The Justice Department's dominant emphasis has been upon instruction and the Department has a long history of providing one of UAF's most popular undergraduate degree programs with its Bachelor of Arts in Justice. The faculty's blending of theory with practice provides undergraduate students with an academically challenging curriculum that prepares them for the Justice professions. The Department maintains strong relationships with Justice agencies, and consequently, has unique internship opportunities for Justice majors.

In the fall of 2001, the Department added a Master of Arts in Justice Administration, UAF's first on-line degree program. The program has been developed with the Justice professional in mind, and greater than 90% of the students enrolled in the graduate program are full time employees in the Justice professions.

The program's list of graduates includes employees from all sectors of Justice employment and from all over the nation. The curriculum was designed with input from Justice professionals for supervisory and management positions. While the program is small in size, Justice professionals will find that the program's narrow emphasis on preparing students for supervisory and management positions may provide a more practical knowledge base than many of the other larger, nationally known programs that emphasize preparing masters students for Ph.D.s in Justice.

The Department utilizes interdisciplinary approach to Justice research and instruction. It prides itself in having a tight-knit working group of faculty and staff. The Department is known for being "student friendly."