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Criminal Justice (B.S.)

There’s so much more to the ﬁeld of criminal justice than the producers of CSI can show you on TV. But we’ve also got some of that cool tech stuff to teach you too!

JWU’s renowned Criminal Justice program is more than learning law enforcement best practices. You re-think justice. Our faculty will highlight the influences of individual and group dynamics, and will inspire you to apply your ideas in ways that influence today’s society.

This program will prepare you for criminal justice careers by focusing on key elements of the criminal justice system. Through our courses you’ll learn about the role, history and development of law enforcement agencies — including, but not limited to, the role police officers and correctional officers play in the criminal law system.

You’ll be exposed to crime scene analysis techniques and have the opportunity to explore the interdisciplinary nature of the criminal justice field within political science, psychology and sociology courses that allow you to examine the global and domestic criminal justice issues of today.

If it’s that CSI stuff that stokes your passion, our crime lab and crime scene room give you the chance to learn forensic analysis skills in ﬁngerprinting and blood splatter analysis, bullet trajectory research, and collection of crime scene evidence.

Our faculty includes a mix of criminal justice professionals coming from all areas of the criminal justice field. From legislators and policy experts to police captains and detectives. Follow their lead towards careers in law enforcement, the court system, cyber and homeland security industries, counseling, advocacy and many more.

My first class of my college career was Introduction to Criminal Justice. From that point forward, I knew the curriculum, professors, and JWU community were the right ﬁt for me. DAN MOTT '16

Infographic: University Student Faculty Ration

This program is available in Providence. View a full course listing below.

Two students walk by Gaebe Commons

Special Event: Open House

Campus is open for you! Take a student-led walking tour and meet with Admissions, Student Financial Services, Faculty, Residential Life and more. Learn more about academics and meet professors and the college dean, too.

Featured Criminal Justice Faculty

Paul Sylvestre

Professor and Department Chair

Professor Paul Sylvestre, Ph.D., teaches criminal justice at JWU Providence.

James Desmarais

Professor

Prior to coming to JWU, Professor Desmarais accrued 27 years of law enforcement experience across a wide spectrum of positions.

Wildcat Willie at the Ignite the Night event.

5 Things to Know About Applying to JWU

If you’re wondering how to apply to Johnson & Wales, look no further.

Applying to JWU

The JWU Advantage

Students working in a staged crime scene

At Johnson & Wales, we know that not all of our criminal justice students aim to follow the same career path. That’s why we’ve designed a program that gives them the JWU Advantage, helping them succeed regardless of which path they choose. Explore the ways our students are prepared for a career after college:

The JWU Advantage

JWU-TWC Partnership Maximizes Career-Focused Education

JWU has partnered with the Washington Center (TWC), a self-described “bridge between higher education and professional careers,” to enhance opportunities for students to earn academic credit through the latter’s academic seminars and immersive programming.

TWC offers immersive internships and academic seminars led by presenters who are working at the forefront of their fields. The organization also offers networking nights where students meet alumni who have jobs in a variety of fields. In fact, many guest speakers are TWC alumni who say that being a participant put them on a course to working in the highest levels of their profession.

Associate Professor Kevin DeJesus calls JWU’s partnership with TWC “game changing. Working in my field for 20 years, I believe that this is one of the most powerful resources JWU has cultivated in its continual quest to provide students with the most practical and real-time engagement in their professions at all levels.”

EXPLORE JWU-TWC OPTIONS

Sample Courses

Criminal Courts
Law Enforcement

Criminal Investigation
Homeland Security

Criminalistics
Internship

Occupational Outlook*

Some professions may require additional study, background checks, certifications, licenses, exams and/or experience as required qualifications for employment. Students are responsible for verifying that they can meet the employment requirements of potential employers.

Occupation	Growth	Median Salary
Career and Technical Education Teachers	-1%	$56,750
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, postsecondary	8%	$61,900
Emergency Management Directors	5%	$74,420
Forensic Science Technicians	14%	$58,230
Information Security Analysts	32%	$98,350
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates	3%	$133,920
Lawyers	6%	$120,910
Police and Detectives	5%	$63,380
Private Detectives and Investigators	8%	$50,090

_{*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Job outlook: 2018-2028. Median salary: 2018.}

Explore the full JWU Catalog course listing:

Providence

In addition to classes, free elective credit can be applied to a number of options such as Directed Experiential Education (DEE), internship, minor or study abroad. You are encouraged to contact an advisor before scheduling free elective credits.

Beyond the Classroom

“In a state-of-the-art crime lab, students learn how to keep people from getting away with murder.” Read Providence Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits profile of JWU’s Criminal Justice program.

Group in the criminal justice lab

Considering an advanced degree?

Law School: Earn your JD in 6 Years

If you are eligible, you can apply for our 3+3 Law Program to earn a bachelor’s degree from Johnson & Wales University and a juris doctor (JD) degree from Rhode Island’s Roger Williams University School of Law in 6 years.

JWU’s Online Accelerated Master’s degree

While completing your B.S. degree at JWU, you can also begin work on an online Master’s in Criminal Justice degree through our College of Online Education. Students in the online Accelerated Master’s degree program in Criminal Justice increase their expertise in the subject through courses such as Contemporary Criminology and Crime Prevention, and Research and Inquiry.

How JWU Ranks: Badges of Best Colleges 2020-2021 from U.S. News & World Report, The WSJ, and Money’s Best Colleges