The mission of the masters of criminal justice program is to create opportunities for critical thinking for future and current practitioners and academic researchers in the field of criminal justice/criminology.  Moreover, the program encourages and creates environments conducive to learning the body of knowledge generally defined within the field of criminal justice/criminology which includes the meaning of laws, the creation of laws, the breaking of laws, social reactions to deviant and criminal behavior, and how individuals are processed over time. The liberal arts mission is at the center of the program by placing emphasis on classroom discussion and experiential learning by a diverse group of faculty and professionals in the field.  Individual relationships between faculty and students create unique opportunities through internships and independent research within the vast field of criminal justice.