Undergraduate Major
Criminal Justice Administration
Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration prepares students with the education required to enter careers in enforcement, investigation, social services, law, victim services and other related professions. Taught by professionals in Criminal Justice careers and professors with backgrounds in areas including law, law enforcement, the courts, security, the FBI, and research, the program offers current practices and timely information to its students.
Achieve More With A Criminal Justice Degree
Practicum
Alvernia'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.
Career Outlook
Pursue a variety of careers, including:
- Police Officer
- Correctional Officer
- FBI Agent
- Private Investigator
- Crime Prevention Specialist
- Crime Scene Investigator
- State Trooper
- Prison warden
- Criminal Law
- Corrections
- Criminal Justice Professor
- Probation Officer
Fast-Growing Professions
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the range of jobs available with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice is projected to grow up to 12 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than average for all occupations. The median annual wage in those professions in 2022 ranged from $48,000 to $80,000.
High-Flying Grads
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 Security
- Pennsylvania State Police
- Tompkins Financial
- U.S. Border Patrol
- Various municipal police departments
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.
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
Alvernia 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
Alvernia 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 Alvernia’s Criminal Justice Administration program contact the Admissions Office at 610-796-8269 or admissions@alvernia.edu. Or reach out directly to Department Chair Rosemary McFee at 610-796-8313 or rosemary.mcfee@alvernia.edu.
John Gallagher
