Criminology & Criminal Justice Major Map
Use this major map to explore possibilities and plan for success in five overlapping areas of career and academics.
Choose your year below, then see what you can do when you:
- Learn. Develop the knowledge and skills to complete your major.
- Engage. Contribute to campus and the community.
- Network. Build a foundation of professional connections.
- Transform. Make a positive impact in a diverse world.
- Prepare. Plan for life after graduation.
The map just offers suggestions - you don’t have to do it all.
Learn: What foundational courses should I be taking?
- CRJ 200 Introduction to Criminal Justice (this is also a Discovery Core Class)
- CRJ 363 Criminal Justice Systems and Policy
Engage: What kinds of activities and organizations can I explore?
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Criminology and Criminal Justice Collective - Members of this student group will visit local social justice programs, attend events on campus that feature criminal justice experts and participate in off-campus field trips
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Inside Out Prison Exchange (CRJ 476) - This community-based course, taught in a correctional facility, connects students with incarcerated students to study
Network: What are important topics in my field?
- Visit your professor’s office hours to introduce yourself
- Join a professional organization related to your major
Transform: What are the challenges and the strengths in my community?
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Learn about issues of racial and ethnic discrimination in the criminal justice system
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Find out about University of Michigan-Dearborn’s “Alternatives to Violent Force” program for current law enforcement officers in the community
Prepare: What are the career options for people with my major?
- Start building your CV - your academic resume
- Explore career options in your field to learn about requirements and expectations
- Attend the annual Criminal Justice Exposition on campus to meet recruiters from local, state and federal criminal justice agencies
Learn: How do I build on foundational courses?
- CRJ 416 Criminal Law
- CRJ 453 Sociology of Law
- CRJ 468 Criminology
- CRJ 488 Criminal Procedure and the Constitution
- CRJ 480 Criminal Justice Theory
- CRJ 465 Deviant Behavior
- CRJ 408 Police and the Community
- CRJ 409 Intelligence and Homeland Security
- CRJ 472 Correctional Systems
- CRJ 482 Legal Ethics
Engage: What activities and organizations will help me develop professional skills?
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Join a major-specific club or any of a number of student organizations on campus
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Attend the annual Criminal Justice Exposition on campus. Recruiters from federal, state, and local law enforcement and criminal-justice and human services related agencies will be on campus to meet interested Criminology and Criminal Justice students.
Network: How do I connect with faculty and students with similar interests?
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Attend department colloquium and other research talks on campus
Transform: What are the challenges and strengths of the Detroit Metro area?
- Contribute to a community project through the Office of Metropolitan Impact (OMI)
- Volunteer for a campus or community organization
Prepare: What resources are available on campus to help me develop the professional skills I will need?
- Meet with your professors to discuss career options
- Find out about internships
- The Capstone required internship (CRJ 478) meets weekly to help you develop your resume and other skills necessary for employment
Learn: How do I gain expertise in my major?
- CRJ 466 Drugs, Alcohol and Society
- CRJ 460 Law and Culture
- CRJ 487 Forensic Science Evidence
- CRJ 415 Restorative Justice
- CRJ 473 Race, Crime and Justice
- CRJ 474 Cyber Crimes
- CRJ 475 Digital Evidence
- CRJ 417 Crimmigration
- CRJ 484 White Collar Crime
Engage: How can I grow as a leader on campus?
- Consider running for Student Government or a leadership position in a campus organization
- Check out the options through the Office of Student Life’s Leadership Development webpage
Network: How can I broaden my professional relationships?
- Establish a LinkedIn profile to connect with UM-Dearborn alumni or to join industry-related LinkedIn Groups that hire students
Transform: How can I prepare to effectively solve local and global challenges?
- Diversify your perspective by taking a course outside your major
Prepare: What practical things should I do to further my career options?
- Work an internship into your schedule to gain professional experience
- Assess what experiences you are lacking for current job postings and fill in those gaps before graduation
- The 4+1 accelerated program allows majors to complete graduate level courses during the first four years
Learn: How do I finish strong?
- CRJ 418 Criminal Justice Research Methods
- CRJ 470 Current Issues in Criminal Justice
- CRJ 478 Criminal Justice Internship - Capstone Class (3-6 credits). Provides field experience in social welfare or criminal justice agencies. Supervision by approved field instructors. An internship of 80 hours is required for three (3) credits.
Engage: How can I mentor others to be leaders on campus?
- Become a peer tutor in the CASL Writing Center
- Apply through a Criminology & Criminal Justice faculty member to be a Student Mentor in a class you have already taken
Network: How can I demonstrate my readiness for the next steps?
- Make sure your applications for graduate or professional schools are complete with a writing sample and personal essay
- Do targeted networking with alumni working in careers of interest and ask questions about job opportunities and the interview process
- Request letters of recommendation from faculty who know your work
Transform: How can I add to the strengths of my community, the region, and the world?
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Contribute to global learning initiatives on campus
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Add a minor or certificate program to your degree
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Consider spending the summer volunteering with a government agency or nonprofit
Prepare: How do I make the best use of university resources to launch my professional next steps?
- Apply to jobs
- Explore possible graduate program opportunities
- The 4+1 accelerated program allows majors to complete graduate level courses during the first four years
The field of Criminology and Criminal Justice draws upon the insights of the social and behavioral sciences, the physical sciences, statistics, and the humanities to illuminate the issues of maintaining social order in a constitutional democracy committed to individual freedom, equality, and justice.
The program is a gateway to the criminal justice system, including police agencies, prosecutors, the legal profession, the courts, and correctional agencies, among others. The program in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies at UM-Dearborn is intended to prepare students for careers in public security, criminal justice administration, law and paralegal professions, public administration, policy analysis, and graduate study in those fields.
You can also advance your career with a Michigan graduate degree from University of Michigan-Dearborn in the rapidly growing criminal justice profession with a Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Use the map on the interior portion of this brochure to review possibilities and plan for success in the five areas listed - Learn, Engage, Network, Transform, Prepare. The map gives options so you can select what best matches your interests and goals. Start thinking about your future now and build a path throughout your UM-Dearborn career that will prepare you for success.
College is a time for discovering your passions–figuring out who you are and what drives you. UM-Dearborn offers more than 100 majors and minors, so you can find a program that is right for you. We are committed to cultivating a campus community that acknowledges our similarities and celebrates our differences. On campus you’ll find a range of support services and offices that provide the programs you need to be successful both academically and personally.