Mission & goals

NAU’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice mission and goals

The CCJ department at Northern Arizona University is dedicated to guiding students towards discovery of their life-long purpose, and prepare them with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in 21st century careers.

Prepare students to be practitioners, advocates, and defenders of social justice

In accordance with our commitment to promote a more just society, CCJ students develop a firm understanding of the cultural, political, economic, and moral complexities surrounding the creation and enforcement of law, and are prepared to become practitioners, advocates, and defenders of social justice.

CCJ students accomplish this through critical examinations of how power and privilege shape the social realities of criminal justice globally, nationally, and locally, and by utilizing the latest in legal and social science research, to develop critical understandings of how these realities impact diverse groups of people. In addition, CCJ students investigate how social and cultural identities are related to differential experiences of criminalization, victimization, offending, and justice work.

Connect classroom learning to practical experience

We use the latest theories, research, and investigative traditions in our interdisciplinary field to explore contemporary real world issues and their impacts on policy, public opinion, and criminal justice work. Through direct contact with leading scholars and respected practitioners of justice, CCJ students obtain career and academic mentoring that facilitates connections between their classroom learning and real world experience. Both in and out of the classroom, we place a high priority on collaborative and experiential learning so that students can practice the skills needed to succeed within a justice related setting. CCJ students apply their writing, intercultural, research, and analytic skills to demonstrate specialized knowledge about a subject area most related to their future aspirations.

Advance meaningful and rewarding careers

Criminology and Criminal Justice graduates use their knowledge of criminology and justice to pursue meaningful and rewarding careers with integrity. Our graduates are critically informed citizens, who value diversity and social justice, and use this knowledge to advance the cause of justice.