Department of Criminal Justice

What is Criminal Justice?

Criminal Justice is your pathway to becoming a force for positive change in communities nationwide, where evidence-based education meets real-world impact. As one of the oldest and most respected programs in the field, we prepare dedicated practitioners who serve the public good through careers in law enforcement, corrections, legal advocacy and community safety.

Our nationally recognized faculty guide you through transformative learning experiences that blend rigorous academic foundation with hands-on practice — from research projects that inform policy to internships with agencies like the US Secret Service, Kentucky State Police and Louisville Metro Police Department. Through our distinctive 3+3 Program, Criminal Justice majors can accelerate their path to legal careers by beginning law school during their senior year at the prestigious Brandeis School of Law.

Whether you're called to become a federal agent, defense attorney, probation officer or community advocate, our evidence-based approach develops the critical thinking, ethical reasoning and practical skills that create lasting impact. Here, your commitment to justice transforms into the expertise and leadership that protects communities and builds safer societies for all.

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.

Explore Career Pathways in Criminal Justice