Southwestern Adventist University Reintroduces the Criminal Justice Program

Southwestern Adventist University Introduces the Criminal Justice Program

Southwestern Adventist University is pleased to reintroduce the Criminal Justice program to our curriculum. The program is administered by the Department of History and Social Sciences and begins on campus in Spring 2020. Criminal Justice is initially being administered as a Distance Education program with on-campus courses expected to begin in Spring of 2020.

In addition to general education credits, a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice requires 48 credit hours (plus 6 required cognate hours), including courses such as: Introduction to Criminal Justice, Juvenile Delinquency, Crime in America, Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement, and Criminal Investigations. 

Department chair, Dr. Steve Jones, is excited about the new program and believes Southwestern Adventist University is the place for students seeking an individualized interaction in the Criminal Justice program. “The student’s experience in criminal justice at Southwestern Adventist University will be very personal,” said Jones. “Class sizes will be small, allowing the students and instructors to establish a good rapport with each other. Students could go to other universities, some nearby, but their criminal justice programs have hundreds of enrolled majors. There’s always a chance that a student will get lost in those programs.” 

While criminal justice graduates often enter the workforce as police officers, the prospects for expanded opportunities are vast. A criminal justice degree can prepare a student for careers in probation, asset management, crime scene investigation, corporate security, corrections administration, federal protective services, or corporate loss prevention. For students seeking to pursue a pre-law degree, this program also provides the basis for a criminal law career.

Jones shares, “criminal justice prepares students for a career in public service. It is the perfect career for people who want to mend public service with their livelihood, and it can lead in so many different directions. People in this career field will discover a lifetime of both service and learning.” 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment for individuals with criminal justice degrees to increase by 7% yearly through 2026. There are currently almost 810,000 jobs in criminal justice in the United States.   The University’s new Criminal Justice Program prepares students for the advancing career world of criminal justice.

“This program is designed to lead to careers and the possibilities to advance for students desiring to work in various aspects of law enforcement,” shares Interim Vice President for Academic Administration, Dr. Donna Berkner, “The ability to attend classes on campus or online offers students the convenience and flexibility of completing courses while balancing busy personal and professional schedules.”

For more information about the Criminal Justice Program at Southwestern Adventist University, contact Dr. Steve Jones, Chair of the Department by calling 817-202-6263 or emailing joness@swau.edu.