MISSION
The Criminal Justice Sciences Division at WOU utilizes a strong liberal arts tradition to provide students with a mastery of the complete picture of crime as a social problem, providing the skills necessary to ensure the understanding of sound solutions for preventing and addressing crime at all levels of society. We seek to equip our students with a sound scientific background and excellent preparation in content areas in courts, corrections, law enforcement, community crime prevention, juvenile justice, forensic anthropology, homeland security, and to provide options for interdisciplinary education.
In compliance with the Governor’s Order the Criminal Justice Sciences Division office will be closed.
Faculty and staff are working remotely.
For assistance, please contact Jen Willard (willardj@wou.edu) or Vivian Djokotoe (djokotoev@wou.edu). (503) 838-8733
Welcome to the Western Oregon University
Criminal Justice Sciences Division
On behalf of the criminal justice faculty and staff, I’d like to thank you for your interest in our programs! Our friendly and knowledgeable professors are always ready to work with you to achieve your academic goals and to ensure that your time at WOU is not only interesting, but also fun. We love that students come to us with a wide range of career aspirations in mind, and we are happy to support those goals all the way to graduation day and beyond!
You may be wondering what kinds of topics you would be studying as a criminal justice major or minor. Well, there are a lot! Our classes incorporate fields such as corrections, crime prevention, law enforcement, youth crime, forensic investigation, homeland security, anthropology, the court system and many others. I am confident in saying that criminal justice is one of the most versatile programs that WOU has to offer; in fact, it’s one of the top five programs at the university for that exact reason.
By the time you’ve completed your degree in criminal justice at WOU, you’ll be prepared for success in a variety of workforce options, both within and outside of the criminal justice system. Our past students have gone on to careers ranging from corrections and social services to law enforcement and grad school. Your degree will be great for many different careers because you will have learned such a varied skill set from our expert faculty.
If you have any questions about the criminal justice program or potential careers in that field, my door is always open. I invite you to visit our website at wou.edu/criminal-justice or email us at criminaljustice@wou.edu.
Take a look at why Criminal Justice is one of the most popular majors at WOU.
Division Overview
Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science
Analyze various facets of the criminal justice system to see how the many components influence the administration of justice. Students will examine how the multitude of social issues, theories, ethics, policies and practices impact the criminal justice system while applying basic theories and pratices in real world contexts.
Cybercrime Enforcement and Investigation
Bachelor of Science
Develop the conceptual knowledge and technological skills necessary in the detection, investigation and enforcement of cybercrimes. Students will enhance their understanding of how traditional criminal justice theories and practices apply to the progressive field of cybercrime.
Forensic Anthropology
Minor
Build on the traditional knowledge of anthropology and criminal justice. Students are provided with a range of relevant options in criminal justice and anthropology to generate greater academic and applied breadth appropriate for a broad disciplinary context.
Juvenile Justice
Minor
Understand the uniqueness of juveniles as a separate group of offenders with separate needs within the criminal justice system. Understand through theory and practice, the causes of juvenile crime and the most effective approaches to addressing juvenile crime.
Criminal Justice
Master of Arts
Conduct social science research in the field of criminal justice and learn how to apply these methods toward solving the actual problems encountered in the administration of justice.
ONLINE DEGREE
Criminal Justice
Programs
Benefit from in-house support and resources. Students will receive one-on-one attention and have criminal justice emphasized engagement available.
Criminal Justice
Events
Enjoy regular criminal justice events, career opportunities and interaction with an assortment of criminal justice organizations. Including events like: Juvenile Justice Week, Law Enforcement Week, Criminal Justice Day, and the Criminal Justice Career Fair
A good fit for you
On Campus, Online and Hybrid Classes
The WOU Criminal Justice Sciences Division allows you to pursue your degree on-campus, online or in a hybrid of online and on-campus courses.
All faculty have experience teaching online and actively encourage dynamic learning environments both remotely and in the classroom.
Diverse and Knowledgeable Faculty
An especially unique component of the criminal justice program at WOU is the faculty, an assortment of criminal justice researchers, professionals and scholars with a wide spectrum of expertise in the field of criminal justice. Mutual respect, thoughtful engagement and appreciation for diverse perspectives makes this program a safe space for scholarly discourse for both students and faculty.
Competitive, Relevant and Rigorous Program
The combination of a strong liberal arts curriculum with a rigorous set of core classes and specialized elective coursework in law enforcement, corrections, social justice, juvenile justice and community crime prevention makes each of these criminal justice degrees a valuable asset in the criminal justice field, in addition to being unique and exciting.
Where this degree can take you
A degree in Criminal Justice or Cybercrime Investigation and Enforcement will prepare students with a broad foundation of social science and its application to understanding crime. Students benefit from a wholistic and interdisciplinary approach to the criminal justice system, developing a thorough understanding of all facets of the criminal justice system, applicable to a wide spectrum of public, private and research sectors.
Possible job prospects
- Youth Program Workers
- Local/State/Federal Law Enforcement
- Corrections
- Parole and Probation
- Victim Advocates
- Residential Treatment Specialist
- Attorney
- Social Justice Advocate
- Community Service Coordinators
Additional Opportunities
- Law School
- Graduate School
- Continuing Education for Professionals
- Eligible for Higher-Education Pay Incentives
- Research Opportunities
Hands-On Experience
Practicum
Gain Real-World Experience
Practicum is a unique opportunity to see the criminal justice system in action. Students facilitate a field experience with a criminal justice organization of their choosing. Practicum is completed as part of the required courses in both undergraduate degrees.
Applied Learning
Dig Deeper
Take advantage of the chance to work on research and creative projects alongside professors who serve as mentors. Students also have access to a new fully-equipped forensic anthropology lab that provides research, learning, and interactive opportunities.
Practical Study
Make the World Your Classroom
Our students are regularly engaged with criminal justice professionals through classroom guest lecturers, topical events and speakers hosted by the division, and regular cooperative efforts between the division and local criminal justice agencies.
Get to know us
Contact the Criminal Justice Sciences Division
We look forward to hearing from you! Additionally, please explore our website for more information about our degrees and programs.
