Undergraduate Major
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
Prepare for a career that makes a difference. The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice at 91°µÍø equips students with the knowledge, skills, and real-world insight needed to succeed in today’s evolving justice system—including careers in investigation, legal services, social services, and public safety. Faculty bring professional experience directly into the classroom, connecting theory to practice.
Information
91°µÍø's program requires completion of a practicum course, in which you will gain relevant, hands-on experience through an internship on the local, state or federal level at a criminal justice, private corporate security or service agency.
A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice opens the door to a wide range of meaningful careers across public service, government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector.
- Graduates of our program pursue careers such as:
Law Enforcement & Public Safety
- Police Officer
- State Trooper
- Federal Agent (e.g., FBI, DEA, Secret Service)
- Crime Prevention Specialist
Courts & Legal System
- Probation Officer
- Parole Officer
- Court Administrator
- Legal Assistant / Paralegal
- Victim Advocate
- Attorney (with graduate study)
Corrections & Rehabilitation
- Correctional Officer
- Case Manager (Corrections or Community Programs)
- Juvenile Justice Specialist
- Rehabilitation Counselor
- Prison Administrator / Warden
Law Enforcement & Emerging Careers
- Intelligence Analyst
- Fraud Investigator (Financial Crimes)
- Corporate Security Specialist
- Social Services Caseworker
- Nonprofit Program Coordinator (e.g., violence prevention, reentry programs)
Education & Research
- Criminal Justice Researcher
- Policy Analyst
- Criminal Justice Professor (with graduate study)
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in protective service occupations is projected to grow steadily through 2033, with continued demand driven by public safety needs and workforce turnover. Median annual wages typically range from about $50,000 to $95,000+, with higher earnings in specialized or federal roles.
Graduates report that they have secured careers in their field of interest, including:
- Berks County Court of Common Pleas
- Center for Missing and Exploited Children
- Children’s Home of Reading
- Connections Work
- Dauphin County Probation Services
- FBI
- Pennsylvania State Police
- Tompkins Financial
- U.S. Border Patrol
- Various municipal police departments
- Carbon County District Attorney’s Office and York County District Attorney’s office.
Students interested in furthering their education in the field of law have been accepted at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and Maryland Carey School of Law, the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, Widener University Delaware Law School, Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University, and more.
Program Overview
- Experiential Learning Opportunities
During their senior year of studies, students must complete requirements of CJ 408 Agency Practicum. Students secure a field placement and complete 252 hours of experiential learning, submit journals, prepare a senior portfolio and make a presentation on their internship experience. During the 2023 - 2024 academic year, the following agencies/internship sites provided these experiences:
- Berks County Court of Common Pleas
- Berks County Adult Probation Department
- Berks County Juvenile Probation Department
- Berks Connections/Pretrial Services
- Carbon County Probation Department
- CASA of Berks County
- Children’s Home of Reading
- Hamburg Police Department
- KRE Security
- Magisterial District Court
- Montgomery County Youth Services
- New Story School
- Olivette Boys and Girls Club
- Pottstown Police Department
- Reading Area Community College
- Reading Police Department
- South Heidelberg Township Police Department
- South Whitehall Township Police Department
- Stone Harbor Police Department
- The Washington Center
- Tompkins Financial
- Accreditation Statements
91°µÍø is an accredited institution and a member of the . MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
- Opportunities for Majors
The purpose of the Criminal Justice Associations is to expose and educate members about the field of Criminal Justice. Interested
students should contact Criminal Justice faculty in BH003.
Alpha Phi Sigma
Alpha Phi Sigma is the Criminal Justice National Honor Society. The purpose is to promote critical thinking, rigorous scholarship and lifelong learning, to keep abreast of the advances in scientific research, to elevate the ethical standards of the criminal justice professions and to sustain in the public mind the benefit and necessity of education and professional training. Students also have
the opportunity for membership in the Saint Thomas More Honor Society. The Saint Thomas More Honor Society is the local honor
society of the Criminal Justice Department. Membership is by invitation only to those students who meet the membership criteria.
Students interested in any of these organizations should contact Malgorzata Zuber, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, at Malgorzata.zubere@alvernia.edu.
The Washington Center Experience
91°µÍø students have an opportunity to earn college credit by spending a semester or summer in Washington, D.C. where they serve as interns in a congressional office, government agency, major corporation, newspaper or news network, or agencies devoted to legal affairs, international relations, or business and economics. They also may intern with one of several non-profit groups dealing with the environment, women’s issues, the arts, education, science, or labor relations among others. Participants are customarily juniors or seniors who have achieved grade point averages of 2.5 or better and who have the endorsement of the appropriate academic area. In addition to their internship, students select one seminar dealing with the arts and humanities, communication, public policy, the legal system, business, and government. Interested students should see their academic advisor.
Get to Know Your Faculty
For more information about 91°µÍø’s Criminal Justice Administration program contact the Admissions Office at 610-796-8269 or admissions@alvernia.edu. Or reach out directly to Department Chair Malgorzata Zuber, Ph.D., at 610-796-8230 or malgorzata.zuber@alvernia.edu.
Success Stories
Criminal Justice grad and retired adjunct continues to serve with bereavement-focused books, support group
It’s hard to put Dominic Murgido ’79 in one descriptive box.What lead him to 91°µÍø, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a double concentration in sociology and psychology? It may have been the talks he had with his fa...
After transferring to 91°µÍø, O'Pake Fellow helps make difference in Reading
Ask Jamal Dancy '24 about his university experience and he won’t sugarcoat it: College can be hard.But he feels like 91°µÍø is a place where, despite your struggles, you can feel secure in the fact that if you ask for help, you’ll get...
