CONTACT:
School of Adult and Graduate Education
610-740-3770
sage@cedarcrest.edu
Traditional Admissions
800-360-1222
610-740-3780
admissions@cedarcrest.edu
Scott Hoke, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice
sahoke@cedarcrest.edu
610-437-4471 ext. 4454
In our society, crime is a constant, and so is the pressing need for criminal justice experts, particularly women. In this field in which women remain underrepresented, criminal justice employers are continually and actively seeking graduates from schools like Cedar Crest to join their ranks.
While many criminal justice programs today focus on what happens after a crime has been committed, Cedar Crest College’s curriculum is unique in that it is a behavioral-based program: By understanding what influences criminal behavior, you will be better prepared to aid in the prevention of criminal acts, as well as in the steps that take place after one has occurred.
Here, you will also participate in multiple field experiences throughout the curriculum, including a 220-hour senior experience, enabling you to apply what you have learned and, often, to secure your future employment. Your studies here will prepare you for a rewarding career in any area of the criminal justice system, from child welfare to corrections to security and beyond. (Learn more about available careers.)
Our interns and alumnae are well-known in the criminal justice community, locally and nationally, for their high ethical standards and behavioral-based knowledge. Our graduates are currently working in mental health referral and evaluation, adult probation, child welfare services and more..
Experienced faculty
All of our courses are taught by credentialed faculty. Our professors have more than 50 years of experience in the criminal justice field. They have literally seen it all…and they’ve specifically designed new courses that will better prepare you for a career in any area of criminal justice.
A behavioral-based curriculum
It isn’t enough to deal with crimes that have occurred: Today’s society demands a greater focus on the prevention of crimes. This, too, is the focus of our criminal justice program.
Specialized concentrations
The curriculum includes both required courses and three options for “elective packages”: ethical leadership, criminal behavior and deviance, and juvenile studies. These three packages enable you to delve deeper into one or more aspects of human behavior.
Valuable field experience
Many of our courses include classroom discussion as well as time spent in the community. You will also complete one 220-hour field experience that will be chosen specifically to suit your career goals.
Complementary majors and minors
Many students at Cedar Crest College choose a second major or minor. Fields of study that pair especially well with criminal justice include forensic science, our pre-law program and psychology.
Women’s leadership opportunities
Our program requires you to do research and present your findings, both of which will enhance your teamwork and leadership skills. The College also offers many extracurricular clubs and organizations that rely on student leaders.
The mission of the criminal justice program is to provide students with a state-of-the-art educational experience that is grounded in an understanding of the traditional theories and origins of the criminal justice system but also one that places emphasis on developing an understanding of the emerging issues and developments that are influencing and impacting society today. In addition, it is the mission of the program to produce students who are prepared to assume a position of leadership within the profession. Leadership requires students to be well-rounded academically, intellectually mature, aware of the ethical standards by which the criminal justice system is intended to function, and sensitive to the social and cultural challenges presented by the application of the system.
Criminal Justice Major
Madison Schettig ’21 applies the skills she is learning in Cedar Crest College’s criminal justice program to her work as a public safety analyst for the Allentown Police Department.
“If you had asked me a year ago, I would have told you this is my dream job,” says Madison, who started working professionally in crime mapping before finishing her undergraduate studies.
Applying Data-Driven Research to Support, Improve Local Policing
Building on a national movement to recognize the benefits of data-driven, research-based outcomes related to the practice of policing in our communities, Cedar Crest College, the City of Allentown, Pa., and the Allentown Police Department are entering into a new collaborative partnership.