Criminal Justice

The criminal justice program is the leader in educating future criminal justice practitioners by providing students with the skills needed to critically examine the world around them, the ability to understand and embrace the diversity of the society in which they serve and live, and the continuing desire to learn more about themselves, society and the criminal justice field.

Admission Information

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Quality classroom experiences

Many of our criminal justice classes are small with 30 or fewer students. This allows for increased personal interaction between students and faculty and better in-class discussions and projects.

Criminal justice courses are open only to criminal justice majors. This guarantees that all examples and discussions are directly relevant to the students. It also helps build a feeling of camaraderie and enhances interaction between students with similar goals and interests.

Stand Out in courses like

Investigations
Law, Evidence, and Legal Issues in Forensic Science
Institutional and Community Corrections
Procedural Rights
Juvenile Justice
Criminal Courts

Curriculum

The criminal justice program places emphasis on academics, oral and written communication and research potential. The curriculum is largely concentrated in social and behavioral sciences with core courses in government, law, psychology and sociology. Students take courses in other departments, as well as in criminal justice, giving them the ability to look at a problem from many viewpoints.

Criminal justice students interested in pursuing investigative careers in the public, private, intelligence, and military sectors may take a specialization in forensic investigation.

Master of Criminal Justice is one of the top online programs in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report, and ranked number one among Ohio public universities, according to Top Criminal Justice Schools.

Internships and Careers

All criminal justice majors must complete an internship with an agency or organization whose responsibilities are related to the criminal justice system. Students see the application of what they have learned in the classroom and make valuable contacts which are useful in securing future employment. Internships are available at more than 800 agencies throughout the U.S. and may be governmental, private businesses or non-profit agencies.

Average Starting Salary & BGSU Placement Rate

$38,097* — BGSU Criminal Justice graduates average starting salary

96% of Criminal Justice graduates report they're employed, in graduate school or starting a business within six months of graduation

(BGSU data compiled from students who completed the related questions on the graduation survey.)

GO FAR with a career in

Federal agencies
Law enforcement
Graduate school
Law school
Corrections/Probation
Victim services
Correctional treatment specialist
Probation officer
Victim's advocate

More Information

Required internships provide real-world experience and are available throughout the U.S.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in Criminal Justice are expected to:

Identify, investigate, and propose solutions to problems/issues facing the criminal justice system;
Critically evaluate policies and practices of the criminal justice system;
Communicate effectively, both orally and in written form.

Accreditation

Bowling Green State University [BGSU] is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. BGSU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 01/01/1916. The most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was received in 2012 - 2013. Questions should be directed to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

The Criminal Justice program will undergo its next Program/Cluster Review during the Academic Year 2021-22. More information on accreditation.

Professional Licensure

Bowling Green State University programs leading to licensure, certification and/or endorsement, whether delivered online, face-to-face or in a blended format, satisfy the academic requirements for those credentials set forth by the State of Ohio.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. The Criminal Justice program does not lead to professional licensure.

Gainful Employment

Under the Higher Education Act Title IV disclosure requirements, an institution must provide current and prospective students with information about each of its programs that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

The Criminal Justice program is not a recognized occupation that requires a Gainful Employment disclosure.

Specialization

Forensic Investigations

The Criminal Justice program is part of the Department of Human Services in the BGSU College of Health & Human Services.

* Job placement and salary information was compiled by the Office of Academic Assessment through the Graduation Survey from AY2015-2018. The data are gathered around the time of Commencement and a follow-up survey six months post Commencement. For the salary question, data for programs with fewer than fifteen responses are not included. Salaries for those programs are from the National Association of Colleges and Employers Summer 2019 Survey. For questions regarding the data, contact assessment@bgsu.edu.

Updated: 05/21/2021 10:08AM