Criminal Justice

The School of Criminal Justice has been recognized as among the leading programs in the field. Over the years, our faculty have made significant contributions to criminal justice policy and criminological theory, and our graduates have taken their places among the most productive and well-respected scholars in the field. Today, studies show that we continue to rank among the top criminal justice programs nationwide.


The program in Criminal Justice is a comprehensive interdisciplinary program that blends a strong liberal arts education experience with pre-professional instruction in the field of criminal justice. The program provides students with a rich understanding of crime and criminal justice in the United States and abroad. Graduates of the program are well-informed citizens on the subject of crime and justice, and are qualified for graduate study or for employment as practitioners in a variety of legal, policy-making, and law enforcement areas.

Transferring from
Mercer County Community College

Potential Career Paths

Employment opportunities exist for criminal justice majors in all areas of the legal, law enforcement, and justice systems. Students are also prepared to pursue graduate coursework in law or public policy as well as many other criminal justice-related disciplines. Employment opportunities exist at the managerial level in country, state, and federal criminal justice agencies.

Admissions Requirements

Students with an earned associate’s degree in Criminal Justice from any accredited community college are eligible to apply to the Criminal Justice program.  Specific pre-requisite courses may be required, please consult the Manager of Academic Programs before applying.

Transferring Credits

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey will transfer a maximum of  60 credits or one-half of the total degree credits required for a baccalaureate degree from a NJ county college to a Rutgers degree program for those students who have completed an A.A. or A.S. degree. Please visit the NJ Transfer website at www.njtransfer.org  to look up the Recommended Transfer Program (RTP) for any undergraduate major at Rutgers. Students may be awarded up to 90 credits from a 4-year institution.

Ready to Apply?

We highly recommend contacting an advisor to help guide you through the application process.