The “Bay State” is flooded with colleges offering bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts for undergrads to transition into careers safeguarding its 6.85 million citizens. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, New England’s oldest state employs 80,150 law enforcement professionals paid $53,680 on average at 357 agencies, including the Massachusetts Department of Correction, Attorney General’s Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, and Salem Police. Demand for protective service occupations is expected to rise by 5 percent by 2026, especially in Massachusetts’ most dangerous cities of Springfield, Holyoke, Fall River, Brockton, Chelsea, and Barnstable.
In 2016 alone, the Disaster Center reported 25,677 violent and 106,339 property crimes committed in Massachusetts. Unleash your inner Maxwell Smart to apprehend nefarious crooks by considering our first list (A-C) of criminal justice baccalaureate degrees in Massachusetts.
American International College
School of Business, Arts & Sciences
Established by Rev. Calvin Amaron in 1885 for French Protestants, American International College is New England’s oldest private, coeducational multi-cultural liberal arts school that’s educating 1,723 undergrad Yellow Jackets from a 58-acre campus on Mason Square in Forbes’ 96th best city for education. Ranked within the top 300 universities by the U.S. News & World Report, AIC is declared America’s 288th best athletics school on Niche with the 241st best Federal Work-Study funds in Washington Monthly. Following the motto “Higher Dedication,” the School of Business, Arts & Sciences has 40 interdisciplinary majors, including one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts.
Criminal Justice Bachelors of Science
Chaired by David Kuzmeski, JD, the Criminal Justice Bachelors of Science has a 69 percent admission rate for undergrads with a mean 970 SAT score who aspire to protect human rights by the preservation of public safety. AIC students learn the tenets of constitutional democracy while analyzing today’s legal, political, and socioeconomic challenges. Offering Supportive Learning Services (SLS), the 120-credit program integrates daytime courses like probation, corrections, and cybersecurity. At least 180 practicum hours are required off-campus, including at Springfield Police, Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office, and Massachusetts Trial Court. Majors may also join the Student Government Association, study abroad in Havana, jumpstart the Forensic Psychology MS, and volunteer with RAINN.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
1000 State Street, Box 56
Springfield, MA 01109
(413) 205-3337
david.kuzmeski@aic.edu
Anna Maria College
School of Justice and Social Sciences
Endowed for $4.6 million, Anna Maria College is a small private, Catholic liberal arts AAC&U member founded in 1946 by the Sisters of Saint Anne that brings “Light and Truth” to 1,432 Amcats pursuing 35 majors at its 192-acre rural Paxton campus within the Worcester Metropolitan. Labeled a College of Distinction, AMC is ranked America’s 105th best community service contributor in Washington Monthly, the North’s 146th top university by the U.S. News & World Report, and Massachusetts’ 11th safest college on Niche. The School of Justice and Social Sciences has an 83 percent acceptance rate for 16 interdisciplinary programs emphasizing the dignity of life.
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
Presentlypricedd at $34,800 per year full-time, Anna Maria’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is directed by Dr. Tonisha M. Pinckney, CFE, with an 11:1 student-professor ratio for career enrichment in law enforcement. Starting the freshman year, undergrads cultivate awareness of social justice issues for civic responsibility responding to and preventing crime. The 15-course major infuses courses like constitutional systems with optional minors for Computer Forensics, Victim Studies, Social Welfare, or Law & Society. Adding the 200-hour senior internship is highly recommended at Paxton Police Department, US Bankruptcy Court, Worcester FBI Office, and others. Students might also pledge Delta Epsilon Sigma, join Social Action Group, take the Accelerated Program, or travel to Peru.
