• 120 credits (includes core curriculum, 10 foundational courses in Criminal Justice including field internships, and 4 elective courses in related Criminal Justice topics)
• $1,190 per credit hour
• Courses offered full time or part time, on campus or in a hybrid format
• Fall and Spring intakes
• Accredited by SACSCOC

• Completed application submitted through the Marymount Application or Common App
• High school transcripts
• Letter(s) of recommendation (optional)
• Personal essay (optional, although highly encouraged)
• A résumé may be provided should an applicant have any gaps in enrollment
• Non-native English speakers must meet our English Language Proficiency Requirement
• Students or former students of schools outside the U.S. may be considered international applicants, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, and be subject to additional international admissions requirements

Marymount University does not consider SAT/ACT scores for admission or scholarship purposes.

CJ 209: The Criminal Justice System

An overview of the formal mechanisms of social control as manifested by the components of the criminal justice system (legislatures, law enforcement, courts, and corrections). Also examined are alternatives to formal processing, including diversion, pretrial screening, and dispute settlement programs.

CJ 302: Introduction to Counterintelligence and Terrorism

This course introduces counterintelligence, with a focus on the evolution of contemporary counterintelligence in military, government, and pseudo-government organizations, both domestic and international. The course will also address terrorism as a criminally violent tactic used to achieve political or social goals and will examine individuals and groups, their motives and tactics, and how government and law enforcement have responded through investigation, prosecution, and punishment.

CJ 400: Internship

The internship provides practical experience in an applied criminal justice or social service setting. Students’ field experience is supervised, and the course is open only to senior Criminal Justice majors.

Complete list of undergraduate Criminal Justice courses

Marymount’s undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice prepares you to enter the workforce or pursue graduate school. In fact, more than 92% of our graduates are employed in the field or advance their studies with a master’s degree in Criminal Justice.

Recent graduates from Marymount’s Criminal Justice degree program now work as:

• Analysts for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Analysts for the FBI
• Police Officers
• United States Secret Service Agents

The median pay for the 808,200 police officers and detectives employed in the U.S. in 2021 was $66,020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall employment of police officers and detectives is projected to grow 3 percent from 2021 to 2031.

Welcome to Marymount University’s School of Social and Behavioral Sciences! We offer undergraduate degrees in Communication (with an optional specialization in Sports Communication), Criminal Justice, Politics, and Psychology. Psychology has teamed up with Biology to offer you an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience. We offer a variety of minors, including Sociology, Communication, Criminal Justice, Politics, and Psychology and unique interdisciplinary minors in Forensic Psychology, Forensic and Criminal Investigations, International Studies, Journalism, Public Relations, Writing, Gender and Society, and Sustainability. These undergraduate degrees provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a career, graduate school, and life.

At the graduate level, we offer master’s degrees in Forensic and Legal Psychology (with an optional specialization in Intelligence Studies), a unique combined Counseling and Forensic and Legal Psychology dual degree leading to licensure as a professional counselor, and beginning in Fall 2024, a fully online master’s degree in Social Work. We offer several accelerated pathways from undergraduate to graduate degrees that will reduce the number of years spent studying (and paying for school), such as our 3+3 Bachelor’s to Law degree, our BA to MBA Program, and our BA to Forensic and Legal Psychology MA Programs.  I invite you to explore our numerous degree options.

We are a diverse community of scholars who actively lives Marymount’s mission by engaging in lifelong learning, serving others, and fostering connections with people around the globe. The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences houses disciplines that attempt to solve pressing problems of our times using different lenses, but overlapping scientific methods appropriate to the study of people and the structures and organizations they create. Our vibrant classrooms are safe spaces where students can explore new ideas. All students complete at least one internship, where they apply skills learned in the classroom to real-world problems.

Our full-time faculty are both experts in their field and passionate educators who foster students’ intellectual curiosity and support their personal growth. Our part-time faculty are actively working in their fields and provide important professional connections for our students. All of our faculty are expert teachers with years of experience in the classroom. Our faculty take pride in the successes of our graduates, and the advising and support we provide for our students lays the foundation for successful careers.

I encourage you to come to campus to experience Marymount for yourself. I invite you to meet the faculty, mingle with other students, learn about our programs, and see the difference Marymount University can make for your future!

Linda R. Cote, Ph.D.

Director, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

“I entered the Marymount University Criminal Justice program as a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and as a former police officer. I was impressed by how many of my professors had backgrounds which mirrored my own. This University treats veterans very well. My instructors were able to help me secure an internship with the United States Federal Government, which subsequently led to me being hired as a federal police officer. The faculty members all utilize useful networking contacts in the area to help students begin their careers.” – Russell Lynch, Class of 2016, Physical Security Specialist at NextEra Energy Corporate Security, Juno Beach, Fla.

“What impressed me most about Marymount’s Criminal Justice program was the variety of classes offered – each class presented topics and careers that I had no idea were related to criminal justice. My professors always went beyond the textbook and helped us understand concepts and career paths through personal stories, practical exercises, and guest speakers. One of my favorite memories about the program was conducting a criminal investigation on a mock crime scene for a forensics class. Experiences like that helped me decide to pursue a career with the FBI. I was blessed to serve my community as a police officer upon graduating, and I knew Marymount gave me the tools necessary to be successful.” – Gustavo Barrera, Class of 2020, Graduate Student in Marymount University’s M.A. in Forensic & Legal Psychology Program