Students at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato sit at desks, attentively listening and taking notes during class.

MAJORS

Criminal Justice

Prepare for ethical leadership in law enforcement, policy, and public service with Our Criminal Justice Major.

Where Ethical Leadership Begins

Conflict resolution skills are in high demand. Whether in criminology, social work, corrections, juvenile justice, corporate security, judicial administration, political administration, or military service, ethical professionals are needed to maintain order and keep society moving forward. 

Public and private agencies seek professionals with an elevated understanding of ethical decision making and of the patterns and behavioral causation of crime. Whether in the field of law enforcement leadership or in the office of policy or arbitration, graduates are equipped to enter law school, graduate school, or the workforce. 

Additional skills training outside the scope of this program is required for those graduates seeking licensure as a peace officer in the state of Minnesota.

A Bethany Lutheran College student with short brown hair smiles at the camera, wearing a light blue collared shirt against a gray backdrop.

“I have worked as a police officer since 2018. I owe much of my success to the education I received at Bethany. I learned to think critically and become familiar with parts of the legal system I would not have been exposed to in other settings.”

Kristian Marzolf
Police Officer in Mankato, Minnesota

Contact the Criminal Justice​ Department

Sara Edwards

Associate Professor – Legal Studies

Next Steps

Interested in studying at Bethany? Scheduling a campus visit is a great way to see what we have to offer. You can meet professors or sit in on a class too! Contact our admissions office to learn more.

Large bold text reads Since 1927, with Bethany Lutheran College Mankato MN below in smaller letters.