Though many people think of Detroit when they think of Michigan, Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs are available in cities across the state, including those near the Indiana border and those in the Upper Peninsula area. Students may want to think about the experiences they hope to have when choosing a school, but they should also think about what each program offers in terms of internship opportunities and courses. Graduates of these programs can attend law schools and graduate schools in the state, work for local law enforcement agencies or use their degrees to move out of the state.
Below you will find the second half of our list of bachelor’s in criminal justice degrees in Michigan. For the first half of our list, see: Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Programs in Michigan (A-M)
Northern Michigan University
Criminal Justice
Located in northwestern Michigan near the state’s border with Wisconsin, Northern Michigan University is a great choice for students who want to get away from it all. This rural campus is quiet and peaceful throughout the school year and is close to wooded areas and nature preserves. Many students in its criminal justice program have the chance to work in these areas as they investigate mock crimes for their classes. NMU criminal justice graduates work as game wardens and in other law enforcement capacities, but its graduates also go to law school and work for the government.
Criminal Justice and Loss Prevention Management
One of the most unique Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan that students will find today is the Criminal Justice and Loss Prevention Management program offered by NMU. Though each program offers its own degree, students in either have the chance to take classes in the other. Criminal justice majors can also declare a minor in loss prevention. Students will take a core set of classes worth 22 credits and electives for an extra 20 credits. Electives include community-based corrections, use of force and less lethal weapons, roles of the corrections client, firearms and violence and problem-solving in criminal justice.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
1401 Presque Isle Ave.
Marquette, MI 49855-5301
(906) 227–1000
Oakland University
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work and Criminal Justice
The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work and Criminal Justice at Oakland University is responsible for all of the university’s sociological programs and degrees. This department encourages students to take classes from each of the disciplines to learn about the connections between those fields of study. Students can also pick a concentration in addiction studies and use some of their CJ electives towards that concentration. Addiction studies looks at the ways in which addiction can affect people and the connections between criminal behavior and addiction. Students can declare a minor in social work, anthropology or another area instead of declaring a concentration.
Criminal Justice
Oakland University wants students to focus on their studies and do as well as they can, which is why it requires that students in this program maintain a 2.5 grade point average. Those who do poorly will need to retake some of their classes or risk the university removing them from the program. Oakland also requires that all students do an internship, but it ensures that all students have access to one in the metropolitan Detroit area. Students in the program, which ranks as a top Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan, must also take a capstone class and write a paper based on the subject addressed in that class.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
Varner Hall, Room 518
371 Varner Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4485
(248) 370-2420
Olivet College
Social Science
When looking at Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan, some students want to find one that lets them learn more about forensic science. Olivet College is one of the only schools in Michigan that offers a forensic science minor. This minor allows students to actually get out into the field and do research that teaches them how to investigate crimes and look for evidence. Those students can also do an internship in forensic science. All the forensic science classes they take will count towards the credits needed to graduate from Olivet with a CJ degree.
Criminal Justice Major
Though Olivet College offers a minor in criminal justice, those who enroll as a CJ major will have the chance to pick a track or concentration to follow. The concentration in corrections is best for those who want to work in corrections institutions like a jail or prison. Those who want to join the police force or a similar organization will prefer the law enforcement track. Courses in the law enforcement track include police operations, police, and community and crime scene investigations. Corrections students take courses like legal issues in corrections, client relations and defense tactics and physical training.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
320 S. Main St.
Olivet, MI 49076
(800) 456-7189
Saginaw Valley State University
Criminal Justice
Saginaw Valley State University is one of the only colleges in Michigan that emphasizes the importance of service learning. That emphasis led to the Carnegie Foundation giving it a Community Engagement Classification. All students enrolled in this university have the chance to give back to those in need in the surrounding community. Students can volunteer to spend a summer or a semester working for a local organization, or they can take a semester off to do work. Those in the criminal justice program can give back through the internships that they do in their later years of the program too.
Criminal Justice
SVSU offers one of the only shared Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan. The Delta College Police Academy and SVSU have a shared agreement that awards students in the criminal justice program to earn up to 12 credits that they can transfer to the police academy. Graduates of the police academy can then apply for jobs working as law enforcement personnel at some of the top agencies in the state. This program has a good reputation because of this shared agreement and also because of its small class sizes. Most classes feature 25 or fewer students. Students can take courses on private security, corrections, criminal justice evidence and evaluation and global perspectives on criminal justice.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
7400 Bay Rd.
University Center, MI 48710
(989) 964-4000
Siena Heights University
Academics
Students looking at Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan should give some thought to the professors working in those programs and the amount of experience that those teachers have. Siena Heights University works hard to find retired law enforcement personnel to teach its classes, but some of its teachers work part-time in law enforcement. This allows those professors to pass on the knowledge they gained and to ensure that students graduate with a good understanding of current procedures. Though the university only requires that students do one internship as part of their studies, many students do two or more.
Criminal Justice
Students enrolled in the SHU criminal justice program must complete at least 117 credits of work, but those credits include more than 30 credits of liberal arts classes and at least 29 credits of electives. The university has a criminal justice core that is worth 36 credits and includes classes such as contemporary issues in criminal justice, courtroom demeanor and techniques, introduction to corrections, introduction to criminal justice and juvenile delinquency. The university also requires that students complete a series of courses it calls the cognate. Cognate classes include cultural anthropology, introduction to psychology, introduction to sociology and conflict resolution.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
1247 E. Siena Heights Dr.
Adrian, MI 49221
(800) 521-0009
South University – Novi
Criminal Justice and Legal Studies
South University specializes in offering degree programs designed for nontraditional students that other schools often ignored in the past. Nontraditional students include adult learners and single parents. As the university grew, it established campuses in other cities to provide opportunities for students in those cities and states. South University now has a campus in Novi, Michigan that offers a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree program. This is one of the only Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan that allows students to attend classes on the campus and take classes online too, which they can more easily fit around their schedules.
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
When South University designed its criminal justice program, it looked for ways to cover all the important information that students would need to work in the field. Students must take two classes on professional development to ensure that they can handle working with computers and to help them succeed in the future. They also take four communications courses that include a public speaking course to teach them how to communicate with others. The criminal justice courses available in this program include concepts in crime mapping and prevention, introduction to criminal courts, criminal justice management and administration and a criminal justice internship.
Accreditation
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact
41555 Twelve Mile Rd.
Novi, MI 48377
(248) 675-0200
Spring Arbor University
Department of Sociology, Global Studies and Criminal Justice
Spring Arbor University established its Department of Sociology, Global Studies and Criminal Justice to show students the connections between those disciplines. This department is one of the only in Michigan with a minor in urban studies that looks at how urban issues affect the populations living in those communities. This is an especially important field of study due to the problems happening in Detroit and Flint. Though criminal justice majors can pick a minor in urban studies, they can also select a minor in anthropology, global studies, sociology or psychology based on their degree and career goals.
Criminal Justice Program
Like other Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan, the Spring Arbor University program requires that students take general education courses and electives in addition to required criminal justice courses. Students will need to take a minimum of 48 credits of criminal justice classes, but the university allows students to take more credits too. These courses include criminology theories, forensic psychology, forensic science, criminal law, substance abuse and criminal justice and corrections. Students can join organizations to gain experience, including the Social Work Club and Law and Politics Society. They can also volunteer to work at a nearby homeless shelter.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
106 E. Main St.
Spring Arbor, MI 49283
(800) 968-0011
University of Detroit Mercy
College of Liberal Arts and Education
The University of Detroit Mercy offers one of the top Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan for those who want to work at the local level. Its location in Detroit allows students to see firsthand the effects that urban blight and white flight had on the city. While the campus itself is in a safe location and in a revitalized area of the city, students have opportunities to work in other parts of Detroit. The university encourages students to give back and to do volunteer work while enrolled. Students can help out at homeless shelters, domestic violence centers and with other organizations.
Criminal Justice
Earning a criminal justice degree from the University of Detroit Mercy requires taking and passing at least 126 credits of classes. It has a core that is worth 30 credits and includes courses like introduction to corrections, juvenile justice, evidence and criminal procedure, sociology of deviant behavior and criminal investigation. Students can select their electives from classes such as institutional corrections, managing aggressive behavior, family violence, white collar crime and violence in the workplace. Students who want to work in law enforcement can sign up for a cooperative education experience, and all other students can sign up for an internship.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
4001 W McNichols Rd.
Detroit, MI 48221
(313) 993-3250
University of Michigan – Dearborn
College of Arts, Sciences & Letters
The University of Michigan – Dearborn is a branch of the University of Michigan in Dearborn. Though it offers the same opportunities as the flagship campus, the Dearborn campus is a little smaller. Students have an easier time finding their classes and making new friends. This university is home to one of the 4+1 Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan. It features elements of a traditional criminal justice program but includes graduate courses too. Students can take those classes while working on a bachelor’s degree. Once they finish the bachelor’s program, it takes just one year to finish a master’s degree.
