Revamped & Refocused: Broadening the scope of a criminal justice program

Finlandia Fridays kicks off 2023 in two-part criminal justice series with Dr. Richard Gee

Graduates of the Finlandia University Criminal Justice program are sprinkled throughout all layers of the criminal justice system, pursuing careers in safety and security, social work, law, federal service and the police force.

Ahead of next week’s video release of FinnU’s 2022 Comparative Criminal Justice course trip to Europe, in this episode, Dr. Richard Gee sits down with Finlandia Fridays podcast for part one of an exciting two-part series.

Gee, an associate professor of criminal justice, joined Finlandia in 2012 to revamp the criminal justice curriculum and refocus it on the liberal arts. Because many criminal justice majors pursue careers outside of being police or corrections officers, the broadened program now features classes in sociology, psychology, philosophy, ethics, and even the option for students to self-study topics not offered as formal courses.

This week, Finlandia Fridays host Jordan Shawhan investigates the program and explores Gee’s inspiration. Recipient of the 2022 Board of Trustees Distinguished Faculty Award, Gee discusses what the Finlandia Criminal Justice program offers, the benefits of a liberal arts education and the vast range of career options available to criminal justice graduates.

Timestamps:

1:00: What inspired you to become a criminal justice professor? How did you arrive at Finlandia?
3:39: Revamped & Refocused: Tell us about the criminal justice program
5:54: What sets the program apart from others?
8:44: Highlighting career paths and opportunities for criminal justice majors
9:57: Career readiness and preparation: The senior capstone project that helps land jobs

Listen to this episode now on Spotify!

Don’t miss next week’s episode when we talk about highlights of the Comparative Criminal Justice course trip to Europe! To learn more about the criminal justice program at Finlandia, visit finlandia.edu/criminaljustice.