This article details criminal justice bachelor’s degrees in Michigan. Michigan means “large water.” The state is the only one in the U.S. to be situated on two peninsulas. Water accounts for the fact that Michigan is the leader in recreational boating. Its economy isn’t based on the water, however. It is industry that drives Michigan’s economy, especially the automobile industry. Detroit has long been known as the home of Ford, Chevrolet and the like, but recently the technology industry has made inroads here. Most of the population lives on the southern peninsula. The average per capita income is $32,052, which is close to the national average. Michigan has some top-rated criminal justice programs and several police and military police academies. Monster.com lists jobs in criminal justice ranging from instructors at universities to police officers, FBI agents, and criminologists.
If you are looking for a criminal justice program in Michigan, you should be certain that the school offering the program is accredited. What does accreditation mean? It is a guarantee that the degree program in which you are investing thousands of dollars meets certain standards. Criminal justice academians and professionals look at several factors and then examine programs in the light of those findings. Not only is the accreditation a guarantee to the student, but prospective employers look at program or school accreditation to hire well-educated employees.
Adrian College
School of Sociology and Criminal Justice
Adrian College is a private coeducational school affiliated with the Methodist Church. It was founded in 1845 and soon merged with a Methodist seminary to form Michigan Union College. It was chartered in 1859.The school, with a student body of under 2,000 offers more than 40 undergraduate degree programs and six graduate programs. The school is ranked as #20 of Regional Colleges Midwest by the U.S. News and World Report. The Department of Criminal Justice has eight instructors including five who teach evening classes.
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
This criminal justice bachelor’s degree contains 51 hours in addition to the university requisites. The college has a rigorous liberal arts program that all students complete in addition to their majors. There are three areas of specialization which include law enforcement, corrections and law, and judiciary. The core classes cover rehabilitation, youth and adult corrections, probation, law enforcement and crime prevention. The program stresses written communication and research skills. Some of the goals of the program are that graduates will be “mature, competent and effective” criminal justice generalists, develop critical thinking and observational and analytical skills and that they would have the ability to “influence social policies.”
Accreditations
The North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
Contact
Department of Criminal Justice
Adrian College
110 South Madison Street,
Adrian, MI 49221
cheraux@Adrian.edu
Concordia University Ann Arbor
Haab School of Business Management
Concordia University at Ann Arbor is a private, liberal arts university affiliated with the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod. It is a small school with just over 1,000 students and a student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. The university was founded in 1962 as Concordia Junior College but changed its name in 1976 when it began awarding four-year degrees. Offered through the business school at Concordia, the program features a generalist foundation in criminal justice with a focus on “managerial and operational issues in criminal justice.” Courses through this department are offered at select locations and online. The school has bachelor’s degree programs, associate degrees, and certificates.
Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Management
This criminal justice degree program includes 48 credits in the major, including areas such as corrections, constitutional law, managing law enforcement agencies, juvenile justice, forensic studies and studies in public finance and budgets, along with others. There are also 32 credits of other core subjects including, among others, mathematics, communication, world history, Christian development and physical development. An additional 48 credits contain electives to specialize your degree. The program is offered as an accelerated bachelor’s degree and can be earned online.
Accreditation
The North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
Contact
Haab School of Business, Criminal Justice Management
Concordia University
4090 Geddes Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
334-526-9128
angela.sullivan@cuaa.edu
Eastern Michigan University
Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice
This university was founded in 1849 as the Michigan State Normal School. The school assumed its present form and name in 1956. The school’s student population of approximately 20,000 is divided among seven colleges and schools. The programs earned through the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice are three-tiered; students progress from general knowledge to core subjects and then concentrations. They can choose whether they serve their supervised internships in governmental or private agencies. The department offers three undergraduate degrees and two master’s programs.
Criminology and Criminal Justice | Bachelor of Arts
This 124 credit-hour criminal justice degree contains general education requirements in addition to the 75 requisite hours in the major. Students take introductory courses in sociology, psychology, and government. They also must take 30 credit-hours of criminal justice courses including areas such as White Collar Crime and Introduction to Corrections. There are required courses in sociology and anthropology and in research methods and then 15 hours in a concentration. The areas of specialization include Legal Studies, Law Enforcement, Corrections and Criminal Justice Administration. The degree is available at an off-campus location or online.
