Criminal Justice (B.S., A.S.)
School of Arts and Sciences
Earn a criminal justice degree online or in a traditional classroom setting

Flexible Learning Format with convenient, accessible scheduling through online or classroom adult-oriented learning environments. Regional Accreditation — The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association. Affordable Tuition — Full-time financial aid availability and reasonable costs. Faculty — Academic credentials and real-world experience. Cohort Program - complete the program major with the same group of peers from start to finish.

Why choose Criminal Justice?
Does your idea of success combine professional opportunity with the chance to make the world a better place? If you’re concerned with justice and social issues, and want to make a difference, a career in criminal justice may be your path. Mountain State University offers online criminal justice programs for maximum convenience; earn an associate or bachelor’s degree from the convenience of your home or office.

Criminal Justice is a changing and dynamic profession, its growth spurred by new technologies, increased need for law enforcement personnel, and a continuing focus on homeland security. Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking to advance in your career, or someone new to the field, an MSU criminal justice degree, earned online or in classroom-based study, offers you the opportunity to pursue any field of study relating to police, courts, corrections, or homeland security.

What can I study at MSU?
MSU offers both online and classroom-based bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with three concentrations:

• Homeland Security: The focus is on combating terrorism through investigation, detection, location, and apprehension of foreign and domestic terrorists. In this concentration, you will train for law enforcement response to incidents, disasters, and crisis management.
• Police Science: This concentration focuses on employing a scientific approach to the management of crime scenes and administratively managing law enforcement agencies. If you are a potential leader in the field of criminal justice, this concentration is best suited for you.
• Corrections Management: If you see yourself as a future leader in community corrections agencies, prisons, or jails, this concentration allows you to focus on a management and interdisciplinary approach to corrections.
  

MSU also offers an associate degree in criminal justice in both online and classroom-based formats.

Why choose MSU?
Gain both academic and field experience. To supplement the academic classes, MSU offers practicum exercises, internships, and job placement activities with local law enforcement agencies, correctional agencies, and the new homeland securities agencies here in West Virginia. This combination gives our students a competitive edge in the criminal justice field that requires both a college education and relevant field experience for the top jobs.

Homeland Security Emphasis. All of the bachelor’s degree concentrations include courses and training in homeland security, and MSU is the only university in West Virginia that offers a Criminal Justice concentration in Homeland Security.

Flexible Learning Delivery. Classes in the criminal justice program are offered on-campus, in cohort settings, and through independent study. You can also receive credit for past academic courses and prior learning experience.

Active Student Organizations. Two student organizations, Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society and American Criminal Justice Association - Lamba Alpha Epsilon chapter offer our students the opportunity to add to their Criminal Justice studies. Practical experience can be gained through tours of prisons or jails, courses in using firearms and self-defense, and viewing law enforcement demonstrations.

Career Opportunities
Criminal justice graduates will qualify for a variety of jobs:

• Local police officer
• Sheriff’s deputy
• Correctional officer
• Private security officer
• Probation/parole officer
• West Virginia State Police
• Federal agent positions (with bachelor’s degree)
• Homeland security specialist

MSU’s new concentration in its criminal justice programs reflect the need for more law enforcement professionals in all areas of local, state, and national government. The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, projects this area to grow faster than average, which means approximately a 21 to 35 percent increase in jobs between 2002 and 2012.

Since all bachelor’s degree programs feature elements of Homeland Security, graduates will be able to target more competitive areas within the federal government, such as the FBI, U.S Marshals, DEA, BATF, and U.S. Customs for career opportunities.

Please see our catalog for degree and program requirements.