Criminal Justice
Undergraduate Program Overview
All Students
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Understand Crime, Justice & Society
Are you passionate about law, justice, and making a difference in your community? A Criminology & Criminal Justice degree from Nipissing University gives you the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience to understand crime, criminal behavior, and the justice system. Whether you’re interested in law enforcement, corrections, rehabilitation, or legal studies, our program prepares you for a meaningful career in the field.
Program Highlights
- Criminology & Crime Theory – Understand why crime happens and how it impacts society.
- Law & The Justice System – Explore Canadian law, criminal justice procedures, and human rights.
- Policing & Law Enforcement – Learn about community policing, investigations, and crime prevention.
- Corrections & Rehabilitation – Study offender treatment, rehabilitation programs, and prison systems.
- Youth & Crime – Examine juvenile justice and intervention strategies.
- Ethics & Human Rights – Understand ethical challenges and the role of human rights in criminal justice.
Program Streams & Areas of Focus
Students complete a BA in Criminal Justice and choose one of the following streams to shape their academic and professional focus:
- Policing Stream
Focuses on the criminal code, youth justice, community policing, and techniques relevant to policing careers. Includes coursework at Nipissing and Canadore College, leading to both a college diploma and a university degree in four years.
- Corrections Stream
Combines academic study with applied training in psychology, community reintegration, and programming. Students complete a field placement and develop skills in group dynamics, counselling, and correctional practice.
- Criminology Stream
Emphasizes theoretical and methodological approaches to crime, justice systems, and social processes. Students build skills in communication, data interpretation, and critical analysis while exploring topics such as youth justice, women and the criminal justice system, and crime prevention.
- Criminal Justice Studies Stream
Provides a broad foundation in criminal justice alongside complementary study in areas such as psychology and sociology. This stream is ideal for students seeking a wide lens on crime, law, policy, and society.
Resources
Program Related
Why Nipissing's Criminal Justice Program?
Comprehensive Curriculum
Study the causes of crime, the legal system, policing, corrections, and rehabilitation.
Hands-On Experience
Gain real-world skills through internships, field placements, and research opportunities.
Specialization Options
Choose from areas like policing, corrections, legal studies, or criminal behavior analysis.
Expert Faculty
Learn from professors with extensive experience in criminology, law enforcement, and justice studies.
Career-Ready Skills
Develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical decision-making skills for a dynamic career in criminal justice.
Admission Requirements
To qualify for admission, students must meet the General Admission Requirements, plus program specific prerequisites.
General Admission Requirements include:
Ontario Secondary School Diploma including six 4U/4M courses
Future Careers
A Criminology & Criminal Justice degree from Nipissing University prepares graduates to understand crime, justice systems, and social responses to criminal behaviour. Graduates may pursue roles in:
Law Enforcement & Investigation
Police officers, crime analysts, investigators, or forensic support specialists.
Corrections & Rehabilitation
Probation officers, parole officers, correctional officers, or rehabilitation support workers.
Legal & Court Services
Court clerks, legal assistants, victim services workers, or law office support staff.
Community & Social Services
Youth workers, community support workers, at-risk intervention coordinators, or counselling support staff.
Graduate & Professional Studies
Law school candidates, graduate studies in criminology, criminal justice, or related social sciences.
Real People, Real Impact
My experience was excellent, thanks to its small class sizes and great student-to-professor ratio. The supportive environment and engaging courses deepened my understanding of the justice system and helped guide me toward a career in law enforcement.
Frank L.
Class of 2020
The small, engaging classes allowed for real discussion and meaningful learning, while the supportive faculty helped me build connections that lasted beyond graduation.
Steven W.
Class of 2019
Program Requirements
How the Common Degree Structure Works
At Nipissing, you can choose a minor, major, specialization, or honours specialization—each offering a different level of focus and flexibility to match your goals.
Check out this breakdown of the Common Degree Structure to see how you can make your interests fit your degree.
Program Options & Course Requirements
Find required courses for each type of specialization using this link.
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Notes:
Disclaimer:
While every effort is made to ensure accuracy on this site, in the event of a discrepancy, Nipissing’s Academic Calendar is the official reference.