Accreditations
North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
Contact
Department of Sociology. Anthropology and Criminal Justice
Eastern Michigan University
202 Welch Hall
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-487-0012
mhoracem@emich.edu
Ferris State University
College of Education and Human Services
This university was founded in 1884. It has a student body of more than 13,000, but a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1. The U.S. News and World Report ranks FSU as # 83 of Regional Universities. The School of Criminal Justice, housed in the College of Education and Human Services, offers career-focused practical courses in three concentrations: Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Generalist. Those students entering Law Enforcement also can attend the Ferris Police Academy.
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice-Criminal Justice Corrections Option
This bachelor’s degree program is intended for those students who want a profession in criminal justice other than law enforcement. Areas included in the program are adult institutional corrections, youth corrections, probation, parole, prevention and treatment and control of youth and adult offenders. The program consists of 120 credit hours. The expected outcome for graduates is enhanced critical-thinking skills, communication competencies and ability to collaborate effectively with other agencies and individuals.
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice- Criminal Justice Generalist Option
This 120 credit-hour program is intended for those who want to go on to graduate school or law school as well as those who wish to succeed in professions such as probation officers, crime analysts, and court reporters. The program includes courses in ethics, critical thinking, relations between police and community and others. There are required courses in communication and in quantitative literacy. Other areas addressed by the curriculum are culture, sciences, collaboration and “self and society.” Students gain proficiency in report writing, in analyzing problems focusing on ethnicity, age, and other demographics and in critical thinking.
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice-Criminal Justice law Enforcement Option
This bachelor’s degree in criminal justice contains 133 credit hours and leads to attendance at the law enforcement academy. While minimum GPAs for the other two options are 2.0, this specialty requires that students maintain a 2.5 GPA. The program includes a deep liberal arts education and students must take courses outside their majors. While the foundational competencies built by courses in this concentration are the same as for the other two, students attend the law enforcement academy in their last year. Courses in the academy are based on problem-solving skills and communication competencies. The academy has reciprocity with 48 states that allows graduates to work in states other than Michigan.
Accreditation
North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement and Standards ( MCOLES)
Contact
School of Criminal Justice
Ferris State University
1201 South State Street
Big Rapids, MI 49307
231-591-5080
pennocks@ferris.edu
Finlandia University
Arts and Sciences College, Criminal Justice Department
Finlandia University was founded in 1896 as Suomi College, but the school didn’t have its first building until 1899. It included a seminary until 1958 when it became a liberal arts college. The name was changed in 2000 to Finlandia University. The private, not-for-profit coeducational school is associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Its ranking is in the second tier of regional colleges. The goal of the Arts and Sciences College is to “stimulate curiosity, exercise critical thinking, hone communication skills and to promote active citizenship.” The college awards baccalaureate degrees in nine areas and two associate degrees.
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
This degree program is interdisciplinary, including social science classes. It focuses on “theoretical and ethical” concepts of criminal justice. There are 120 credit-hours in the program, including 38 credit-hours of foundational core classes, 52 in major requisites, 18 in criminal justice electives and the remainder in free electives. The school recommends that students declare minors in communications, psychology, sociology or history. Courses cover areas like ethics of criminal justice, communications and victimology.
Accreditation
The North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
Contact
School of Criminal Justice
Finlandia University
601 Quincy Street
Hancock, MI 49930
906-487-7230
Richard.gee@finlandia.edu
Grand Valley State University
College of Community and Public Service, School of Criminal Justice
Grand Valley State University was established in 1960. The U.S. News and World Report ranks the school as #29 of Regional Universities Midwest. The student-to-faculty ratio at the university is 17:1. The criminal justice program intends to make criminal justice issues understandable not only for practitioners, but for students and the community as well. Undergraduate degrees are awarded in criminal justice and legal studies. Graduate degrees are available in criminal justice, plus there is a police/military academy and an online paralegal certification program.
