BA-Criminal Justice

Vision

The faculty in the Criminal Justice Program (CRJS) is dedicated to teaching students how to search for truth and justice by applying theory, practical investigative knowledge, and ethical reasoning in the effort to improve society.

Mission

The Criminal Justice Program (CRJS) at Gannon University is an interdisciplinary, undergraduate major that is dedicated to education, research, and service in the fields of criminal justice, public safety, and social justice. With the capacity to develop graduates who have intellectual curiosity, moral commitment and professional competence to confront the challenges of crime and justice, CRJS strives to provide students with critical thinking and effective communication skills as well as to cultivate their capacity for personal growth and creative problem solving.

Curriculum

Consistent with contemporary standards of education in Criminal Justice, our curriculum emphasizes the need for students to be exposed to the most significant areas of study in the criminal justice system – law enforcement, policing, corrections, probation, parole, juvenile justice, criminal law and criminology. In each of these areas, course offerings stress both theoretical concepts and practical applications. As a complement to classroom experiences, the program requires students to engage in experiential learning such as internships and service-learning projects. These allow the student to observe the day to day operation of specific agencies.

In addition to preparing students for their initial criminal justice careers, the Criminal Justice Program provides students with a solid academic foundation for subsequent graduate education in criminal justice, related social science disciplines and law. There is an increasing need for para-professionals to earn a minimum of an Associate Degree to gain entry into the criminal justice system or related occupations. The Criminal Justice Program offers an Associate Degree (AA) in Criminal Justice.

Recognizing the importance of language proficiency among criminal justice professionals has led to the development of a special sequence of language courses necessary for degree completion in the area of Criminal Justice. The Department of Global Languages and Cultures in conjunction with the Criminal Justice Program offer the opportunity to acquire relevant language skills and familiarity with the associated culture, sufficient to enhance effective communication in criminal justice settings. The Criminal Justice Program highly recommends Spanish or Arabic fluency for its students. Criminal Justice majors are encouraged to develop competency in this language as a means of broadening professional skills and expanding employment opportunities.

All criminal justice students are encouraged to concentrate their general elective courses to pursue minors or second majors in areas which enhance career goals, such as global language, psychology, applied intelligence, social work, business administration, computer science and chemistry/biology sequences.

Act 120: Opportunity

Act 120 is the 6-month police officer training program required by the state. As a requirement to become a local police officer, individuals are required to have their Act 120 certification, which is awarded through the Municipal Police Academy. Students interested in becoming a local police officer for the state of Pennsylvania have an opportunity to attend the Municipal Police Academy which is affiliated with a local University. During this experience, students are able to earn 15 general elective credits through Gannon while also obtaining their Act 120 certification, all without having to transfer schools. It is recommended that interested students attend the academy during senior year, therefore it is important to work closely with your advisor and program director early in your academic career to ensure that all required coursework is completed before attending the academy. There is a lengthy application process to attend the police academy, please work with the program director to obtain all relevant information.