Bachelor of Science in Forensic Criminology
Adhering to Catholic traditions, the Bachelor of Science in Forensic Criminology stands out among bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts for deepening scientific and medical knowledge for legal investigations. AMC Amcats develop research methodologies for the ethical, effective processing of criminal evidence during prosecution. The 125-credit B.S. features courses on criminalistics, cybercrime, and forensic archaeology before an approved internship. Boasting a 25-year tenure at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, Dr. Ann Marie Mires supervises students in the on-site, victim-focused Molly Bish Center. Other opportunities include taking Alternative Spring Break trips, adding the Intimate Partner Violence Response Certificate, pursuing IAI Certification, and earning the Quinsigamond Transfer Grant.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Trinity Hall, Room 234
50 Sunset Lane
Paxton, MA 01612
(508) 849-3377
tpinckney@annamaria.edu
Assumption College
Sociology & Criminology Department
Known for the Aaron T. Beck Institute, Assumption College is a private, civic-oriented Catholic ACCU member of the Northeast 10 that’s holding a $93.9 million endowment to inspire 2,117 Greyhounds atop its 185-acre residential campus in Forbes’ 60th best city for education. Placed in the top 25 percent on the Educate to Career Index, Assumption was crowned America’s 67th best test-optional college on Niche, 171st best value in Money magazine, and 271st top master’s institution in Washington Monthly. Reporting a 94 percent academic success rate, the Sociology & Criminology Department charges $36,160 for annual tuition in one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts.
Criminology Degree
Accepting applications until February 15th yearly, Assumption’s Criminology Degree confers a B.S. for freshmen to learn the sociological methods used to interpret the underlying reasons for why law-breaking behaviors occur. Chaired by Francis Bruce Prior, PhD, the 13-course major could be paired with sociology for only five extra courses. Examining societal influences and reactions to crime involves seminars like juvenile delinquency, victimology, and prisoner rehabilitation. Mandating a two-semester internship, the Department places seniors at Roxbury District Court, Tewksbury Police, Pathways for Change, and more. Criminologists could also study at the Rome Campus, join Alpha Kappa Delta, pursue the CADAC Addiction Counseling Certificate, or volunteer with The Key Program.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Kennedy Memorial Hall, Room 213
500 Salisbury Street
Worcester, MA 01609
(508) 767-7224
Fb.prior@assumption.edu
Bay Path University
School of Science and Management
Hosting the Women’s Leadership Conference each April, Bay Path University is a private, female-focused nonsectarian baccalaureate school established in 1897 that’s employing 389 faculty to train 1,893 Wildcats from its picturesque 62-acre campus in Hampden County’s Pioneer Valley. Bay Path was deemed America’s eighth fastest-growing university by The Chronicle of Higher Education and the North’s 102nd top school on the U.S. News & World Report. Also conferring a BS in Forensic Studies and BS in Offender Rehabilitation & Victim Advocacy, the School of Science and Management was ranked 55th nationally on Niche for another of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts.
BS in Criminal Justice
Directed by Dr. Paul Kalill, Esq., Bay Path’s BS in Criminal Justice prepares women for public service careers during weekdays in Longmeadow, on Saturdays in Sturbridge, or anytime 24/7 through the American Women’s College Online. Currently charging $400 per credit, the program covers society’s latest prevention and response methods for addressing illegal activities. The 120-credit, ethically-grounded bachelor’s features small classes from policing policy to crisis intervention with optional double majors in Cybersecurity and Legal Studies. Ladies could also intern with Springfield Police Department, take the Capitals of the World trip, join the Criminalistic Science Innovators, become a Student Ambassador, declare Honors, and attend the Women as Empowered Leaders workshop.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
588 Longmeadow Street
Longmeadow, MA 01106
(800) 782-7284
pkalill@baypath.edu
Bay State College
Division of Undergraduate Study
Opened in 1946 for the airline industry, Bay State College has expanded into a private, for-profit NEASC-accredited distance learning hub where 800 undergrads currently pay $905 per credit for “Military Friendly” career education headquartered in Boston’s Back Bay near Newbury Street. Ranked the 38th best Northern school by the U.S. News & World Report, BSC is named the country’s 368th most selective college on Niche and 298th most ethnically diverse university on College Factual. The Division of Undergraduate Study has placed alumni at Essex County Sheriff’s, Norton Police, Lynn Community Connections, and more after one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts.
