BA in Criminal Justice in Rochester United States | Oakland University

Criminal justice, frequently studied alongside criminology, explores criminal behavior, victim experiences, and how the justice system handles offenders. This field encompasses diverse subjects such as: analyzing what drives criminal acts and the circumstances enabling them, forecasting crime trends, investigating how different societal groups experience crime, assessing crime prevention strategies, and understanding the core elements of criminal and juvenile justice systems. This interdisciplinary major provides students with comprehensive knowledge of criminal law, societal factors influencing crime, policy effectiveness, and the workings of law enforcement, courts, and correctional facilities.

Students can pursue either a major or minor in our program, which also supports the Addiction Studies concentration. OU's Criminal Justice program integrates theoretical frameworks, research methods, and practical policy applications from criminology and related fields like sociology, political science, public administration, law, philosophy, and psychology.
A criminal justice career extends far beyond television portrayals. At Oakland University, majors gain comprehensive training spanning all criminal justice specializations. The curriculum covers law enforcement, national security, cybercrime, corrections, data interpretation, and other key areas. Our program also examines how social elements like race, ethnicity, and religion impact crime and policing. Employers consistently seek our students for internships due to their professionalism and preparedness. With specialized tracks in homeland security and IT security available, OU's criminal justice program establishes a solid foundation for professional success. Our standing as a top regional criminal justice institution stems from multiple strengths. Notably, our cybersecurity curriculum earned recognition from the U.S. Department of Defense as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. Additionally, our comprehensive approach trains students to think systematically about crime's root causes and broader societal impacts.