Court in Mansfield, Knox County Common Pleas Court Felony Sentencing, Spender Halfway House in Newark, Courage House in Newark, AimHi in New Albany, Tri-State Youth Academy in Perrysville, and Richland Correctional Institute in Mansfield.
For other service learning and academic travel possibilities, visit mvnu.edu/travel.
MVNU has many endowed scholarships available for students of a wide variety of backgrounds and majors.
MVNU’s Criminal Justice program has grown to become a popular major on campus, with excellent employment and graduate school outcomes for students.
With a Criminal Justice degree, you could pursue careers in: adult probation or parole; criminal and private investigations; juvenile probation, parole or corrections; community-based corrections; federal, state or local law enforcement; or institutional corrections. Or, you could go on to law school or seek an advanced degree in a criminal justice field.
Whatever path you choose, a degree from MVNU will prepare you to carry out your career ethically and successfully.
- Ohio State Highway Patrol
- Police Departments
- Department of Corrections – Ohio
- County Probation
- Adult and Juvenile Correctional Facilities
- U.S. Navy, Marines, and Air Force
- U.S. Border Patrol
- Secret Service
- Private Law Firms
- County Sheriff Departments
- Private Investigation and Security
- Transportation Safety Administration
- Fire Departments
- Tiffin University
- The Ohio State University
- Capital University
- University of Southern Mississippi
- Akron University
- Northern Arizona State
- Ohio Northern University
- Hofstra University
- Nazarene Theological Seminary