B.S. in Criminal Justice
Starting six times yearly, Bay State’s B.S. in Criminal Justice takes 16 terms with eight-week evening courses in Boston and Taunton or online to inform undergrads about past and present issues impacting the legal system. Headed by Dr. William Morrissette, a former CIA Federal Police Officer, the program blends science and humanities into rules of law. The 120-credit curriculum has concentrations for Digital Forensics and Cyber Security or Domestic and International Security available. Courses like victim’s rights and justice administration are applied with two required internships. Students could also attend the Inside Out Prison Exchange Program, minor in Sociology, study abroad in Malta, join the Justice Society, and continue into Salve Regina’s Master of Science.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Boylston Hall, 4th Floor
122 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 217-9304
wmorrissette@baystate.edu
Becker College
School of Nursing & Behavioral Science
First chartered by John Hancock and Samuel Adams as Leicester Academy in 1784, Becker College is a private, nonsectarian liberal arts NAICU member that’s training 2,189 Hawks in 40 majors from its Worcester headquarters in the Lincoln Estate-Elm Park Historic District. Becker is recognized for America’s 59th highest baccalaureate research expenditures in Washington Monthly, 19th most sober campus by The Princeton Review, and 204th safest learning environment on Niche. The School of Nursing & Behavioral Science has a 17:1 student-faculty ratio for one of the most customizable bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts with 25 years of experience.
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
Mandating minimum 2.5 GPAs, Becker’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice admits undergrads for $17,325 per semester currently to nurture their skills developing real-life public safety interventions. Led by William Castro, JD, the 121-credit curriculum presents three potential concentrations: Forensic Science in Crime Scene Processing, Homeland Security, or Pre-Law/Legal Studies. Courses from deviant behavior to legal history culminate with the agile mindset capstone. Since 2014, students have gained hands-on experience in the Professor John Dorsey Crime Scene & Evidence Lab. Worcester Police, Worcester District Court, New Hope Inc., and The Secret Service Boston Office could be other practicum locations. Students may also join Alpha Lambda Delta, travel with CIS Abroad, and attend the Women’s Emergent Leadership Institute.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Fleming Building, 2nd Floor
36 Roxbury Street
Worcester, MA 01609
(508) 373-9738
william.castro@becker.edu
Boston College
Woods College of Advancing Studies
Admitting 32 percent of its 28,500+ applicants annually, Boston College is a selective private, Jesuit research institution of the 568 Group that’s endowed for $2.4 billion to push 9,100 undergrad Eagles “Ever to Excel” upon its 332-acre campus designed by Charles Donagh Maginnis in Chestnut Hill. BC was chosen as America’s 22nd best private value in Kiplinger’s, 49th best university on Forbes, and 139th top college for low-income earners by The New York Times. The Woods College of Advancing Studies makes 14 rigorous majors, including one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts, more flexible for $1,900 per course.
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal and Social Justice
Redesigned with the Manresa Experience in Fall 2017, Boston College’s Bachelor of Arts in Criminal and Social Justice applies a Catholic worldview for introducing humanistic theories to control modern, multicultural communities in law enforcement institutions. Organized by Kristin Bullwinkel, JD, the 11-course major spans topics from tort law to deviance and psychological trauma. The $45 applications for the on-ground or hybrid program are accepted until August 1st for Fall or December 1st for Spring entry. Upper-level electives could be filled with internships at placements like Boston Harbor Patrol, Massachusetts Environmental Police, and Moakley Courthouse. Undergrads could also join the Pre-Law Society, serve with the Loyola Volunteers, and research in the Clough Center for Constitutional Democracy.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
St. Mary’s Hall South, 1st Floor
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
(508) 254-1422
Kristin.bullwinkel@bc.edu
Boston University
Metropolitan College
Linked to 212,536 LinkedIn alumni, including Attorney General Martha Coakley and Senator Judd Gregg, Boston University is a private, nonsectarian RU/VH institution of the Patriot League that’s endowed for $1.96 billion to educate 33,106 Terriers on its 135-acre Fenway-Charles River campus. BU was named America’s 39th best university by the CWUR, 51st best value by the U.S. News & World Report, and 108th coolest school in Sierra Magazine. Founded in 1965, the Metropolitan College won the 2015 USDLA Platinum Best Practices Award for offering evening hybrid and online courses, including another of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts.
