Welcome
The Criminal Justice Program offers a five-month Law Enforcement Training certificate program as well as associate and bachelor degrees. The two and four-year degree programs provide students with a solid foundation in a liberal arts education.This foundation is strengthened through Criminal Justice courses that provide the professional orientation needed for employment in local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies. Students seeking a bachelor’s degree choose either a Corrections or Policing concentration depending on their career goals. Minors are not required but are recommended in fields such as Political Science, Criminal Psychology, Sociology, Chemical Dependency Counseling, Behavioral Health, or Public Administration.
For more information, visit our Criminal Justice Degree Programs page.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Criminal Justice Program at Western New Mexico University is to assist law enforcement and corrections agencies by providing quality candidates for employment and by assisting agencies to become more efficient and effective in their role of administering criminal justice, maintaining order, and controlling crime in society. The Criminal Justice Program strives to fulfill this mission by offering a comprehensive program of education, two and four year academic degrees in Criminal Justice, and continuing education offerings designed to provide practitioners with opportunities to develop professionally.
Student Learning Outcomes
1.1 Knowledge: Students demonstrate an understanding of the components of the criminal justice system and how they interact and influence each other.
1.2 Synthesis: Students synthesize core knowledge and suggest solutions to current issues in the criminal justice system.
1.3 Application: Students apply core knowledge to real-world situations.
2.1 Demonstrate: Students demonstrate the ability to explain the role and value of each subsystem in the criminal justice system (e.g. law enforcement, courts, corrections, etc.)
2.2 Evaluate: Students demonstrate the ability to explain how the criminal justice system interacts with other formal and informal social systems.
2.3 Interpret: Students demonstrate the ability to analyze the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in achieving justice.
3.1 Professionalism: Students demonstrate appropriate behavior, attitude, and commitment to high standards of professional ethics.
3.2 Preparedness: Students demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to compete for entry-level positions and/or graduate/undergraduate programs.
3.3 Goal Setting: Students demonstrate the ability to identify and prioritize short-term and long-term goals that will lead to the desired career or educational outcome.
4.1 Communication: Apply strategies to evaluate messages, verify claims, and produce arguments supported by well-researched evidence.
4.2 Critical thinking: Demonstrate the ability to delineate a problem, acquire and evaluate evidence, and reach conclusions through critical reasoning.
4.3 Personal and Social Responsibility: Develop intercultural reasoning and intercultural competence to achieve ethical reasoning/solutions.
Why Choose WNMU?
Western New Mexico University’s Criminal Justice Program offers students the opportunity to prepare for careers in law enforcement and corrections. Students learn about the practical aspects of work in these fields. The program is also interdisciplinary, that is, students not only study the procedures and legal issues related to law enforcement and corrections, they also study sociology, psychology, political science, management, social work and other subjects relevant to an understanding of crime and the criminal justice system.
WNMU’s Criminal Justice program offers three levels of training. The Law Enforcement Academy is a five-month program that meets legislative requirements for police officer training in New Mexico. When a student completes the program, he or she takes the state certification examination. If the exam is passed, the student is automatically certified as a police officer upon employment with a law enforcement agency. Our students are very attractive to law enforcement agencies because they are saved the time and expense of training.
WNMU also offers associate (2 years) and bachelors (4 years) degrees in Criminal Justice. Many larger police departments now require an associate or bachelors degree. A bachelors degree is required for many jobs in corrections such as probation officer and parole officer and for most Federal law enforcement jobs. Both associate and bachelors degrees are available online. No other program in New Mexico offers the range of degree and certificate programs that are available at WNMU. The Criminal Justice faculty have years of professional experience in law enforcement, corrections and/or the court system. They are able to provide the practical training you need to work in the criminal justice field.
The Criminal Justice Program sponsors two of the most active student groups on campus: a chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, a national honor society for criminal justice students, and the Criminal Justice Club. Both organizations participate in community service projects such as Identi-kid, food drives, and helping with university events such as Homecoming and the Great Race. They also take trips to visit law enforcement and corrections employers throughout the Southwest and to attend national and regional criminal justice conferences.
Next Steps
Visit the Office of Admissions and Recruitment website and submit your application today!
Our tuition and fees are among the lowest in the region. If you are a New Mexico resident pursuing your first Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree, you are eligible for free tuition! Check out our Student Costs page and learn how you can afford your education.
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice prepares students for careers in law enforcement, corrections, courts, the military, and with civilian security contractors. Courses are provided in a sequence that enables the student to graduate in four years of full-time study. The program provides the multi-disciplinary education necessary for success in today’s diverse environment where law enforcement professionals are expected to deal with crime and disorder in sophisticated ways. Courses are delivered asynchronously online. Check out the Criminal Justice Degree Programs page!
We have designated program advisors for every student. Book an appointment at the Advising Center with your program advisor to get your questions answered.
If you have specific questions about how to choose a major and would like to speak to a faculty, visit our Faculty & Staff page and reach out to one of us directly. We will get back to you as soon as we can.