Each student is assigned a faculty advisor upon admission into the Criminal Justice
program. Advisors help students with academic planning and some aspects of career
planning on an informal, individualized basis. It is the student's responsibility
to arrange for conferences with their advisors, and to follow University and Department
procedures and policies. You can determine who your advisor is by logging onto RamPortal
and reviewing your advisor's information.
You should meet with your advisor at least two weeks before scheduling for the upcoming
semesters and when you have any concerns about your educational career. While meeting
with an advisor is not required prior to scheduling, it will help you keep on track
and ensure that you take the correct courses at the right time to prepare for Practicum
and graduation. You may meet your advisor during his or her office hours. Some professors
require that you make an appointment with them prior to the meeting. You should come
to advisement prepared by visiting the Department of Criminal Justice office and obtaining
your program record before you see your advisor. Your advisor needs your official
record to properly advise you and track your progress through the program.
All faculty members are required to hold office hours. The number of office hours
depends on the number of courses they teach. Most faculty members will list their
office hours on the class syllabus, others will additionally post office hours on
the classroom Internet site (D2L). Office hours are posted outside the door of each
professor's door.
The field of criminal justice is multidisciplinary. Professionals work as law enforcement
officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, probation/parole officers, counselors,
managers, administrators, researchers, planners, corrections officers and more. In
each case, the quality of our work affects the lives of many individuals, and impacts
societal mores and the effectiveness of the justice system. Accordingly, criminal
justice professionals must have the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Therefore,
each student entering the major must sign on to a Department Code of Conduct. It is
a statement of philosophy which reflects the standards to which all criminal justice
professionals should enthusiastically adhere.
Code of Conduct
Students must apply for graduation the semester before they are eligible to graduate.
To determine your graduate application timeline,
visit the registrar's office. Once you establish your application timetable, you may apply through MyWCU.
