What Can I Do with My Criminal Justice and Security Studies Degree?

There are many diverse career paths that the criminal justice and security studies major can choose after graduation. The program prides itself on providing its students with ample opportunities to succeed after graduation. An active internship program provides experience that improves the success rate of graduates.

Some graduates choose law enforcement, criminal investigation, intelligence, probation and parole counseling, research, consumer advocacy and international services. Positions are available with correctional agencies at the federal, state and county level; in municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies, as well as with some prosecutor and public defender's offices as online investigators. Positions are also available in industrial security, the consumer advocacy arena and with select law firms as possible paralegals.

The Department of Criminal Justice and Security Studies at the University of Dayton offers its majors the opportunity to network and gain additional career skills by joining the student organizations Omega Phi Delta and Alpha Phi Sigma.



Combine Interests in Your Career

Combing a criminal justice studies major with a minor — or even a double major — expands the list of possible career opportunities.

  • Accounting
    Public and private investigative agencies (revenue sector). Federal and state revenue and/or investigative service agencies (internal examiners)
  • Business Administration
    Corporate security management; insurance industry; consumer arena; law school; graduate school; federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement; investigative agencies; privately funded correctional and/or rehabilitative agencies involving staff management.
  • Biology
    Federal and state natural resource and/or game preserve agencies, private ecological foundations.
  • Chemistry
    Forensic science laboratories; coroner or medical examiner offices.
  • Communications
    News and communications media; law school; graduate school; community and/or public relations in federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement (candidates begin as line personnel); federal, state, county, municipal and privately funded correctional and/or rehabilitative agencies involving community liaison activity.
  • Computer Science
    Data processing services in justice administration agencies.
  • Economics
    Investment/brokerage arena; law school; graduate school; federal state, county and municipal law enforcement involving staff management (candidates begin as line personnel).
  • Electrical Engineering
    Industrial security sales and services (hardware); corporate security management.
  • English
    Law school; graduate school; federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement and/or investigative agencies; federal, state, county and municipal correctional and/or penal institutions.
  • Journalism
    News media; law school; graduate school.
  • Marketing
    Corporate security management, insurance industry; consumer arena; law school; graduate school.
  • Mathematics
    Planning and research in justice administration agencies; law school; graduate school; federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement and/or investigative agencies involving planning and research (candidates begin as line personnel).
  • Military Science
    Commissioned officer in armed services; commissioned officer in armed services involving military law enforcement; commissioned officer in armed services involving military correctional and/or penal institutions. Note a military science minor requires participation in ROTC.
  • Photography
    Law enforcement; coroner or medical examiner offices as photographer; federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement and/or investigative agencies involving on-scene examinations (candidates begin as line personnel).
  • Physical and Health Education
    Federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement; federal, state, county and municipal correctional and/or penal institutions involving planning and implementing physical activities programs for clientele (candidates begin as line personnel.
  • Political Science
    Public service agencies; political arena; lobbyist; law school; graduate school; federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement and/or investigative agencies involving staff management (candidates begin as line personnel).
  • Psychology
    Justice administration organizations; law school; graduate school; federal, state county and municipal law enforcement involving staff management (candidates begin as line personnel); federal, state, county, municipal and privately funded correctional and/or rehabilitative agencies requiring recognized counseling practices (candidates begin as line personnel).
  • Social Work
    Probation, working with juvenile offenders, at-risk youth, substance abuse or mental health. Social Work is a good all-around minor to have if you are interested in jobs in human services in general.
  • Sociology
    Social service organizations; law school, graduate school; federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement; federal, state, county and municipal correctional and/or penal institutions.


Contact Criminal Justice and Security Studies
300 College Park
Dayton, Ohio 45469 - 1447
937-229-2611 email