Community-Engaged Coursework
Our faculty collaborate with a variety of community partners so we can understand today's most pressing social challenges and work toward innovative solutions for the common good.
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
At the University of St. Thomas, we explore the criminal justice system in its complex social context and strive to create justice by focusing on theory, research, and practice. The criminal justice program engages in critical questions about law enforcement, courts and corrections, preparing you for a wide range of exciting careers.
Why Study Criminal Justice at St. Thomas?
Our program prepares you to be a leader. You gain skills in social scientific research and intercultural competence, integral skills for our increasingly globalized world. You learn to innovate, communicate and solve problems for the 21st century. We promote academic excellence with a focus on transferable skills in research, theoretical analysis of crime and criminal behavior, and much more. Our students go on to work in a variety of fields, such as law enforcement, court services, victim services, and research. A degree in criminal justice also prepares students to continue their education in graduate school and law school.
Interdisciplinary Knowledge and Skills
Course Requirements
The criminal justice program is an interdisciplinary study of crime and deviance, borrowing heavily from sociology, psychology, and political science. You explore topics such as the role police play in our society, while examining the intricacies of the judicial process and the effectiveness of current correctional policies and practices. In addition, you have opportunities to take courses on topics related to constitutional rights and liberties, psychopathology and the anatomy of violence.
Four-Year Plan
We recommend connecting with a faculty member to plan your career at St. Thomas so you can ensure you are completing courses matching your interests, and most importantly, graduation requirements.
Degrees Awarded
- Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
- Minor in Criminal Justice
Scholarships
The Mikulay and Misencik Criminal Justice Scholarship is for St. Thomas students who have completed 92 credits with a major or minor in criminal justice, with preference given to students pursuing a career in law enforcement. The criminal justice scholarship supports educational diversity at the university; recipients demonstrate how they overcame adversity, engage in volunteerism, and/or contribute to educational diversity.
Outside of the Classroom
Our students regularly participate in internships throughout the year. We support students in locating these opportunities with our annual Career Expo, which brings a variety of community partners to campus to speak with students about opportunities with their organizations. In addition, we offer service-learning opportunities in our courses that allow students to learn about and work to address complex social issues, such as family homelessness and domestic violence.
Course Requirements
Course Requirements
The criminal justice program is an interdisciplinary study of crime and deviance, borrowing heavily from sociology, psychology, and political science. You explore topics such as the role police play in our society, while examining the intricacies of the judicial process and the effectiveness of current correctional policies and practices. In addition, you have opportunities to take courses on topics related to constitutional rights and liberties, psychopathology and the anatomy of violence.
Four-Year Plan
Four-Year Plan
We recommend connecting with a faculty member to plan your career at St. Thomas so you can ensure you are completing courses matching your interests, and most importantly, graduation requirements.
Degrees Awarded
Degrees Awarded
- Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
- Minor in Criminal Justice
Scholarships
Scholarships
The Mikulay and Misencik Criminal Justice Scholarship is for St. Thomas students who have completed 92 credits with a major or minor in criminal justice, with preference given to students pursuing a career in law enforcement. The criminal justice scholarship supports educational diversity at the university; recipients demonstrate how they overcame adversity, engage in volunteerism, and/or contribute to educational diversity.
Outside of the Classroom
Outside of the Classroom
Our students regularly participate in internships throughout the year. We support students in locating these opportunities with our annual Career Expo, which brings a variety of community partners to campus to speak with students about opportunities with their organizations. In addition, we offer service-learning opportunities in our courses that allow students to learn about and work to address complex social issues, such as family homelessness and domestic violence.
A Community of Dedicated Faculty and Alumni
Our faculty are your teachers and mentors, dedicated to passing on their knowledge and expertise to you. Alumni are applying their knowledge every day in many different fields and often return to campus as instructors, guest speakers, mentors and more.
Dr. Tanya Gladney
Tanya has a law enforcement and military background including 10 years of law enforcement experience with the State Capital Police in Jackson, Mississippi and eight years with the United States Army reserve. She provides cultural awareness training with police departments, and works with local and international police departments to provide and assist with racial equity training.
Matt '18 – Data Analyst
Matt’s career goal was to secure a job with a federal law enforcement agency. He completed a federal internship as a student with the United States Postal Inspection Service in the Twin Cities and worked as a Behavior Detection Officer at the Mall of America. He currently works as a Data Analyst with a federal law enforcement agency, and credits our program for helping guide him down this path, as well as the various opportunities he had while attending St. Thomas.
Elvis O. Mwamba '19
Elvis double majored in sociology and criminal justice. He was an active member in student clubs on-campus, including African Nation Student Association and Black Empowerment Student Association. He helped plan cultural events on-campus with these clubs, and was the secretary of the St. Thomas Veterans Club. His goal is to attend law school and work for the U.S. Department of Justice in their Civil Rights division.
Career Paths
We equip you with tools and knowledge that are valuable in a variety of careers after graduation.
- Law Enforcement
- Law
- Victim Advocacy
- Counseling
- Research/Data Analysis
- Grant writing
Talk About Opportunities
We strive to connect you with various community partners throughout your undergraduate career at St. Thomas.
POST-Certified
The Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training certifies our law enforcement program.
Study Abroad
Students have studied abroad in Italy and Ghana, and opportunities now include trips to Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom.
Faculty with Real Experience
Dr. Jessica Hodge
Dr. Hodge researches hate crimes, juvenile justice, and gender and queer issues in crime and criminal justice.
Robert Plesha
Robert was a member of the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office for 25 years, and now teaches criminal law at St. Thomas.
Get Involved
We believe it is important for you to connect with our community partners, your fellow students, and the distinguished faculty in our program.
Get Connected
Our annual Career Expo connects students to a variety of community partners to discuss potential volunteer, internship and career opportunities.
Partner With Faculty
Our faculty are active researchers, allowing students to engage with them on a variety of topics. Students have the opportunity to publish with a wide variety of outlets, including scientific peer-reviewed journals.
Surrounded by Passionate Peers
Students lead the Sociology and Criminal Justice Club and plan several activities throughout the year such as service projects, guest speakers and tours of nonprofit agencies.
Individualized Attention
Do you want your professors to know who you are? If so, we have you covered. Our class sizes are small, meaning you will get personalized attention and mentoring from faculty.
Know the System
Criminal justice at St. Thomas prepares you to be a leader. Our curriculum equips you with social science research and intercultural competence skills to navigate the complexities of our modern society.
Take the Next Step
There is more to learn about St. Thomas; including our ranking as a Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report, the many classroom and extracurricular activities that will be part of your student experience and so much more. Schedule a visit to see our beautiful campus or start your application today.