Internships & Careers

As Suffolk University students, sociology and criminal justice majors enjoy internships and other experiential learning opportunities throughout the academic year. This experience paves their way to professional success once they graduate.

Internships and Research

Both academic and non-credit internships are available. Typically, our students intern at state and local agencies, courthouses, law firms, police departments, human service agencies, and nonprofits. The Sociology and Criminal Justice Department and the Career Development Center can help you find an internship.

Junior and senior sociology and criminal justice majors are encouraged to take advantage of the professional internship courses, which allow them to apply what they have learned in the classroom to a field setting. The courses require a minimum eight-hour day of work each week and includes hands-on work experience, classroom discussions, journaling assignments, instruction on job search and graduate school, and a final research paper. Students choose locations in line with their personal career goals and recent placements have included Boston Municipal Court, Suffolk Superior Court, Department of Youth Services, Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, One Family, Inc., Middlesex Juvenile Court, Massachusetts State Police, and area law firms.

The department is also home to the Center for Women’s Health and Human Rights which conducts important research, influences the curriculum, and provides opportunities for students to work and assist faculty with research.

For more information, visit the Career Development Center.

Careers

Criminal Justice

A major in sociology and/or criminal justice is excellent preparation for “helping” careers in human services, government, law enforcement, and the nonprofit sector. The major also provides excellent preparation for graduate study in social work, law, criminology, and more.

Recent graduates are working at:

  • BrightStar Care
  • North American Family Institute
  • Brigham & Women’s Faulkner Hospital
  • City of Boston
  • Attorney General of Massachusetts
  • Massachusetts Department of Public Health
  • MassHousing
  • Boston Police Department
  • State Street Corporation
  • SecurAmerica

Others are pursuing advanced degrees at Lewis & Clark Law School, Boston University, and Suffolk Law School.

Education

We prepare students for careers in diverse areas of higher education, such as:

  • Athletic administration
  • Academic advising
  • Admissions
  • Alumni relations, institutional advancement, and development
  • Career planning and placement
  • Financial aid, student accounts, and student records
  • First-year experience
  • Residence life
  • Student affairs
  • Student activities, orientation, and leadership

Our program also provides a solid foundation for students who wish to pursue doctoral studies.