All Articles

This spring, the Board of Regents approved to establish a new Bachelor of Arts Program in Criminal Justice in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The program will transition from an interdisciplinary studies major to a standalone program that will enhance the visibility of the program.

Criminal justice has an applied orientation that deals with the study, treatment, and supervision of criminal offenders within the criminal justice system. Its focus is on the institutions that exert social control, with an aim to reducing the occurrence of crime and putting into place consequences for those engaged in criminal activity.

The study of criminal justice will prepare students to directly address criminal behavior and crime in society, as well as learn about the components of juvenile and criminal justice systems, apply theoretical concepts to real-world phenomena, interface with criminal justice and social service provider practitioners, and plan an academic/applied career in criminal justice.

This academic area had been offered within the interdisciplinary studies major in LAS since fall 2006. The standalone criminal justice program will offer clear recognition of the degree for students, fit existing standards for academic and practitioner criminal justice careers, and formalize a successful experimental program which currently has more than 400 students.

Criminal justice is one of the fastest-growing non-medical professions in the United States, and one of the most popular choices for both traditional-aged freshmen and non-traditional working adults.

In addition, ValueColleges.com ranked Iowa State’s Criminal Justice program the 9th best in the country in its “Best Criminal Justice Programs of 2016” list.