The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking about the administration of justice, crime and delinquency, legal studies, and working with diverse communities. As part of the major, students participate in a culminating field experience at the end of their program. The program is intended for a diverse group of students whose interests range from the local to the global, from street crime to terrorism, from municipal policing to international courts.

Students seeking a major or minor begin with a foundation course that provides a cross-disciplinary perspective of criminal justice. Both majors and minors will pursue coursework within and across four areas of emphasis within the field of criminal justice studies.