A degree in criminal justice offers a wide range of outstanding professional opportunities and is one of the nation's fastest-growing academic disciplines. The criminal justice program fosters the necessary skills for careers in the field including critical thinking skills, ethical decision-making, communication skills, quantitative reasoning, an understanding of diversity and technology and computing skills. With over 30 years of experience, Salem State University's criminal justice program is well qualified to provide students with the necessary skills for a successful career in this field, advancing the career of current professionals and for entry into graduate school. Our faculty are practitioners in residence who share real-world experience with students. They provide a challenging and intellectually stimulating classroom environment combined with real world experience in the field through supervised internships and service learning options. The criminal justice department also offers an accelerated 4 Plus 1 program that allows eligible students to earn both a bachelor of science degree and a master of science degree in only five years instead of the traditional six years. The program allows students to count four graduate courses toward their undergraduate degree. This innovative program saves students time and money.