The most important foundation upon which to build an academic department is its faculty. The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at NAU can claim some of the nations most recognized scholars in their respective fields of study. Their publications appear in both domestic and international peer reviewed journals, and their books have been published by leading academic publishing outlets. Faculty research interests include analyses of political and white collar crime, domestic violence, genocide and homicide, American Indian justice issues, feminist criminology, school violence, youth crime and justice, public attitudes towards retribution, media and crime, and wrongful conviction. Most important, as a student in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice you will experience the knowledge these faculty bring to bear on criminological issues in your day-to-day classes. Unlike other institutions where high status faculty often do not teach undergraduate courses, our department prides itself on generating teacher-scholars who thoroughly enjoy interacting with students in classroom settings.

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at NAU has developed a unique curriculum relative to most other criminal justice departments in the nation. It recognizes that the issues of crime and justice are complex, controversial topics that are open to a number of different interpretations and approaches. Consequently, the department is committed to an open intellectual environment that encourages teaching and scholarship from a diversity of theoretical perspectives and research methodologies.

The MS degree program also provides opportunities for students to explore the impact of social factors such as race, ethnicity, class, and gender on the crime problem and the administration of justice, to examine the influence of politics, culture, economics, media, theory, and ideology on our understanding of crime and our images of justice, and to develop skills in the implementation and evaluation of criminal justice policies and the management of criminal justice institutions.

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at NAU is characterized by its strong commitment to delivering its teaching, scholarship, and public service to all communities. We are especially committed to providing a welcoming educational environment for those interested in Native American and Latino justice issues, and through educational outreach to the Native American communities of the Colorado Plateau. The department is very proud to demonstrate continued growth in its minority student population. For example, from 1999 to 2005 the department increased its Latino student population by 42%, roughly one-fourth of all criminal justice majors. American Indian students represent a significant portion of our minority population, as do African Americans. Women represent approximately 60% of the department’s majors.

Faculty in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at NAU pride themselves on being intellectually stimulating, innovative, thoughtful, available, and approachable teachers. While stylistic variations inevitably exist, students will typically encounter faculty who approach teaching through a creative process of active student engagement with course materials. Gone are the days of straight lecture, a failed method of force-feeding information to students who are expected to regurgitate what they’ve memorized come exam day. In its place is a far more active, student-focused pedagogy that requires greater involvement from the students themselves in their own learning process. To make certain they remain atop their professions when it comes to teaching, our faculty frequently attends professional development seminars where the latest innovations in effective teaching methods are presented. Student evaluations indicate they are extremely pleased with the student-centered approach.

Our commitment to student-centered learning centers on the creation of zones of pragmatic experience. To fully internalize the conceptual and theoretical material being presented by faculty in your classes, students must apply their knowledge in meaningful ways to real-life social problems. The department’s Internship Program provides students with such opportunities, but in addition we as a faculty wish to encourage students to become active participants in the debates taking place in their respective communities. To that end, our students are encouraged to take on significant roles with regard to public agency service. One way to do this is through participation in our Criminal Justice Club. The Club is open to all Criminal Justice Majors and Minors, and characteristically develops community-based projects directed at problem solving. In addition to the Club, Criminal Justice Majors who are eligible based on grade point average can join the Alpha Phi Sigma National Criminal Justice Honor Society. Supported by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Alpha Phi Sigma recognizes the academic excellence of undergraduate and graduate students of criminal justice. At Northern Arizona University, the Alpha Phi Delta chapter has established a strong commitment to campus involvement, community service and the promotion of leadership and unity.

Are you interested in investigating real criminal cases? In addition to Criminal Justice club activities, the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers students one of the most unique opportunities afforded to students anywhere in the United States interested in combining their theoretical and conceptual knowledge with real life experience. In 2002, the Northern Arizona Justice Project (NAJP) commenced operation. The NAJP is an innocence project designed for students to investigate real cases where actual innocence has been alleged. Students work directly with the Project Director, community attorneys, private investigators, forensic experts, and inmates to determine whether a wrongful conviction has taken place, and how to remedy it. Participation as a student investigator requires senior status in the department, and completion of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Crime Scene Investigation, and Wrongful Conviction.

In addition to the curricular excellence offered by the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Northern Arizona University is located in Flagstaff, Arizona, a historic community of about 60,000 residents located two hours north of Phoenix, Arizona in the ponderosa pine forest of the Colorado Plateau. It is situated at 7,000 feet in altitude and has a four season climate.