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
Most of the requisites for the baccalaureate degrees are the same. The Bachelor of Arts program requires a foreign language proficiency in the third semester. The Bachelor of Science program requires three classes in statistics, research methods, and qualitative methods. There are nine core courses comprising 27 credits in the major that include Justice and Society; Police Process; Culture, Crime and Justice and others. In addition, there are 12 required credits in electives. During the last year of the program, students attend the police academy. That program involves another 15 credits. The academy also includes training for military police basic training.
Accreditations
North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
The academy meets the requirements of the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement and Standards (MCOLES)
Contact
College of Community and Public Service, School of Criminal Justice
Grand Valley State University
1 Campus Drive
Allendale Charter Township, MI 49401
616-331-7130
baileyk@gvsu.edu
Lake Superior State University
School of Criminal Justice
This university is near the Canadian border and has many Canadian students. It was founded in 1946 and is Michigan’s smallest public university. The U.S. News and World Report ranks the school as #45 of Regional Colleges Midwest. The student-to-faculty ratio is 16:1. Lake Superior State University is one of only three schools in the nation that offers the robotics specialization in its ABET computer engineering programs. The School of Criminal Justice is more than 30 years old. It is multi-faceted and focuses on critical thinking, writing competencies and research.
Bachelor of Science
This bachelor’s degree in criminal justice is offered with five concentrations: Corrections, Law Enforcement, Criminalistics, Criminal Justice Generalist and Public Safety. The Law Enforcement concentration can be earned with or without attending the academy. The generalist degree concentration allows students to acquire the knowledge and foundational skills to go into any one of several criminal justice careers using minors to tailor their programs. Criminalistics involves scientific approaches to crime-solving and includes chemistry and biology among its requisites. The bachelor’s programs contain 124 credit-hours.
Accreditation
North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement and Standards (MCOLES)
Contact
School of Criminal Justice
Lake Superior State University
650 W. Easterday Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
906-635-2172
Madonna University
Criminal Justice Program
This university, founded in 1937 is a Felician-sponsored ministry, a part of the Catholic Church. It awards associate and bachelor’s degrees in more than 100 areas. The criminal justice program has a great breadth of knowledge through its stress on liberal arts education as a foundation for its degrees. Degrees in the department can be earned at school satellite sites or all-online. The academics build on service learning as well as internships and natural and social sciences. Madonna uses a three-semester calendar; students may complete a major in three years.
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
This degree program has a minimum of 120 credit hours. The degree requires students to complete the university general education requisites as well as 45 credit hours in the major core. Additionally, students may earn certification in one of seven certifications to enhance their degrees. Those certification areas are Homeland Security; Private Security; Private Investigation; Animal Cruelty Investigation; Spanish for Law Enforcement; Forensic Psychology and Forensic Accounting.
Accreditation
North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
Contact
Criminal Justice Program
Madonna University 36600 Schoolcraft Road
Livonia, MI 48150
734-432-5540
dharvey@madonna.edu
Michigan State University
College of Social Science, School of Criminal Justice
This school began in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan. It has nearly 40,000 undergraduates and ranks # 81 of National Universities. Michigan State University is one of the largest universities in the United States. The U.S. News and World Report ranks this school’s criminology program as one of the best in the world. Michigan State University is a member of the Big Ten Academic Alliance, a consortium of the schools in the Big Ten Athletic Conference. The School of Criminal Justice is the oldest continuous degree-granting criminal justice program in the United States.
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
The intent of this degree program is to prepare graduates to get entry-level positions in agencies involved in the administration of criminal justice. The degree path includes foundational social science courses and other liberal arts offerings. There are four concentrations: juvenile justice; police administration; adult corrections and security. There is a minimum of 120 credits including a writing proficiency and electives.
Accreditation
The North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission
Contact
College of Social Science, School of Criminal Justice
Michigan State University
220 Throwbridge Road
East Lansing MI 42824
517-355-9308
carterd@msu.edu
This article can be a valuable, time-saving tool. Once you find a program that could be a good fit for you in this listing of accredited undergraduate criminal justice programs in Michigan, you can proceed to the school website to get more information and schedule a campus visit.
Continue here: Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Degree Programs in California (N-Z)