BS in Criminal Justice
As an NSA Center of Academic Excellence, Boston’s MET has the BS in Criminal Justice for full- and part-time undergrads to develop specialized social science knowledge on legal proceedings. Chaired by Dr. Daniel P. LeClair, the 64-credit major integrates courses like business intelligence, urban affairs, substance abuse, corrections, and abnormal psychology. Content on Blackboard is accessed 24/7 with reduced on-campus trips, but internships are available at the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety, Nantucket County Sherriff’s Office, Boston Police, and more. Seniors may add the Certificate in Cybercrime Investigation or Strategic Management in Criminal Justice. Majors could also pursue the Master of Criminal Justice online, research in the Social Justice Institute, travel to 90+ countries and join CSI.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
808 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 353-3025
dleclair@bu.edu
Bridgewater State University
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Headquartered on a 278-acre campus 25 miles south of Boston with Attleboro and Cape Cod extensions, Bridgewater State University is the largest public, coeducational non-UMAss institution endowed for $34.2 million within the Little East Conference to enroll 11,089 Bears. Bridgewater is distinguished for America’s 424th best salary potential on PayScale, the Northeast’s 94th best buck in Washington Monthly, and Massachusetts’ 21st most liberal education on Niche. Also ranked 112th nationally for criminal justice by College Factual, the College of Humanities & Social Sciences has 16 departments presently billing $9,603 in-state and $15,743 out-of-state yearly.
Criminal Justice, BS
Affirmed by ACJS standards, Bridgewater State’s Criminal Justice BS is another of the traditional bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts that gives focused interdisciplinary exposure to the social sciences for studying delinquent behavior. Directed by Jo-Ann Della Giustina, JD, the 42-credit major spans the three branches of law enforcement, corrections, and the courts with diversity electives like sexual violence. Students with 2.5 GPAs or better complete 135-hour internships with Bridgewater Police, Massachusetts Treatment Center, Plymouth County Sherriff’s Office, and others. During the four-year schedule, majors might also join the Criminal Justice Student Organization, serve with the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice, apply for Commonwealth Honors, and minor in GLBT Studies.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Maxwell Library, Room 311
10 Shaw Road
Bridgewater, MA 02324
(508) 531-2107
jdellagiustina@bridgew.edu
Clark University
School of Professional Studies
Featured in Loren Pope’s Colleges That Change Lives, Clark University is a private, nonprofit liberal arts AICUM member of the Central Massachusetts Consortium that’s endowed for $371 million to enlighten 2,301 undergrad Cougars on its 50-acre campus in Worcester’s Main South district. Known for its George Perkins Marsh Institute, Clark was congratulated for America’s 73rd best professors on Niche, 24th top private value in Kiplinger’s, and 72nd most service-oriented education by Washington Monthly. The School of Professional Studies has 75 years of experience conferring eight degrees, including one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts, with 88 percent retention.
B.S. in Criminal Justice
Currently costing $44,050 each year full-time, Clark’s B.S. in Criminal Justice utilizes global humanistic perspectives to prepare students for enforcing laws of societal control and bettering communities around the world. Offering Police Academy credit transfers, the 128-credit bachelor’s distributes knowledge across law enforcement, corrections, and court channels. Chaired by Mary M. Piecewicz, MSPC, the curriculum has weekday, evening, and Saturday course availability until the capstone seminar. Students might serve via the Mary McLeod Bethune Multicultural Center, research in the Hiatt Center, minor in Youth Studies, study at the Poland Campus, intern with Human Rights First in Washington DC, attend the Northeast Conference on Public Administration, and join Millennium Leadership Club.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
950 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01610
(508) 793-7212
MPiecewicz@clarku.edu
College of Our Lady of the Elms
Social Sciences Division
Standing atop a 27-acre, tree-lined Chicopee campus in the Diocese of Springfield near the Basilica of St. Stanislaus, the College of Our Lady of the Elms is a private, baccalaureate-level Catholic liberal arts school endowed for $12 million that’s conferring 33 majors to 1,217 undergrad Blazers. Elms is proclaimed America’s 243rd best value in Money magazine and 79th safest college on Niche with the 42nd best graduation rate from Washington Monthly. Abiding the Sisters of St. Joseph’s values, the Social Sciences Division awards one of the faith-based bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts with 76 percent acceptance.
