Criminal Justice
Help protect and serve our communities with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Designed for those concerned about crime and motivated to further justice, this growing program combines rigorous coursework with practical, real-world experience.
Real-World Experiences Await
Explore the structure and functions of law enforcement, the courts, and corrections through internship and research opportunities in criminal justice. Interdisciplinary projects will not only enhance your knowledge of the field but will build your critical thinking, ethical leadership and analytical skills.
Study abroad, immersion programs and participating in the National Student Exchange are highly encouraged. These eye-opening experiences can help you to develop a deep understanding of the many political, social, cultural, philosophical and psychological forces that shape our justice system’s policies, programs and practices.
At UW-Eau Claire, our criminal justice degree isn’t just about helping you understand the causes of crime. It also empowers you to be part of the solution. Whether you decide to patrol neighborhoods, serve in a courtroom, or work in a correctional facility, you and your degree will help make a difference.
Program Details
Many Blugolds seek out opportunities to learn about other cultures. Ranging from week- to semester-long, these faculty-led experiences focus on a variety of interesting topics and often lead to life-changing perspectives. Recent programs students have participated in include the Civil Rights Pilgrimage in Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana; the Social and Environmental Justice Experience in Guatemala; Women's Lives and Experiences in Nicaragua; and Culture, Society and Economics in Argentina.
See what it's like to work in probation offices, public defenders' offices, or even the secret service. Longstanding partnerships with local organizations provide you with direct paths to more than a dozen internship sites, allowing you to earn up to 6 credits of on-the-job experience. Students have held internships at places like the Eau Claire County District Attorney's Office, Eau Claire Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Eau Claire Restorative Justice Center and the United States Secret Service.
Our professors are highly-regarded experts and researchers in their field. For example, professor Dr. Justin Patchin, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, has done extensive research on the subject of cyberbullying. Dr. Patchin has shared his expertise at the White House and FBI Academy and has discussed his findings in national media, including CNN, NPR, the BBC and the New York Times.
Thanks to our partnership with Chippewa Valley Technical College's (CVTC) Law Enforcement Academy, you can apply to earn your academy certification while still enrolled at UW-Eau Claire. This shortens the amount of time it takes to begin your career in law enforcement.
Additionally, annual on-campus Career Conferences and a Non-Profit and Government Career Fair bring potential employers right to you. These events are excellent opportunities to network and submit your resume for current and future job openings.
Blugold Stories
My experience with student-faculty research has been increasingly positive. This collaboration has allowed me to foster positive relationships with faculty and other student researchers within the department. I believe student-faculty research has been an essential component of my college career.
Ever since he was 5 years old, Sgt. Cliff Hayes had his sights set for the military. Soon after joining the Wisconsin Army National Guard, Hayes enrolled at UW-Eau Claire to pursue a career in criminal justice. Being the first in his family to go to college, he needed some guidance on understanding his roles and duties as a veteran and full-time student. He turned to the Veterans Center at UW-Eau Claire and received resources and support to guide his educational needs.
From my perspective, student-faculty research is one of the best opportunities the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has to offer. My participation in student-faculty research over the last two years has not only improved my research skills, but my skills as a student too.
Being in the foster care system growing up, Taz Smith became familiar with the courtroom at a young age. Now, a criminal justice major and an intern for a local judge, Taz learns about real court cases and analyzes them from multiple perspectives.
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Where can the criminal justice program lead me after graduation?
The criminal justice major at UW-Eau Claire will help prepare you for a career in law enforcement, corrections and court-related agencies at the local, state and federal level. The program is also an excellent path for those who wish to go on to graduate school in the fields of criminal justice and criminology.
Example Careers
- Corrections manager
- Crime scene investigator
- Emergency management coordinator
- FBI agent
- Forensic psychologist
- Police officer
- Private investigator
- Social worker
- Financial crimes manager
- Loss prevention investigator
Recent Graduates
Police Officer
City of Eau Claire
Wisconsin
Detention Worker
Northwest Regional Juvenile Detention Center
Wisconsin
Parole and Probation Officer
Minnesota Department of Corrections
Minnesota
Military Funeral Honors Assistant Coordinator
Department of Defense
Minnesota
Background Investigator
CACI International Inc.
Wisconsin
Sheriff's Deputy
Dane County Sheriff's Office
Wisconsin
One of UWEC’s largest interdisciplinary programs, the criminal justice major includes courses in sociology, psychology, social work and political science. A variety of elective courses will help fuel your criminal justice passion and provide you with the opportunity to pursue internships and collaborative, student-faculty research.
Here are a few courses in Criminal Justice at UW-Eau Claire.
CRMJ 319
Police in Society
Examines who the police are, what they do, and how they do it. Analyzes the complexities and ambiguities of modern policing. Topics covered include police operations, law enforcement ethics, police misconduct, women and minority police officers, police work with juveniles, and cross-national methods of policing.
CRMJ 320
Race, Crime, and Justice
A critical examination of the relationship between race and ethnicity, and all components of the criminal justice system in the United States. Provides a historical perspective of racial inequality and a study of contemporary racial justice issues, while highlighting the struggles for racial justice and how these struggles have been criminalized and controlled.
CRMJ 325
Victimology
Examination of a wide range of victimization experiences from the perspective of the victim, family members of the victim, and society. Emphasis placed on exploring response patterns to victimization, secondary trauma effects of victimization, differential effects of victimization over the life course, and community and media response.
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