“We have a good relationship with the FBI for facilitating internships. A significant number of our students who intern there are offered a job at the Bureau.”
Criminal Justice
An innovative, career-focused program taught by seasoned criminal justice professionals and researchers, with rich experiential learning opportunities on and off campus.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE | ON-CAMPUS PROGRAM
Utica University’s innovative criminal justice major combines foundational skills development in investigation and evidence analysis with extensive hands-on learning both in the lab and out in the real world. The program is taught by seasoned veterans of law enforcement, corrections, and related professions with decades of practical experience, enabling students to gain a deeply nuanced understanding of criminal justice practices and methods through guided simulations, personalized mentorship, internships, and field experiences.
All students conclude the program with a senior year internship experience, giving them the opportunity to apply and refine the skills they’ve developed at a public or private-sector organization.
Fast Facts
B.S.
Bachelor of Science
120
Credit Hours
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Skills You'll Gain Through This Program
The criminal justice major focuses on development of practical skills for gathering, analyzing, and documenting evidence, criminal investigation, effective communication, administrative leadership, and more. Students receive hands-on instruction in techniques for crime scene analysis and evidence gathering via simulation exercises in Utica’s Crime Scene Lab. Program faculty work closely with students to help them customize their study plan to fit their preferred career path.
Facilities and Technologies
Located in Bull Hall, Utica University’s recently completed Crime Scene Lab is a 1,200 square foot multi-purpose learning facility with an open design that allows for the staging of multiple crime scene simulations at the same time. In addition to room for instruction and evidence analysis, the lab features a large bay door to facilitate the incorporation of vehicles, large furnishings, and other materials used in simulation exercises. Utica’s Crime Scene Lab provides students with multiple hands-on learning opportunities that directly translate to the professional skills necessary to be successful in their careers.
Program Mission
Leading students to make a positive impact on our communities during their criminal justice careers and beyond by:
- Providing classroom and reality-based learning
- Developing current knowledge of critical issues
- Advocating for the respect and fair treatment of a diverse community
- Instilling high ethical standards and a sense of personal responsibility
- Integrate liberal arts and professional courses
Career Pathways
Graduates of the criminal justice major can take advantage of multiple career opportunities in law enforcement, corrections, private security, and other fields. Internships frequently lead to formal staff positions, and major employers such as the FBI, United States Supreme Court Police, Utica Police Department, and Oneida County Probation Office actively recruit students prior to graduation.
$77k
Median Salary
Police and Detectives
3%
Job Growth
Police and Detectives (through 2034)
Graduates of the criminal justice program have taken career-track positions at:
- FBI
- U.S. Secret Service
- New York State Police
- Oneida County Sheriff's Office
- Utica Police Department
- Rome Police Department
- U.S Treasury
- Veteran’s Affairs Administration
- N.Y. State Attorney General’s Office
Faculty that puts you first
The criminal justice faculty at Utica University includes seasoned professionals with deep experience as criminal investigators, department administrators, researchers, and more, providing personalized guidance and mentorship to ensure students develop the competencies they need to achieve their career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
The criminal justice major prepares students for career-path positions as:
- police officers and detectives
- private detectives
- corporate security
- criminal investigators
... and more.
In addition to providing practical experience, the required internship component offers opportunities for students to establish professional connections with colleagues at the internship site. Internships with a variety of agencies, from area police departments to the FBI, often lead to offers of employment upon graduation.
The criminal justice major focuses on development of practical skills for:
- gathering, analyzing, and documenting evidence
- criminal investigation
- effective communication
- administrative leadership
... and more.
Students receive hands-on instruction in techniques for crime scene analysis and evidence gathering via simulation exercises in Utica’s Crime Scene Lab. Program faculty work closely with students to help them customize their study plan to fit their preferred career path.
Lauren and Corky Bull Hall offers a variety of resources for the study of criminal justice, including fully equipped computer labs and the recently completed Crime Scene Lab, which provides a customizable setting for hands-on learning in evidence gathering, documentation, and other investigative techniques.
See for yourself - Take a virtual tour of Bull Hall:
All students in the criminal justice major have the option of completing an internship experience at a public or private-sector organization in their senior year. Recent examples of internship sites include:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Secret Service
- U.S. Marshals Service
- New York State Police
- New York State Attorney General's Office
- Oneida County District Attorney's Office
- Oneida County Public Defender's Office
- Oneida County Sheriff's Office
- Oneida County Probation
- Utica Police Department
- Rome Police Department
- Oneida Police Department
- Syracuse Police
- Town of New Hartford Police
- Finn Institute
- Mohawk Valley Crime Analysis Center.
Recent research topics students have either presented on or pursued include:
- Recruitment & Retention (Police/ Corrections)
- Mass Incarceration
- Excessive Use of Force
- Body Worn Cameras
- Minority Disparities in the Criminal Justice System
- Job-related stress (Police/Corrections)
- Officer health and well-being (police/corrections)
- Prison Privatization
- Police De-escalation
- Juvenile Diversion
- Fraud Risk Management
- AI in Predictive Policing
- Digital Forensics
Areas of faculty expertise:
Dr. Shanna Van Slyke: Criminology, White Collar Crime, Criminal Justice Research
Prof. Bernie Hyman: Law, Criminal Court Systems, Fraud and Financial Crime
Prof. Musco Millner: Forensic Investigations, Criminal Investigations, Criminal Justice Administration, Law Enforcement
Dr. Rob Swenszkowski: Criminal Justice Administration, Law Enforcement, Corrections, Civil Enforcement
Hometown Hero: Criminal Justice major Conner Crossley ’26 puts his learning to work in saving a life.
Walking the shore of Turtle Beach in Sarasota, Florida, Conner Crossley ’26 was looking to enjoy some sunshine and relax to the sound of the waves crashing against the sand. He and his family were winding down a vacation planned around celebrating his great grandfather’s 97th birthday, when the unexpected happened.
Full Story
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