Criminal Justice Major
Reporting a median 20-year net ROI of $222,000 on PayScale, Elms’ Criminal Justice Major offers funds like the Freshman Opportunity Scholarship to affordably bridge undergrads’ entry into law enforcement. The 46-credit major sharpens communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills for mitigating criminal acts in diverse settings. Requiring 2.5 GPAs, the curriculum offers electives in homeland security, juvenile law, addiction recovery, restorative justice, private security, and more. Chaired by Kurt Ward, JD, the Bachelor of Science could include internship placements like the Northampton Drug Abuse Response Team, Chicopee Police, and Hampden County Superior Court. Other opportunities include joining the Elms Law Society, studying off-site at Asnuntuck Community College, venturing to London, and minoring in Digital Forensics.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Berchmans Hall, Room 301
291 Springfield Street
Chicopee, MA 01013
(413) 594-2761
wardk@elms.edu
College of the Holy Cross
Sociology & Anthropology Department
Affiliated with 35,000 alumni like Justice Clarence Thomas and Governor David I. Walsh, College of the Holy Cross is a private, Jesuit four-year liberal arts school of the Patriot League that’s endowed for $681 million to educate 2,787 Crusaders upon its 174 suburban acres in Worcester. Holy Cross is crowned America’s fourth-best Catholic college on Niche, 71st top private university in Forbes, and 68th most valuable university by Money magazine. Estimated to cost $67,300 total each year, the Sociology & Anthropology Department has 25 faculty with wide-ranging research interests from poverty reduction to rape prevention.
B.A. in Sociology, Criminal Justice Specialization
Featuring a 95 percent job placement rate, Holy Cross’ B.A. in Sociology can become one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts with the Criminal Justice Specialization. Chaired by Dr. Kenneth Mills, the 10-course major develops the critical inquiry skills to investigate societal phenomena with a subdisciplinary focus on crime. Expect courses with a 10:1 student-faculty ratio to address social theory, statistics, anthropology, delinquency, and psychology. Juniors with departmental GPAs of 3.5 or greater qualify for the Honors Colloquium research. Undergrads might also intern at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, join the Saint Thomas More Pre-Law Society, and take the Washington Semester.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Haberlin Hall, Room 337
1 College Street
Worcester, MA 01610
(508) 793-3380
kmills@holycross.edu
Curry College
Undergraduate Programs Division
Named for elocutionist Samuel Silas Curry in 1943, Curry College is a private, nonsectarian liberal arts school of the Commonwealth Coast Conference that’s endowed for $70 million to teach 2,100 undergrad Colonels on 131 suburban acres near Blue Hills Reservation. Curry is decreed America’s 312th best community service participator in Washington Monthly, the North’s 146th top school by the U.S. News & World Report, and the Cradle of Liberty’s 36th most diverse college on Niche. Currently priced at $37,850 annually full-time, the Undergraduate Programs Division was ranked the 200th most popular nationwide by College Factual for one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts.
Criminal Justice Major
Maintaining a 10:1 student-faculty ratio under Dr. Judith Kelley, Curry’s Criminal Justice Major immerses undergrads in researching the reasons behind illegal activities for detaining and deterring offenders. The 33-credit major accepts “B” grades or better for interactive courses from identity theft to conflict resolution and immigration history. Majors could declare the 15-credit Survivor/Witness/Victim Advocacy Concentration to promote people’s rights after trauma. One semester-long internship is integrated into agencies like Stoughton District Court, Norfolk Police, Massachusetts Underwater Dive Team, and others. Students can also join Lambda Alpha Honor Society, pursue the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice, shadow Metro SWAT training, and volunteer with Teens in Need.
Accreditation
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Hafer Building, Room 305
1071 Blue Hill Avenue
Milton, MA 02186
(617) 333-2085
jkelley@curry.edu
Whether you’re positioning to become a probation officer, psychological profiler, prison guard, paralegal, or police officer, the Bay State’s 113 colleges have plentiful career-enhancing degree prospects. Check out our next installment of bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Massachusetts here.
Continue here:
