Overview
You like watching CSI shows, and you can see yourself as a crime scene investigator. You like the idea of being a criminal profiler. You’re attracted to the challenges and excitement of law enforcement and would be honored to wear the uniform. You also want to work on behalf of children or adults who have been abused. You might even like to be a special agent with the FBI or the Secret Service one day. Basically, you like protecting and helping other people.
If this describes you, then the criminal justice and legal studies degree at North Greenville University may be the best option for you. Here, NGU’s Political Science and Criminal Justice and Legal Studies Department faculty members are prepared and willing to help you begin a successful career in criminal justice and legal studies.
Major Description
As a criminal justice major, you will spend much of your time learning through hands-on classroom techniques that allow you to prepare for all aspects of the criminal justice field, including assessing mock crime scenes and mock trials. Emphasis is placed on learning effective communication skills through written and oral presentations.
Students in the program may also observe law enforcement training facilities, take field trips to observe legislatures and courts, visit forensic laboratories, and engage in virtual law enforcement techniques from tactical defense to mediation.
During your senior year, you will complete a research project that demonstrates your understanding of the field of criminal justice and your knowledge of an area related to your career aspirations.
Ultimately, the criminal justice degree will provide a strong education based on a biblical worldview that will prepare you for a variety of related pursuits.
Curriculum
The curriculum within the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice and Legal Studies at NGU provides you with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the many career paths available in political science and in criminal justice and legal studies.
Criminal justice and legal studies exposes students to a wide range of courses, including best practices of policing, ethical issues facing law enforcement personnel, techniques of crime scene investigation, theories of criminal behavior, legal issues, court systems, and processes in criminal justice, as well as how to apply this knowledge in your own professional work.
The curriculum in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice and Legal Studies reflects NGU’s commitment to integrating faith and learning.
Faculty Strengths
NGU’s faculty members in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice and Legal Studies are highly trained in their field, and they draw upon real experience in their area of expertise. You will also find that the faculty in this department are committed to guiding you through your coursework and advising you on the career options within your major.
Tracks / Concentrations
There are no tracks or concentrations for our criminal justice degree available at this time.
Minors
At NGU, we offer minors to complement your major. Each minor requires a minimum of 18 semester hours, which in some cases may even be used to meet the elective requirements for your major. View the full list of minors.
Electives
- Criminal Justice, Law, and the Media
- Domestic Relations
- Judicial Process
- Juvenile Delinquency
- Law Enforcement Operations
- Principles of Investigations
- Terrorism
(Note: This is only a partial list of all the electives you can choose from.)
Success
Callie Barnes '14 “My studies at NGU assisted me in choosing a career as a South Carolina state trooper through providing me with access to various fields within law enforcement.”
Click here to tell us why you love NGU!
Kate Welkner '17 "The friends I've made at NGU have been such a blessing. They have helped me grow into who I am today. Being able to walk any where on campus and see a friendly face of someone you know is something you can't find many places."
Kristin Mosteller Zirkelbach '15 "Professor Rollins with the criminal justice program greatly impacted my academic, professional, and personal life. She put everything into guiding her students in the right direction for their careers and made learning fun."
Pamela May '18 "Staci Rollins helped me overcome my anxiety when it came to speaking in front of people. NGU has the best Criminal Justice Program."
Future
Career Opportunities
- Air Marshal
- Attorney
- Ballistics Specialist
- Corrections Officer
- Crime Scene Specialist
- Cybercrime Analyst
- Detective
- Forensic Technician
- Highway Patrolman
- Intelligence Analyst
- Investigator
- Law Enforcement Officer
- Paralegal
- Private Investigator
- Probation Officer
- School Resource Officer
- Social Worker
- Special Agent - FBI, DEA, and the Secret Service
Potential Employers
- City of Greenville Police
- Department of Social Services
- FBI
- Greenville County Department of Public Safety
- Greenville County Schools
- Legal Eagle Inc.
- South Carolina Department of Mental Health
- South Carolina Department of Public Safety
- State Bureau of Investigations
Learning Experience
Internships
Internships are available in both political science and criminal justice and legal studies. Examples include working in government agencies or political offices, as well as internships with national, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Work Study
Work-study opportunities allow you to assist professors on research projects or help in managing the Criminal Justice Club or the criminal justice newsletter.
Field Trips
Field trips also allow you to gain valuable experience. Examples include trips to law enforcement training facilities, forensic laboratories, courtrooms, and even the state legislature.
Faculty
David Tyner 
Joshua Styles 
Lisa Van Riper 
James Batson 
Mark Roeder 
Staci M. Rollins Courses & Resources
EXAMPLE COURSE SEQUENCE
First Year Experience (1 hour)
Composition and Rhetoric (3 hours)
Old Testament Survey (3 hours)
Principles of Biology (4 hours)
Art elective (3 hours)
Contemporary Mathematics (3 hours)
Composition and Literature (3 hours)
New Testament Survey (3 hours)
Oral Communication (3 hours)
Earth Science (4 hours)
Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 hours)
(Note: In addition to the courses for their major, every student at NGU is required to register and earn credit for Chapel, for each semester of full-time enrollment, and Cultural Events, for only the first four semesters of full-time enrollment. Each of these courses counts as one-half credit hour per semester. These special offerings support NGU’s mission of educating the whole person — both intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.)
EXAMPLE COURSE SEQUENCE
Foreign language course (3 hours)
Introduction to Political Science (3 hours)
Theories in Criminology (3 hours)
Physical Education (2 hours)
Introduction to Information Technology (3 hours)
Western Civilization (3 hours)
Ethics in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
Criminal Law (3 hours)
American or British literature course (3 hours)
Foreign language course (3 hours)
American National Government (3 hours)
(Note: In addition to the courses for their major, every student at NGU is required to register and earn credit for Chapel, for each semester of full-time enrollment, and Cultural Events, for only the first four semesters of full-time enrollment. Each of these courses counts as one-half credit hour per semester. These special offerings support NGU’s mission of educating the whole person — both intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.)
EXAMPLE COURSE SEQUENCE
Law Enforcement Operations (3 hours)
Principles of Investigations (3 hours)
Research Design and Analysis (3 hours)
Foreign language course (3 hours)
Open electives (6 hours)
Corrections (3 hours)
Judicial Process (3 hours)
Foreign Language (3 hours)
General Psychology (3 hours)
(Note: In addition to the courses for their major, every student at NGU is required to register and earn credit for Chapel, for each semester of full-time enrollment, and Cultural Events, for only the first four semesters of full-time enrollment. Each of these courses counts as one-half credit hour per semester. These special offerings support NGU’s mission of educating the whole person — both intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.)
EXAMPLE COURSE SEQUENCE
Terrorism (3 hours)
State and Local Government (3 hours)
Social Psychology (3 hours)
Open electives (12 hours)
Forensic Analysis and Criminal Profiling (3 hours)
Legal Issues (3 hours)
Senior Seminar (3 hours)
(Note: In addition to the courses for their major, every student at NGU is required to register and earn credit for Chapel, for each semester of full-time enrollment, and Cultural Events, for only the first four semesters of full-time enrollment. Each of these courses counts as one-half credit hour per semester. These special offerings support NGU’s mission of educating the whole person — both intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.)
Program Objectives
- Analyze the role of the criminal justice system in contemporary society.
- Understand the ethical standards of the criminal justice profession and how these standards are informed by Christian values.
- Analyze and evaluate the role of punishment in the criminal justice system.
- Understand the basics of criminal law and the judicial process.
- Develop skills such as critical thinking and empirical analysis that are essential for professional development.