LATROBE, PA — Saint Vincent College’s Master’s of Science program in Criminology has been rated among the top 10 programs in the country. Saint Vincent ranks No. 10 nationally and No. 4 in the Mid-Atlantic region, according to College Factual, a website dedicated to helping students find their best fit for education at the best cost.
“This ranking is another indicator or the strengths of our graduate programs,” said Dr. Michael Urick, deal of the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government. “Under the direction of Dr. Kayla Jachimowski, the M.S. in Criminology has thrived and provided a great value for our students, who are able to easily translate their master’s degree into a successful career in the criminology, legal, or enforcement fields.”
To compile its rankings, College Factual examined the programs at 40 schools and considered rate of degree completion, accreditation, educational resources, student body caliber, and post-graduation earnings for the college as a whole. College Factual’s national top three M.S. in Criminology programs this year are the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California-Irvine, and the University of Maryland.
Saint Vincent’s program, which began in 2017, also is ranked No. 5 nationally by Course Advisor, No. 6 by Police Schools, and No. 16 by College Raptor. Graduates of Saint Vincent’s program have gained admission to esteemed law schools, notably George Mason University, Penn State Dickinson Law, the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University.
“Our program’s comprehensive curriculum focuses on ethical decision making, research methods, policy analysis, advanced criminological theory, legal issues, statistics, and professional seminars,” Jachimowski said. “With small class sizes and in-person pedagogy, our professors are engaged inside and outside the classroom. Our faculty goes above and beyond to mentor and guide students toward their ideal version of success.”
Among the primary instructors for core classes is Dr. Eric Kocian, associate professor of Criminology and chair of the Criminology, Law and Society Department. Kocian’s work on addiction and recovery has been presented to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Secret Service, and the United States Attorney’s Office. In May 2023, he addressed members of the Commonwealth Prevention Alliance as a guest speaker at the Pennsylvania Prevention Awards.
“We are exceptionally proud of our master’s program,” Kocian said. “We have always measured success in terms of our students achieving their goals and securing careers wherever they aspire to serve the cause for justice. Seeing our students pursuing educational opportunities at Ph.D. programs and law schools rated in the top 10 nationally; securing positions in federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI, ATF, and Border Patrol; and filling the ranks of state and local police departments throughout the nation inspires us to continue to support them however we can while recruiting quality, determined men and women to earn the degree and join them in the good fight.”
Prospective students with questions about Saint Vincent College's M.S. in Criminology program can contact kayla.jachimowski@stvincent.edu.
PHOTO: Dr. Eric Kocian, associate professor of criminology, delivers a lecture.