Practicum

West Chester University's Department of Criminal Justice offers its students an opportunity that is unique among undergraduate programs. Our students are required to work full-time over one summer in an approved criminal justice agency. Criminal justice is an applied discipline making the advantages of such a program numerous. Students

  • gain valuable full-time work experience in the field of criminal justice
  • work at the federal, state, or local government level or at private agencies
  • apply knowledge gained in the classroom in a real-world setting
  • learn practical skills to prepare for a career in the profession
  • develop relationships and connections with professionals working in the field
  • receive job offers and/or earn recommendations from agency supervisors and colleagues
  • learn about job openings at agencies before they are announced to the general public
  • earn twelve academic credits toward graduation

The 12-credit Practicum (CRJ 490) is required for graduation. To be eligible, you must be a Criminal Justice Major or Minor, at least 18 years of age, and have a GPA at West Chester University of at least 2.0. In addition, you must have earned a grade of C or better or an S in WRT 200 (or above), CRJ 110, CRJ 210, CRJ 300, and CRJ 387. If you are enrolled in any of these courses in the spring semester, your final eligibility for Practicum will be determined after grades are recorded for the semester.

We currently maintain a database of over 600 local, state, federal, and private organizations where are students are gladly accepted for summer practicum. Access the Criminal Justice Practicum database here (username and password required).

  • West Goshen PD
     
  • Longwood Gardens
     
  • CID 2019
     
  • Delaware County Adult Probation 2019
     

What do students think of the practicum experience?

"This was an extraordinary experience and a wonderful grand finale to my undergraduate education. It offers a real insiders view of the system."

"This has been the best class/experience of my whole college career. It is why I chose WCU over other schools."

"I chose West Chester's Department of Criminal Justice specifically because of its practicum program, and I'm so glad I did.  I would recommend this experience to every student."

What do practicum agency supervisors think of the practicum program and WCU students?

"Your students are very well-prepared for this work.  They had an excellent sense of the issues related to our agency, and a mature and respectful attitude. I was impressed by how engaged and motivated these students were."

"The practicum program at the Department of Criminal Justice is a win-win as far as we are concerned.  The student has the opportunity to gain real-world experience, and the agency has the advantage of assistance from well-educated and enthusiastic students."