Many times, when you ask people in Texas - especially East Texas - which college or university has the best criminal justice program, you'll get an answer of Sam Houston State University. And logically, that makes sense, considering that the state prison is located in Huntsville, along with SHSU.

But, according to one source, SFA actually has a better criminal justice program. They have SFA ranked as #2 out of 40 for the best criminal justice programs in the nation.

University HQ has Stephen F. Austin State University ranked at #2, behind CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice. They mention in their ranking that students can choose between a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, or a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. They also have the option of a 5-year plan that also allows them to receive a Master's of Public Administration degree, along with their undergraduate degree.

The next closest school to SFA for their criminal justice program was University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, which came in at #6 on the University HQ rankings. That's pretty awesome stuff. And, I'd think that, even if I wasn't an SFA Alum.

So, next time your Sam Houston fans start bragging about their criminal justice program, you can pull up the University HQ website and show them how high SFA ranks. You could even go so far as to say, "I didn't see SHSU on the list..."

To see the full report from the University HQ website, click here.

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