- Online degrees in criminal justice are offered at every level: associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate.
- Criminal justice degrees can lead to careers in law enforcement, corrections, and the court system.
- A college degree is not necessary to join law enforcement, but can help with promotions and opportunities.
Associate’s Degrees | Bachelor’s Degrees | Master’s Degrees | Doctoral Degrees
Each level requires the completion of more advanced coursework, which also prepares each graduate for the many available vocational pursuits for those who have earned one of the many types of degrees in criminal justice.
Recommended Online Criminal Justice Degrees
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Associate’s in Criminal Justice Degrees
An online associate’s degree in criminal justice typically requires the completion of 60 credit units over two years; however, some schools offer accelerated programs to motivated students, which allow students to complete their degree in as little as 18 months. In addition, some programs may offer credit to applicants for relevant professional experience.
Recommended Associate’s Degree Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Degrees
Any accredited criminal justice degree program requires students to complete the core competencies that are mandated to reach professional success. Most online bachelor’s degree programs require the completion of 120 semester credits in four years.
Online bachelor’s in criminal justice programs include the school’s undergraduate core classes plus coursework related specifically to the online criminal justice program you select.
Classes typically include (among others):
- Judicial Administration
- Criminology
- Community-based services
- Incarceration theories and solutions
- Legal traditions
Students may also be given the opportunity to select from a number of concentrations in criminal justice, like homeland security or legal studies.
Recommended Bachelor’s Degree Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Master’s in Criminal Justice Degrees
The majority of online criminal justice master’s programs require between 30 and 40 credits and, on average, take 18 to 24 months to complete.
Accredite online master’s in criminal justice degree programs typically require students to either complete an internship, practicum, capstone project or related thesis.
Criminal Justice master’s students can explore managerial topics and techniques that include decision making and strategizing using data analytics and other management principles applicable to the criminal justice system. Graduates are prepared to take on leadership roles in the workforce.
Recommended Online Master’s Degree Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Doctorate in Criminal Justice Degrees
There are two primary types of online doctorates in criminal justice. The PhD in criminal justice focuses mostly on teaching, research, and the publishing of research, while more professional-oriented doctorates in criminal justice emphasizes managerial training as it serves to prepare graduates to be the next generation of leaders.
Most online doctorate in criminal justice programs mandate the completion of 50 to 75 semester credits and take about five years to complete, although some programs allow motivated students to complete their degrees sooner.
Students are generally required to complete doctoral-level classes over the first two years of their program. The remaining years are spent engaging in practical training and/or research as they prepare their doctoral thesis.
Recommended Online Doctoral Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Jobs With A Degree In Criminal Justice
Criminal justice jobs fall into these broad categories – law enforcement, the legal system, and corrections. Although it depends upon the exact criminal justice professionals position, many rewarding criminal justice careers require the completion of more specialized training or credential work. Here is a sample list of some of the more popular jobs after completing a criminal justice program.
- A homicide detective is a police professional who is responsible for investigating events and crimes that lead to the loss of life. Detectives interview suspects and witnesses and collect evidence from crime scenes.
- A forensic psychologist approaches the criminal justice system from a psychological angle that allows them to evaluate criminals, perform psychological research, assess in jury selection, and determine the competency of suspects to participate in their own defense.
- A criminalist facilitates the law enforcement process by reconstructing crime scenes and analyzing collected samples.
- An FBI agent works for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, working crime scenes and events, including evidence collection and witness/suspect interviewing.
- A prison warden is one of the senior managerial members who manage prisons and correctional institutes’ operations. Much of their responsibilities include the managerial functions of budgets, policies, and scheduling, to name a few.
In addition, additional jobs with a degree in criminal justice include becoming a sheriff, game warden, juvenile officer, law enforcement officers, DEA agent, postal inspector, park ranger, or correction officer, homeland security, among others.
Criminal Justice Professionals Accreditation
If you are considering enrolling in a college-level academic program, the concept of accreditation is extremely critical to your decision. In the United States, there are two fundamental levels of accreditation, regional and specialized. The USDE – the U.S. Dept. of Education operates regional agencies to offer regional accreditation.
Most accredited criminal justice degree online programs will have received specialized accreditation through the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS).
It is important to determine if the academic program you choose has received either –
- An accredited online criminal justice associates degree program
- An accredited online criminal justice baccalaureate degree program
- Accredited online criminal justice associates degree programs in criminal justice, among others
The importance of the process of accreditation is vital as it impacts essential issues like a student’s ability to transfer credits earned from an accredited criminal justice degree online program.
Certifications and Licensure
As one’s career advances, most in the criminal justice field agree that it is beneficial to earn additional certifications to augment their academic and professional training. There a variety of criminal justice certificates online that can help underscore one’s abilities as a criminal justice professional. Choosing to complete a certificate in criminal justice online or on-campus provides a competitive edge because holding an online criminal justice certificate might be the leverage one needs when applying for a criminal justice position.
Online criminal justice certificates and credentials are offered by many smaller schools and well-known universities. Those who take the time to earn a criminal justice certificate online or on-campus show great motivation and versatility – qualities every employer looks for in a new employee.
Examples of On-Campus and Online Criminal Justice Certificates
The Crime Scene Technician Certification – these criminal justice certificates online prepare students for working a crime scene appropriately.
The Certified Criminal Justice Professional (CCJP) Certification – this certificate in criminal justice online requires the completion of 270 hours of coursework to prepare those credentialed to work with drug offenders.
The Professional Peace Officer Certification (POST) – this type of criminal justice online certificate is a good fit for those students who wish to eventually work in state or local law enforcement. It is noted that the requirements for this criminal justice certificate online varies by state.
The Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) Certification – this criminal justice credential is generally pursued by those who wish to become paralegals.
Scholarships
Earning a degree in criminal justice can lead to a rewarding and lucrative career in the fields of law, public safety, or law enforcement, among others. Like most students, the field of criminal justice offers a variety of scholarships for criminal justice majors. Scholarships for criminal justice students are offered by schools, professional organizations, and industry icons, to name a few. There are college scholarships for criminal justice degree candidates to serve a variety of needs like –
- Criminal justice scholarships for minorities
- Scholarships for women in criminal justice
- Criminal justice scholarships for women of Latin heritage
- Scholarships for criminal justice majors with a Native American heritage
Here are a few examples of scholarships for criminal justice majors offered by industry-related associations –
The National Technical Investigator’s Association (NATIA)
This organization is a nonprofit group that offers scholarships to two students each year. Students enrolled in accredited law enforcement programs are eligible for the NATIA scholarship; however, applicants are required to be high school seniors at the time of application.
The American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA)
This organization offers yearly scholarships for those students who wish to earn Criminal Justice degrees at either the Bachelors’s, Master’s, or Doctoral levels. Students who are active members of the American Criminal Justice Association are provided priority considerations when applying for available scholarship awards. Scholarships are awarded to those candidates who can demonstrate both faculty recommendations and a strong, ongoing academic performance.
