Why Choose Criminal Justice Studies at Bethel University?
Criminal Justice Studies is for students who want to understand how justice works and to serve their communities within it. The major takes you through the entire system, from policing and the courts to corrections, and grounds you in criminal law, procedure, evidence, and investigations. It is a degree built for people who care about fairness, public safety, and doing the work with integrity.
What rounds it out is a strong focus on ethics and the real challenges of the field. Alongside the law and procedure, you study ethics in criminal justice, issues of social inequality, and juvenile justice, preparing you to think critically about the system rather than simply operate within it. Whether you are headed for law enforcement, corrections, the courts, or law school, you graduate with both the knowledge and the judgment the profession demands.
What You'll Learn
In this program, you will learn:
- A broad understanding of the criminal justice system, including crime, law, policing, courts, and corrections
- A knowledge of the development and practice of law enforcement in the United States
- An understanding of the history, practices, and future directions of corrections
- A command of constitutional criminal procedure, from investigation and arrest through trial and appeal
- A grasp of substantive criminal law and the range of criminal offenses
- The ability to evaluate the admissibility of testimonial, scientific, and demonstrative evidence
- A foundation in criminal investigation and the principles of forensic science
- An understanding of the juvenile justice system and approaches to delinquency
- The ability to reason through ethics and values in criminal justice, including social inequality
Courses You'll Take
These are the main courses that define the major:
CJS 210, Introduction to Criminal Justice Studies
CJS 350, Introduction to Law Enforcement
CJS 320, Introduction to Corrections
CJS 389, Criminal Procedure I
CJS 391, Criminal Procedure II
CJS 400, Criminal Law
CJS 410, Criminal Evidence
CJS 392, Criminal Investigations
CJS 432, Juvenile Justice
CJS 313, Ethics in Criminal Justice
Beyond these, you will also complete CJS 416, Sports Law, along with fifteen additional hours chosen from upper-level criminal justice courses and approved electives across related fields.
Career Possibilities
Police Officer
Protects communities by enforcing laws, responding to calls, and maintaining public safety.
Detective or Criminal Investigator
Investigates crimes by gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and building cases for prosecution.
Corrections Officer
Oversees individuals in jails and prisons, maintaining safety, security, and order.
Probation or Parole Officer
Supervises individuals serving sentences in the community and supports their rehabilitation and compliance.
Crime Analyst
Analyzes crime data and patterns to support investigations and guide law enforcement strategy.
Federal Agent
Investigates and enforces federal laws for an agency such as the FBI, DEA, or Homeland Security.
Victim Advocate
Supports crime victims through the legal process, connecting them with resources and services.
Paralegal
Supports attorneys by conducting research, preparing documents, and organizing case materials.
Attorney
Applies the foundation built in criminal justice toward a legal career, following law school.
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