College of Criminal Justice
Welcome to the College of Criminal Justice
Join one of the largest and most prestigious criminal justice programs in the country.
The College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University is one of the top programs in the country for the study of criminal justice and criminology, forensic science, and security studies and continues to set the national standard for these disciplines in higher education. Since 1963, the college has been at the forefront of academic research and professional leadership development.
Learn from our faculty, a worldwide collection of the most respected criminal justice experts in the study of criminal justice, who bring modern technological methods and advanced applications into the classroom.
- Choose from a large criminal justice course selection, including online courses
- Study at research Institutes in Law Enforcement, Corrections, Victims, and Legal Studies
- Join active Honor societies and Student Associations
- Access to world renowned law enforcement and correctional training institutes
- Apply for several criminal justice scholarships and graduate student assistantships
Grow personally and professionally by pursuing an exciting career with a criminal justice, forensic science, or homeland security studies degree. Embrace all of the resources the College of Criminal Justice has to offer through our undergraduate degrees, masters degrees, and Ph.D. programs. Apply today and choose one of our degree programs that open a world of opportunity.
SHSU College of Criminal Justice Educators Recognized by National Organization
SHSU College of Criminal Justice Establishes Center for Intelligence and Crime Analysis
Criminal Justice and Criminology Professor Recognized for Research
Grant Provides Funding for Criminal Justice De-Escalation Training Center
SHSU’s Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) received a two-year grant through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) for $981,760 to establish a de-escalation training center.
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SHSU College of Criminal Justice Names New Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology Chair
The Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice announces Dr. Erin Orrick as the new chair for the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology.
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SHSU CJ Online Programs Ranked Among Top 5 By U.S. News & World Report
Sam Houston State University’s College of Criminal Justice online master’s program is ranked No. 3 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in their best online rankings for 2023. This is the eighth year the program ranked among the nation’s top five programs. Additionally, SHSU CJ was ranked No. 2 for best online master’s in Criminal Justice program for veterans.
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Doctoral Students Earn Award for Prestigious Doctoral Summit
Two Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice (SHSU CJ) doctoral students are selected to participate in the next cohort of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences’ (ACJS) Doctoral Summit. Kyler Nielson and Ghady Hbeilini received a scholarship to join PhD students from across the country attending the ACJS 2023 Annual meeting in March 2023.
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Criminal Justice Professor Creates Open Educational Resource Premium Distance Learning Course
Dr. Mary Breaux of the Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice and Department of Victim Studies, Susan Strickland of the SHSU Newton Gresham Library, and Dr. Jacqueline Bower, an instructional designer for SHSU Online, were competitively selected state-wide to participate in an Open Educational Resource (OER) academy. Together, they developed a premium distance learning course titled Aging, Crime, and Victimization.
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