University of Mount Union

What you'll study

The curriculum combines foundational social-science theory with applied coursework and hands-on experiential learning. You will study how societies define and respond to crime, examine institutions that administer justice, and develop practical skills for assessing crime data and evaluating interventions.

• Core theory and foundations: courses in criminological theory, sociology of crime, and the history and philosophy of criminal justice.
• Law and institutions: modules covering criminal law and procedure, policing, corrections, juvenile justice, and courts.
• Research and methods: training in research design, quantitative methods and basic statistics, qualitative methods, and program evaluation.
• Applied and specialised topics: options such as victimology, forensic psychology, substance abuse and crime, gangs, community-based interventions, ethics, and comparative/critical approaches to crime and justice.
• Capstone and experiential learning: a senior seminar or capstone project, internships or field placements with local law-enforcement, social-service or policy organisations, and opportunities for service-learning or independent research under faculty supervision.

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold a recognised secondary-school diploma or equivalent. Successful candidates typically present a solid academic record, with strong performance in English and social-science subjects. Mount Union considers a holistic file that may include high-school transcripts, recommendations, a personal statement, and any relevant extracurricular experience.

• Recommended background: courses in social studies, English and mathematics; introductory psychology or sociology are advantageous.
• Transfer applicants: previous college-level credits in social sciences, statistics or criminal-justice related courses can be evaluated for transfer.
• Additional information: some experiential placements may require background checks, immunisations or compliance with partner agency requirements; these are managed during the degree rather than at admission.

Career prospects

Graduates with a criminology degree from Mount Union enter a range of public, private and nonprofit roles or continue to postgraduate study. The programme emphasises practical skills and critical thinking valued by employers in criminal-justice and allied fields.

• Public safety and law enforcement: local, state or federal policing and investigations (subject to agency hiring standards and additional training).
• Corrections and community supervision: roles in probation, parole, correctional facilities and re-entry services.
• Victim and social services: victim advocacy, casework, youth services and community outreach in nonprofit or government agencies.
• Policy, research and analysis: positions in research institutes, think tanks, government departments and policy advocacy organisations.
• Private-sector roles: corporate security, loss prevention, compliance and consulting.
• Further study: law school, criminal-justice graduate programmes, counselling, social work or graduate research in sociology/criminology.

Why study at University of Mount Union

Mount Union offers a small-college environment within a liberal-arts tradition, giving students close contact with faculty and personalised mentorship. The criminology curriculum is designed to blend theory, research training and applied experience so graduates leave prepared for the workforce or advanced study.

• Faculty mentoring: opportunities for one-on-one supervision on research projects and directed readings.
• Hands-on learning: internship and practicum placements with local courts, law enforcement, corrections and social-service agencies.
• Interdisciplinary approach: coursework draws on sociology, psychology, political science and law to provide a broad perspective on crime and justice.
• Career support: on-campus career services help with internships, job placement and preparation for graduate or professional school applications.