Criminology & Criminal Justice Studies
UM-Dearborn designed a Criminology & Criminal Justice Studies program that looks at the theories behind criminal activities and behaviors as well as the criminal justice system as a whole. Most of the courses in this program are worth three credits each, but some programs award students a single credit or up to six credits. One of the courses worth six credits is an internship that allows students to spend time working in Washington DC. The program includes traditional courses as well as some more unique options, including classes in political analysis, forensic anthropology, urban politics, psychology of prejudice and restorative justice.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
4901 Evergreen Rd
2002 CASL Building
Dearborn, MI 48128, US
(313) 593-5490
University of Michigan – Flint
Programs
Though many people think of the University of Michigan in terms of the main and flagship campus in Ann Arbor, it also operates other campuses across the state like the one in Flint. Officially called the University of Michigan – Flint, it also goes by the name of UM Flint to help set it apart from the main campus. This campus offers students the option of studying in a smaller town while still enjoying the feel of living in a college town. Flint has a large and active police force that offers internships for students as well as other opportunities for CJ majors.
Criminal Justice General Program (BA)
UM Flint offers two Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan. This general program is open to all incoming freshmen and allows those students to enroll and start taking criminal justice classes without spending too much time worrying about their grades. Students will need to take 12 credits of prerequisites before beginning the full program, including courses on sociology, government, and criminal justice. In addition to general education courses, students in this program need to take 21 credits of core criminal justice courses and 12 credits of CJ electives like youth gangs in American society and sociology of deviance.
Criminal Justice Honors Program (BA)
The honors version of the university’s criminal justice program features the same required courses as the general program. Students must have a higher grade point average when enrolling and will need to maintain that GPA to remain in the honors program. All honors students must do a thesis too, which those in the general program do not do. While working with an adviser, the student picks a topic, does research on the topic and then writes a paper. The thesis takes place over the course of a full year. The university expects these students to also take a course on directed reading and research in criminal justice as juniors.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
303 E Kearsley St.
Flint, MI 48502
(810) 762-3300
Wayne State University
Department of Criminal Justice
Wayne State University has a great reputation for being one of the top public institutions of higher learning in Detroit, but it also ranks among the top colleges in the state. Also called WSU, it designed a multidisciplinary criminal justice program that looks at more than just criminology and related topics like other Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan do. The program is open to incoming students, continuing education students, transfer students and guest students. Guest students are those enrolled in another college or university who take classes from WSU and transfer credits back to their primary colleges.
Major in Criminal Justice
In addition to general education classes, the criminal justice program that WSU offers consists of just two components: core classes and electives. Students take seven core courses that are worth 28 credits to gain a strong foundation for their future studies. Those classes include introduction to criminal justice, constitutional criminal procedure, research methods in criminal justice and corrections. They must also take an intensive writing class before signing up for electives like law in human society, criminal law, domestic violence and criminal justice and child abuse and neglect. Students must complete at least 20 of these credits through WSU to graduate.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
3293 Faculty/Administration Bldg. 656 W. Kirby
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 577-2705
Western Michigan University
Department of Sociology
Western Michigan University is a public university in Kalamazoo that offers a criminal justice degree program through its Department of Sociology. This department teaches students the connection between sociology and criminal justice, including how certain economic factors make individuals at risk for criminal behavior and how society deals with criminals. Some of the graduates of this program remain at the university and enroll in its Master of Social Work program because they want to help at-risk populations. WMU also sees its graduates enroll in master’s level criminal justice programs and in law schools, including those in Michigan and those in other states.
Criminal Justice
Though WMU offers a standard or traditional criminal justice program that looks at all aspects of criminal justice, it also offers a program that awards graduates a law enforcement certificate. This certificate makes it easier for students to enroll in a police academy or a similar training program, and some academies will waive some of the required courses that the student would otherwise need to take. The law enforcement certificate program teaches students how to investigate crimes, handle and use firearms, shoot weapons and the basics of foot patrolling. Both versions of the program encourage students to do volunteer work and internships.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5200
(269) 387-1000
Looking at the top programs in the state is one of the easiest ways for students to see what each one offers and to begin narrowing down their options. Those hoping to further their studies and those hoping to work in law enforcement will get help through any of the Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice degree programs in Michigan.
See also: Top 50 Best Criminal Justice Online Degree Programs
