Department of Criminal Justice
Partnering for justice through education, research and community partnerships to prepare the next generation of leaders in criminal justice.
What is Criminal Justice?
As one of the nation's oldest criminal justice programs, the University of Louisville Department of Criminal Justice is fueled by a single mission: partnering for justice through education, research and innovation that strengthens communities and informs policy. You'll learn from award-winning faculty who prepare you not just for a career but for a life of leadership across the justice system, and you'll choose from a bachelor of science, master of science or doctor of philosophy in criminal justice, on campus or online. The department is also home to the Southern Police Institute, an internationally recognized leader in law enforcement education since 1951.
Discover how your commitment to justice becomes the foundation for a career that protects, reforms and leads.
Explore Your Future
Expand Your Impact
Why study Criminal Justice?
Annual job openings projected for police & detectives
Projected employment growth for forensic science technicians
Median annual wage across legal occupations
Recent News from Criminal Justice
Upcoming Events in Criminal Justice
Criminal justice is often associated with laws and courtrooms, but I’ve come to understand it’s ultimately about people. Working in the court system while earning my graduate degree here has strengthened my commitment to fairness, service and the responsibility of contributing to justice.
Career Prospects
Where Justice Becomes Your Life's Mission
A Criminal Justice degree gives you more than knowledge of law, policy and the justice system — it gives you the analytical, ethical and investigative foundation for careers that protect communities, advance equity and shape how society responds to harm. From frontline law enforcement to legal advocacy, forensic science, social services and cybersecurity, the field is broader and more dynamic than most students expect.
Criminal Justice graduates are in demand across law enforcement, government, courts, corrections, public health, nonprofit advocacy, social services and emerging fields at the intersection of technology and public safety. The skills you build here — evidence-based thinking, ethical reasoning, research methodology and policy analysis — transfer across all of them.
You'll graduate with real-world experience through internships with agencies including the U.S. Secret Service, Kentucky State Police and Louisville Metro Police Department and the option to accelerate into law school through our distinctive 3+3 program. Our graduates turn their commitment to justice into careers that protect the vulnerable, reform broken systems and build safer communities.
Turn Your Commitment to Justice Into Career Impact
Ready to turn your commitment to public safety and equity into professional impact? Join the UofL Department of Criminal Justice and build the foundation for a career that protects, reforms and leads.