The School of Criminology and Justice Studies at UMass Lowell focuses on emerging issues confronting the criminal justice system.

Students explore issues including violence and victims, justice-involved mental health populations, police innovations, data-driven practice and national security.

Graduates of our programs understand the facts and concepts of criminal justice, but, more importantly, how to apply this knowledge to related social problems and changing situations.

Learn about our faculty and what students have to say about UMass Lowell on the School of Criminology and Justice Studies YouTube Channel.

Highly Rated Programs

U.S. News & World Report badge for best online graduate criminal justice program, UMass Lowell.

Recognized as #3 Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Program

U.S. News & World Report badge for best online graduate criminal justice program for veterans, UMass Lowell.

Recognized as #2 Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Program for Veterans

Academy of Criminal Justice Science Endorsed Program gold seal
Undergraduate and master's programs endorsed by Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

Meet Our Students, Faculty and Alumni

Matthew Chigas at his internship with the Nashua (N.H.) Office of Emergency Management, training other city offices and community organizations in security and emergency response.
Matthew Chigas '17, '19
Criminal Justice, Security Studies

Internships in the Middle East and in Nashua, N.H., launched Matthew Chigas on an ambitious career path.

I try to get my hands in everything.
Read More About Matthew Chigas 
Kyleigh Clark-Moorman presents her research
Kyleigh Clark-Moorman '19
Criminology

Kyleigh Clark-Moorman is interested in how best to prepare inmates to rejoin their communities. She’s gotten a broad range of research and teaching experiences in the doctoral program in criminology.

Everyone is so welcoming, and the professors are so invested in student success. They want you to flourish and build your skills.
Read More About Kyleigh Clark-Moorman 
Matthew Levenson in London
Matthew Levenson '19
Criminal Justice

Criminal justice major Matt Levenson loves an adventure and a challenge—and he’s bent on seizing every opportunity he can while at UMass Lowell.

Whenever you’ve got an opportunity, you’ve got to take advantage of it.
Read More About Matthew Levenson 
Members of the Korean Student Association
Christina Han '21
Criminal Justice

Christina Han’s work with Multicultural Affairs, her club leadership and her studies in criminal justice converged in her honors capstone: running a “Support Space” for Asian American and Pacific Islander students during a surge in hate crimes.

I really like the small classes and how you can dive deeper into certain topics.
Read More About Christina Han 
  • Students march along a highway bridge in Nairobi, Kenya in 2024

    Professors Study Gen Z Protest Movements Across Countries

    As youth-led “Cockroach Janta Party” protests spread across India this summer, two professors in the School of Criminology and Justice Studies have been awarded a pair of university seed grants to study Gen Z protests in Kenya, India and other countries.
    Featured Story
  • A woman poses for a photo with her arms folded while standing in front of a campus building.

    Criminal Justice Professor Studies Prosecutors’ Decision-Making

    Assistant Professor Rebecca Dunlea of the School of Criminology and Justice Studies partners with prosecutors around the country on research projects. Two recently published studies looked at case outcomes that are alternatives to plea deals.
    Featured Story
  • Six people pose for a group photo while standing in front of a window in a room.

    Braven Partnership Expands Career-Prep Opportunities

    UMass Lowell is the first New England university to partner with Braven, a nonprofit whose mission is to accelerate students’ careers and prepare them for strong first postcollege jobs.
    Featured Story
  • A young man in a black hoodie and baseball cap poses for a photo outside of a record store.

    Criminal Justice Alum Takes a ‘Counter Intuitive’ Career Path

    Ten years ago, criminal justice alum Jake Sulzer ’15 took a “shot in the dark” and offered to release a local band’s album on vinyl. Now, he runs a successful independent record label, Counter Intuitive Records, and recently launched a brick-and-mortar store in Brookline, Massachusetts.
    Featured Story