Criminology & Criminal Justice
Build a better system. Be an agent of organizational change.
Seeking a more just future, for everyone.
Prepare for a career lifting communities up and making them safer. When you study Criminology and Criminal Justice at Champlain College, you’ll develop deep understanding, broad perspective, and strong values. With a focus on social justice, Champlain’s Criminology & Criminal Justice program addresses the changing nature of law enforcement and prepares you to become an ethical, service-minded leader.
What is Criminology & Criminal Justice?
The study of criminology and criminal justice focuses on crime and criminal behavior — the reason behind it and the best ways to address it.
Why Study Criminology & Criminal Justice at Champlain College?
You’ll learn by doing, right away. Thanks to our Upside-Down Curriculum, you’ll take criminal justice courses in your first year that set you up for later internships or field work. As you continue, you’ll gain practical professional experience within the local Burlington community — a national leader in forward-thinking criminal justice reform. You can work with current prison inmates through our Prison Law Initiative, helping them do legal research and writing. You can also intern with prospectors, legal aid lawyers, or agencies of all types, gaining a wide view. And your training will be up-to-date: select classes are cross-listed with our Computer and Digital Forensics program, making sure you have a modern take on crime and safety.
Bringing together the theoretical and the practical, this is a social sciences program with an interdisciplinary approach. Graduates will come away with a greater understanding of the role the criminal justice system plays throughout all facets of society, and they’ll be ready to get to work to make a change.
Different by Design
Spread Knowledge, Gain Wisdom
Through our Prison Law Initiative, teach law and constitutional rights to incarcerated people. This unique experience gives important perspectives while empowering others.
Be A Change Agent
Future law enforcement officers can complete an intensive 15-week, 15-credit program at the Vermont Police Academy to qualify for the Academy’s admissions standards.
A Forward-Thinking Community
You can gain first-hand professional experience within the local Burlington Community – a national leader in forward-thinking criminal justice reform. You might even be taught by a State’s Attorney or head of police.
Facts & Stats
100%
of Criminology & Criminal Justice majors in the Class of 2023 were employed within six months of graduation. That’s success you can see.
THE BEST
Champlain College was listed among the “Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report in 2024.
11:1
Student to Faculty ratio ensures you can always get the help you need.
Sample Courses in the Criminology & Criminal Justice Major
Check out some of the engaging and hands-on courses in our program. Our Upside-Down Curriculum will put you in your major right away.
You might also be interested in these…
Based on your interest in the Criminology & Criminal Justice major, we thought you also might like to check out these other academic programs and opportunities.
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Majors
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Law
Study law as an undergraduate at Champlain College and start your legal education right away, during your first semester. Go on to law school afterward or choose a different path; either way, you’ll be ready.
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Social Work
Uplift families, empower individuals, and heal communities with Champlain’s Social Work major.
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Degree Design Lab/Integrative Professional Studies
Design your own major through Champlain’s Degree Design Lab. You’ll combine courses and real-world learning experiences to personalize your own education.
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Digital Forensics
Release your digital investigation skills. Adopt the investigator’s mindset, solve mysteries, and master artifact discovery with Digital Forensics at Champlain College.
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Computer Networking & Cybersecurity
For our digital future to be secure, information must be safe. Earn real-world experience in computer networking and cybersecurity at Champlain College, and prepare yourself for a vital role protecting society from cyber threats.
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Minors
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Social Justice Minor
See your work through the lens of social justice. Learn how social, economic, and political issues influence each other and affect an individual’s or community’s essential rights.
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Psychology Minor
Develop a fundamental understanding of human behavior, and learn how to apply this knowledge to increase your interpersonal communication skills in your personal life and in the office.
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Conflict Management Minor
Develop a practical way of mediating conflict in your workplace, community, and personal life with Champlain College’s Conflict Management Minor.
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Environmental Studies & Policy Minor
Study environmental issues and the politics surrounding them to discover the action-oriented practicalities of what people and organizations can do to change the world for the better.
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Areas of Study
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Law & Society
Uphold a system of justice through meaningful public service.
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Education, Humanities & the Sciences
The born educator, the team player, the change maker, the advocate.
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Individualized Studies & Undeclared
Learn what you love, and love what you learn.
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The best aim of the criminal justice system is to provide protection and justice for those most vulnerable and least able to pay for it. It is time to accept the challenge of creating a relevant, beneficial, anti-racist criminal justice program, and criminal justice system.
Tony Perriello, Assistant Dean and Criminology & Criminal Justice Program Director
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Career Success
Criminology & Criminal Justice graduates are ready to enter the workforce and act as change-makers. 100% of Criminology majors in the Class of 2023 were employed within six months of graduation.
Your Career Outlook
By the time you graduate, you will …
- Know the fundamental principles needed in Criminology & Criminal Justice professions, from the criminal process to the essential elements of substantive criminal law.
- Study complex topics such as the sociological understanding of criminology and the ever-expanding arena of cybercrime and digital forensics.
- Examine the manifestations of systemic oppression, engage in anti-racist professional practice, and interrogate the role the criminal justice field plays in advancing social good.
- Explore related disciplines through a minor. With over 40 minors to choose from, some of the most popular with Criminology & Criminal Justice include Social Justice, Law, Psychology, Conflict Management, Global Studies, Cybersecurity, and Computers & Digital Forensics.
You’ll Find a Career In…
- Public defense law
- Cybercrime investigation
- Law enforcement
- Social work
- Corrections
- Restorative justice
- Public policy
- Investigative journalism
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Pre-College Summer Program: Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics AcademyThe Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics Academy offers students an in-depth learning experience in the field of cybersecurity and digital forensics. Students work together to solve real digital forensics problems faced by law enforcement agencies all over America and gain hands-on learning experience from veterans of the cybersecurity industry in this pre-college summer program.
This program is designed for students entering grades 10–12 and recent high school graduates.
Learn More on the Pre-College Summer Program Website
More Inside Criminology & Criminal Justice
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Overview
Build a better system. Be an agent of organizational change.
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Curriculum
Our Criminology & Criminal Justice curriculum focuses on restorative and social justice, with flexibility that can take you into a variety of careers.
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Faculty
Our Criminology & Criminal Justice faculty go above and beyond to inspire your curiosity, learning, and growth. Small class sizes foster personal connections and mastery.