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Welcome to the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (SCCJ). As I begin my first year as the Director of SCCJ, it is my pleasure to tell you about our programs.

We are proud to offer a BS in Criminal Justice as well as combined major options including Criminal Justice and Psychology, Criminal Justice and Political Science, Criminal Justice and Computer Science, Criminal Justice and Cybersecurity, along with numerous other combined degree options. Our MS degree in Criminal Justice can be taken on-ground, online and in hybrid formats. We also offer a highly ranked PhD program in Criminology and Justice Policy. Students in each of these programs engage with a curriculum that promotes critical thinking and provides methodological and theoretical tools to address critical issues of social and racial justice. Our nationally and internationally renowned faculty includes specialists in a wide range of areas, such as criminal law, crime in a global context, human trafficking, hate crime, serial and mass murder, community policing, juvenile justice, and incarceration and punishment. You will learn from the experts, in class and out.

As a research university, we don’t just pass along knowledge, we create it. In addition to the individual research projects undertaken by the faculty often in collaboration with students, our School features three research facilities—the Center on Crime and Community Resilience, the Institute on Race and Justice, and the Institute on Security and Public Policy. All of these facilities are engaged in shaping criminal justice policies and programs at all levels of government. Students in all of our degree programs have the chance to interact closely with the faculty, collaborating on research and scholarship that improves practice and advances justice. We are also home to the George Lewis Ruffin Society, an organization committed to enhancing the representation of people of color in justice system leadership roles.

Our students, through their participation in co-op and our school’s strong commitment to the experiential liberal arts, are systematically exposed to the administration of justice in its many forms on a day-to-day basis in local, state, federal and international agencies, both public and private. Graduating with a year or more of practical work experience in the field of criminal justice will give you a significant advantage in pursuing your career goals. Also, with over 10,000 graduates occupying leadership positions in all sectors of the criminal justice field, the “Northeastern network,” as our alumni have described it, is a valuable resource. Whatever your interests and career goals, the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice will prepare you well for professional roles in the justice system, as well as for graduate or law school.

Although the 2020-2021 academic year will be an unusual year for all of us, SCCJ remains a lively School committed to high quality teaching, conducting critical research to advance our justice systems and providing opportunities for student engagement across all programs. Throughout the year the School will continue important work to promote anti-racism and address racial justice. We are committed to reflecting on our work as faculty, staff, students and members of the community to promote the central ideal of equality that underpins our society and should be reflected through our systems of justice.  

Despite the challenges of the current time, Northeastern University continues to lead as a national research university that is both student-centered and focused on creating and translating knowledge for global and societal needs. The Northeastern campus and the city surrounding it offer an exciting environment in which to live and learn. We hope you will join us and experience the Northeastern advantage.

Finally, if you don’t find answers to your questions here, feel free to call us at 617.373.3327 or email us at sccj@northeastern.edu. I’m certain that I or another member of our staff can help. Better yet, arrange to come for a visit; I look forward to the opportunity to meet.

Amy Farrell
Director, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice