Northwest College approved for new four-year criminal justice degree

POWELL (WNE) — A program championed by local law enforcement leaders, pushed for by professors and staff, and desired by many students, is coming to Northwest College in the fall semester. 

Northwest College will begin offering a new Bachelor of Applied Science in Criminal Justice Studies in the fall of 2023. 

The new B.A.S. in Criminal Justice Studies option provides students who have completed an Associate of Arts or Associate of Applied Science degree a chance to continue their education to acquire upper-division skills and training. 

The degree is designed for students who are interested in pursuing a career in the field of criminal justice at the local, state or federal level, or for those already working in the field seeking advancement. 

The curriculum will combine traditional academic studies along with a more hands-on practical application of content. Among some topics NWC students will cover are communications and technology, interview and interrogation, organized crime and gangs, serial killers, and other contemporary criminal justice issues. 

NWC’s criminal justice facilities feature the VirTra 300-degree firearms simulator, which is the industry leader in firearms simulation on the proper use of force. The facilities also include a mock jail cell, mock forensic lab, and mock interview and interrogation room.

Requirements for applying and admission into the new BAS in Criminal Justice Studies program will be forthcoming once finalized in the upcoming weeks. Details will be posted on the college’s main website at nwc.edu/ bas. For more information about the program, contact program director and criminal justice assistant professor Dave Patterson at Dave.Patterson@nwc.edu or 307-754-6328.

This story was published on March 9, 2023.