Best colleges in VA for a degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice

Hi, I'm starting to look at colleges for next year and have a pretty specific plan in mind. I want to major in psychology with a focus on criminal justice and would like to stay in Virginia. Does anyone have any suggestions or experiences at certain Virginia-based colleges? Thanks for any help!

Sure thing! Virginia has several excellent institutions where you could potentially pursue your interests in psychology and criminal justice. Here's a few you might want to consider:

1. University of Virginia (UVA): UVA has a strong psychology program and offers a concentration in Clinical Psychology, which could give you an in-depth understanding of human behavior—fundamental for a career in criminal justice. While the university doesn’t offer a direct undergraduate in Criminal Justice, the Sociology department provides Criminology courses that you can chose as electives.

2. George Mason University: Mason has robust programs in both Psychology and Criminology, Law and Society. Rather than combining the two into one major, you might consider pursuing one as a major and the other as a minor.

3. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU): At VCU, you can major in Psychology and take electives in criminal justice through their Criminal Justice program. This way you can focus on both areas of interest.

4. James Madison University: JMU offers a Psychology major with an optional concentration in Behavioral Analysis. Additionally, they also offer a Justice Studies major, where you can choose to focus on Social Justice, or Crime and Criminology.

Remember what's important is that the college aligns with your career goals and provides the resources, opportunities, and courses that will allow you to explore and deepen your interests. If possible, consider reaching out to current students or faculty at these schools to gain further insight. Good luck with your search!