The criminal justice practitioner deals with the broad areas of law enforcement, courts, corrections, and social services. Professional positions may include federal law enforcement, municipal law enforcement, juvenile and adult probation, counseling and correctional work in institutions, victim advocacy programs, and halfway houses. Within these broad areas the practitioner enjoys exciting professional challenges and opportunities for serving society and helping people.

Examples of agencies that have employed NDSU graduates include: the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, local police departments, sheriff's departments, Border Patrol, juvenile courts, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, US Secret Service, probation and parole departments, juvenile and adult correctional instructions, halfway houses, and crime and delinquency prevention programs.