Welcome!

The Criminal Justice Program at Dakota Wesleyan University began in 1993 and has grown to be one of the largest programs at the university. It is designed to help students develop the skills necessary to excel in criminal justice careers: sound judgment and reasoning, practical and technical sophistication, leadership potential, and writing and communication skills.

We also offer a new major in Corporate & Homeland Security Management, as well as an array of minors in rising fields of criminal justice, including:

• Wildlife Law Enforcement
• Legal Studies
• Financial & Enterprise Crime
• Forensic Science & Investigation

Our program encourages students to develop a broad theoretical and practical knowledge of the three major spheres of criminal justice: law enforcement, the courts and corrections.  To this end, we continuously connect with other programs, such as Biochemistry for forensics, Business/Accounting for investigations and security, and Human Services and Psychology for mental health and behavior. 

We assist students in presenting research at professional conferences and help students obtain valuable internships with a variety of agencies. Our criminal justice students have interned with some of the top criminal justice agencies in the state and nation, from police departments to juvenile treatment centers to the FBI.