“Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both.”
—
Eleanor Roosevelt
The United States’ criminal justice system has undergone dramatic growth and witnessed many challenges over the past fifty years. This has fueled the Criminal Justice-Criminology Department at Lycoming College to focus on understanding the causes and responses to crime and victimization, and advocating for a more efficient, equitable, and fair system.
Extensive hands-on opportunities, intimate class sizes, and interaction with local and national experts provides students with a deep understanding of criminological theory, research, and practice. With a healthy emphasis on real-world experience and a strong liberal arts foundation, our students graduate with the critical thinking and leadership skills necessary to succeed in a full range of careers across law enforcement, court services, and corrections.
Criminal Justice & Criminology Student Successes
Francine Bacon ’25
Criminal Justice Major
Meet Francine →
Kyle Drick ’18
Explosive Detection and Human Tracking Canine Handler, Pennsylvania State Police
Meet Kyle →
Alex Jones ’25
Criminology Major, Spanish Minor
Meet Alex →
Shane C. Casey '21
Waterways Conservation Officer (WCO), Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission
Meet Shane →
Student Opportunities
- Intern at law enforcement agencies, probation offices, prisons, or residential treatment centers.
- Network with potential employers, such as the Pennsylvania State Police, the U.S. Supreme Court Police, and United States Customs and Border Protection Services.
- Experience learning outside the classroom by participating in police ride-alongs, observe county court hearings, tour local correctional institutions, or volunteer with agencies.
- Work closely with faculty on collaborative and independent research projects and present at national conferences.
- Engage with prominent researchers, practitioners, and Lycoming alumni at academic and social events, like our annual Strauser Lecture in Criminal Justice.
- Apply for Lycoming’s chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the national criminal justice honor society, and receive recognition for academic achievements.
Why Lycoming?
- An interdisciplinary curriculum enriches student understanding of crime and facilitates the pursuit of double majors or minors in related disciplines, such as Spanish, accounting, chemistry or biology.
- Students take courses with experienced faculty members and adjuncts, who provide a well-rounded perspective on the criminal justice system.
- Small class sizes allow for rich discussion and applied learning opportunities, which enhance students’ critical thinking skills.
- Our location in northcentral Pennsylvania provides access to many local-, state-, and federal-level opportunities, including internships.
- The coursework trains students to conduct their own independent or applied research.