The program leading to the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice is designed to acquaint pre-service and in-service students with the principles and practices of criminal justice in America. Although the department's curriculum allows for the development of depth in one of the subject's substantive subsystems (i.e., law enforcement, courts or corrections), the overriding objective is to familiarize students with activities in all the above areas.

The department is both academic and professional in that it is an interdisciplinary attempt to relate intellectual issues and practitioner perspectives to the challenge of crime in a free society. In this regard, the department provides preparation for employment with a related agency and/or further study (e.g., law school).