The mission of the Criminal Justice program is to provide students with the foundational academic knowledge required to be proficient practitioners in the field. At the end of the course of study, students should possess the skills to think critically about the issues encountered in the criminal justice system and promote progressive solutions to those issues.In addition to future careers in law enforcement, the program of study will provide a foundation for continuing education in law and graduate school.

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice provides graduates with a foundational and fundamental understanding of various aspects of the criminal justice system and its component parts. The degree is designed to prepare graduates for positions with local, state, tribal and federal government agencies such as city and state police and sheriffs' departments, probation and parole departments, FBI, State Law Enforcement Division, drug enforcement agencies, the Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Office, correctional institutions, juvenile justice agencies and in private, industrial security.