John Brown University accepting students for new bachelor’s degree

Siloam Springs-based John Brown University recently announced it has developed an undergraduate criminal justice program that will begin this fall.

The private, Christian university has started to enroll students for the Bachelor of Science in criminal justice that will provide students with an academic and experiential program in the fields that comprise the discipline of criminal justice. It will prepare students to work in local, state or federal law enforcement, public safety and law, including administrative positions in those fields. The major was structured to allow student access to experts in criminal justice and the related fields of political science and psychology.

The new program has been in the works since August 2019, said Julie Gumm, director of university marketing and communications.

“In recent years, criminal justice has become one of the most sought-after courses of study in the nation,” said Daniel Bennett, associate professor of political science. “We’re excited to leverage the expertise of our faculty with the resources of an innovative partner institution to train and equip future leaders in this field. JBU’s criminal justice graduates will stand out not only for their professional preparation but also for their integrity and character.”

The new degree program will be a partnership between JBU and Bluefield College in Bluefield, Va. JBU students will take 12 of the required 42 credit hours of criminal justice courses through Bluefield’s online classes.

“Partnering with a [Council for Christian Colleges & Universities] sister institution like Bluefield College provides JBU students with our holistic residential experience combined with even broader content knowledge in criminal justice,” said Ed Ericson, JBU vice president of academic affairs. “This partnership will provide our students with new opportunities that we are tremendously excited about.”

Five JBU faculty, including Bennett, and two or three Bluefield faculty will teach courses in the criminal justice program, Gumm said. Student capacity has yet to be determined, but if the courses fill up, more classes could be added.