Become an agent of change in your community.
See the benefits.
Criminal Justice is about community impact.
Villa Maria’s Criminal Justice program prepares you many career options in the field of criminal justice, all of which allow you build strong relationships within your community and make positive change in the world around you.
Values that Inspire
Justice & peace, respect for human dignity, solidarity, and more. Our core values are at the heart of everything we do, and they are what makes studying Criminal Justice on our tight-knit, inclusive campus a powerful experience.
If you have a strong desire to make your community better, to create a more just, more livable, and more connected community for all people, start your journey to inspire change at Villa Maria College. Not only do our Criminal Justice students do well in the classroom, they take what they learn and do good in the world.
Career Potential
Villa’s Criminal Justice program prepares you for a wide range of professional opportunities in the criminal justice field and beyond.
Some of the most popular — and prosperous — careers paths require knowledge of the criminal justice system. A degree in Criminal Justice gives you both the intellect and freedom you’ll need to succeed in a wide range of professional opportunities, including law enforcement, corrections, the courts, security, FBI/CIA, community policing, victim services, advocacy, intelligence analysis, homeland security, emergency management, and more.
See for yourself.
Agents of change belong at Villa. If you are ready to make a positive impact on your community that lasts a lifetime and beyond, start here. Your understanding of the American justice system will allow you to confidently follow your instinct, become a leader, and create the change that benefits future generations.
Community Ties
Our faculty are deeply connected at all levels of the broader criminal justice field. These existing relationships strengthen the practical, hands-on education Villa offers by bringing established experts into your classroom to share their experiences, create internship opportunities, and start your own professional network. As a criminal justice student at Villa, you will have many opportunities to connect with the community through networking, internships, service learning and more.
Our list of community partners is long, and it’s still growing. When you study Criminal Justice at Villa Maria, you’ll learn from the best. Some of our connections include:
- Animal Control
- Buffalo Police Department
- BPD Child Abuse Unit
- Crime Analysis Center
- Erie County District Attorney’s Office
- Erie County Family Juvenile Court
- Erie Family Probation Department
- Erie County Sheriff’s Office
- Emergency Communications (911 dispatch)
- Family Justice Center
- Heart Foundation
- Kenmore Police Department
- Livingston International
- Metro Data Services
- National Grid
- Niagara County Probation Department
- NYS DEC-Division of Law Enforcement
- Ontario County Sheriff’s Office
- Phelps Police Department
- Public Safety Units
- SPCA
- St. Joseph’s Hospital Security
- Town of Tonawanda Courts
Join the family.
There’s a lot of pressure to know what’s next. We’re here to say, it’s OK if you’re still figuring it out. In fact, it’s great. Villa is a place where that kind of continual discovery is prized. Because going to college isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about inventing who you’re going to become. You’ll see.
Meet Your Instructor
Kevin Clarke
Professor Clarke used his decades of experience to help create a Criminal Justice program that is practical, focuses, and engaging.
Most recently, Professor Clarke taught in the Department of Social Sciences at the former Medaille University.
Since 1996, Professor Clarke has taught at a slew of institutions, including SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Buffalo, St. Bonaventure University, SUNY Buffalo State University, St. John Fisher College, and more. He has served on a number of committees that have aided in the development of curriculum, evaluations, student welfare, technology, and more. He is a highly effective instructor who has taught more than 30 different courses. He holds a Ph.D. (ABD) in Sociology from SUNY Buffalo, a Master of Arts in Sociology from SUNY Buffalo, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from SUNY Geneseo.
