Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Hi. Congratulations on your acceptance to FDU. I'm Dr. Elizabeth Panuccio, Deputy Chair of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. I'm really excited to share with you what our department has to offer. One of the things I value most is that we operate on two New Jersey campuses, each with their own distinct culture. We also have a diverse student population, and there's truly a place for every student in our department. The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice is housed within the Becton College of Arts and Sciences. Our Cachelor's degree in criminology is offered on the Florham campus and our Bachelor's degree and Master's degree in criminal justice is offered on our Metropolitan campus. On both campuses, students who meet the minimum GPA requirement are eligible to apply for our combined BA/MA degree program, which allows students to start taking courses towards a Master's degree during their senior year.

On both campuses, we have an accomplished faculty with diverse backgrounds and experiences in the criminal justice system. Through our full time faculty and our excellent adjuncts, students have access to an extensive professional network, and also have access to unique research opportunities. Our department is student-centered. We keep our class sizes small and we provide personalized mentoring and advising. During freshman year every student is assigned to an advisor. Our student-centered environment allows us to get to know our students on a first name basis, and allows us to establish close working relationships. Our student centered-environment also allows our students to establish close relationships with their peers.

Our curriculum emphasizes both theory and practical knowledge to provide our students with a strong foundation for graduate studies and for careers in the field. In addition to our core curriculum, we offer many exciting electives to enhance the student learning experience. Examples of popular electives include Analysis of Serial Killers, Wrongful Convictions, Domestic Violence, and Forensics, just to name a few. We offer flexible learning modalities with courses that are fully online, in person, and hybrid. We offer courses during the fall, winter, spring, and summer.

We have a great internship program that provides students with the opportunity to intern at prestigious organizations, including local and federal law enforcement agencies, correctional facilities, in the court system, in law offices, and with re-entry organizations and social services. On both campuses, we have a National Honor Society for students who meet the minimum GPA requirement. Students who belong to the National Honor Society have access to exclusive networking events and service opportunities. We also have a very active Criminal Justice Club, which is open to students of all majors. The Criminal Justice Club brings in guest speakers and sponsors many exciting events throughout the year.

We invite you to take a tour of our campus or to sit in on one of our classes and experience what we have to offer. If you have any questions related to the university or questions about admissions, please contact our admissions office. If you would like to learn more about our criminology or criminal justice programs, please contact me via email or phone. We're always happy to speak with students on the phone through email or on Zoom.