Criminal Justice & Political Science
Justice is a biblical principle, and pursuing it faithfully takes conviction and wisdom. Jessup's Criminal Justice and Political Science programs prepare you to study law, government and public service with a Christian understanding of righteousness and mercy. You'll explore hard questions about power and fairness. You'll learn that precincts and courtrooms can also be mission fields.
A CALLING TO DEFEND WHAT’S RIGHT
A criminal justice degree in California prepares students for careers across law enforcement, the courts and public service.
Jessup's Criminal Justice and Political Science programs sit inside the Institute for Public Policy, taught in Rocklin and online by faculty who work in the fields they teach, with concentrations that let students combine both disciplines.
FALL PREVIEW DAY
Friday, October 16, 2026 · 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. · Rocklin, CA. Experience Jessup for a day and receive a $500 scholarship when you register and visit.
Why Jessup
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Faith First
Since 1939, faith and learning haven't lived in separate rooms here. They're woven together in the classroom, in chapel, and in the way our faculty teach. You won't have to choose between growing your mind and deepening your faith. Here, they grow together.
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Affordable Excellence
We're the most affordable private Christian university in Northern California, and we don't make you guess what it'll cost. Nearly every student receives aid, and we get you clear numbers early so you can plan with confidence. Exceptional education is within reach.
Safe All Around
Safety here means more than a secure campus in one of California's safest cities. It's a place that's safe spiritually, safe emotionally, and safe to take the risks that help you grow. This is somewhere you can stretch, stumble, and become who God made you to be.
Community
Small classes mean you're known by name, not lost in a lecture hall. Faculty who mentor, friends who show up, a campus where people actually see you. You'll find your people here, and they'll walk with you.
Regional Proximity
More than 60% of our students come from within a hundred miles, so you're close enough to home without being right on top of it. You'll be rooted in a NorCal network of churches, employers, and internship connections across the Sacramento corridor. Familiar ground, with room to grow.
Mentorship
From day one you'll have advisors, internships, and a clear path toward a career that matters. We focus on high-impact fields like health sciences, business, psychology, leadership, and aviation, and every student is grounded in Bible and theology. We don't just hand you a degree. We help you find your calling and walk with you toward it.
On campus or online, the same Jessup
Choose the format that fits your life. Every program is built on the same Christ-centered foundation, whether you study in Rocklin or fully online.
What to Expect
On Campus
Online
MEET YOUR FACULTY
Learn from faculty who have served in law enforcement and public office and bring that practice into every course.
Pete Constant
Program Director, Criminal Justice and Political Science, Associate Professor, School of Business, Arts & Humanities
Phil Mancini
Assistant Professor, School of Business, Arts & Humanities
FAQs
Answers to what prospective criminal justice and political science students ask us most.
What criminal justice and political science programs does Jessup offer?
Two undergraduate degrees. The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice runs in Rocklin and is fully online, and the Bachelor of Arts in Political Science runs in Rocklin, with a political science minor available alongside it.
Can I earn a criminal justice degree online in California?
Yes. The online criminal justice major runs in 7-week sessions with 6 start dates per year, and the coursework matches the on-campus version exactly. Learners in Rocklin study in 15-week semesters instead, whether they study full time or keep working.
What concentrations do these programs include?
Criminal justice students choose General, Psychology or Political Science. Political science students pick one of five: General, Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Government and Politics or Pre-Law, so either degree can lean toward the other discipline.
Does the criminal justice program include an internship?
Yes. Every criminal justice student completes an internship with an agency, and Jessup students have interned with national, state and local law enforcement agencies. Political science students complete a public policy internship.
Do these degrees prepare students for law school?
The Pre-Law concentration builds on business law, criminal law, administrative law, the First Amendment plus law and social policy. Both majors develop the writing skills, research and critical thinking that the law school application process rewards.
Who teaches criminal justice and political science at Jessup?
Pete Constant directs both majors, working alongside Phil Mancini, MPA. The criminal justice program requires its instructors to be trained, active duty law enforcement personnel, so students learn current practice rather than theory alone.
What careers do graduates pursue?
Graduates move into law enforcement and its supporting branches, government offices at state and federal level, policy analysis and advocacy. Others continue to a graduate degree or practice law after completing a law degree.
What do political science majors study?
Coursework spans American government, political theory and philosophy, political economy, public administration, American foreign policy, international relations and human rights, closing with a senior seminar in leadership and service.
Can I take political science as a minor?
Yes. The 21-unit minor covers American history, American government, political theory, the political process, constitutional and civil rights, international relations plus one elective, pairing well with criminal justice or business.
How does faith shape these programs at Jessup?
Every course teaches governance and justice through Christian ethics, preparing graduates for notable servant leadership. Students learn to weigh public policy against biblical principles and to serve their community with integrity.
YOUR NEXT STEP, MADE CLEAR.
Your faith. His calling. Our community.
Faith that steadies you. A calling worth stepping into. Community that knows your name. That's Jessup: ready for the world, rooted in the word.
