A bachelor's in criminal justice can lead to careers in law enforcement, social work, or legal studies. This degree exceeds the minimum education requirement for some protective services positions and qualifies graduates for advanced positions in federal law enforcement and corrections. Many students build experience to become private detectives or criminal investigators.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 5% growth rate from 2019-2029 for police and detectives. The field is competitive, but candidates can increase job prospects with education and field experience. The top criminal justice degree programs prepare enrollees for job training programs through policy and ethics coursework.
This guide explores some of the nation's best online criminal justice programs.
Top 10 Criminal Justice Degree Programs Online
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Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.
What Is Criminal Justice?
Criminal justice uses a multifaceted approach of processing criminals and delivering justice. American criminal justice comprises multiple agencies and institutions under the federal government, including local and state levels. Responsibilities of the U.S. criminal justice system include crime prevention, effective incarceration, and offender rehabilitation.
Critical elements of the criminal justice system include law enforcement, lawyers, courts, and incarceration facilities. These institutions require qualified criminal justice professionals with field-specific communication skills, empathy, and sound judgment.
Students can tailor the bachelor's in criminal justice to their career goals. Many schools offer generalist criminal justice degrees or concentrations geared specifically toward aspiring law enforcement officers, criminal investigators, or correctional specialists. Aspiring paralegals and social workers can also pursue bachelor's in criminal justice degrees toward niche professions of their choice.
Earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice online enables enrollees to complete internships or continue working while satisfying core requirements. Especially in fields like federal law enforcement and private investigation, which value extensive experience, distance programs can provide an affordable, accelerated path to graduation.
Why Get an Online Criminal Justice Bachelor's?
The best bachelor's in criminal justice programs provide a pathway to careers in law enforcement, social work, or legal studies. A bachelor's in criminal justice can provide substantial benefits, including:
Variety A bachelor's in criminal justice meets the minimum education requirement for jobs in areas of law enforcement, including probation officer, private detective, or federal agent. Other options span the fields of law and social work, including occupations like paralegal or arbitrator, respectively.
Healthcare and RetirementCriminal justice jobs offer annual salaries exceeding $40,000 and generous health insurance and retirement benefits. Many law enforcement positions guarantee a pension after just 20 years of full-time service in the field.
Steady Growth BLS projections indicate a 3% increase in protective service occupations from 2019-2029. Within this sector, some jobs exceed this projected growth rate. For example, police and detectives receive a 5% projected employment growth rate, while the BLS projects employment for private detectives and investigators to increase by 8% from 2019-2029.
The Top 15 Online Bachelor's in Criminal Justice Programs
To identify the best online bachelor's in criminal justice programs for 2021, we considered affordability, accessibility, graduation and retention rates, and several other factors. Visit the link below to learn more about our ranking methodology.
What To Expect From a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice Program
The requirements of a bachelor's in criminal justice vary by school and type. Schools most commonly offer a bachelor of science (BS), or more specifically, a BS in criminal justice (BSCJ). Though rare, some institutions feature bachelor of arts (BA), bachelor of applied arts (BAA), and bachelor of applied sciences (BAS) options.
Most online bachelor's degrees in criminal justice require 120 semester credits. Many programs include optional practicums or internships. Common concentrations include:
Police management
Criminology
Corrections
Family violence
Juvenile justice
Law
Investigations
Security management
While most bachelor's-level programs take four years to complete, many online bachelor's in criminal justice degrees offer accelerated paths to graduation. Applicants commonly possess work or military experience, which may satisfy transfer requirements.
Distance degrees may deliver courses synchronously, with appointed class times, or asynchronously, through pre-recorded material. Some programs combine online and in-person learning through hybrid coursework.
Admission Requirements
While admission requirements vary, most bachelor's degrees in criminal justice share some common criteria. For example, most bachelor's in criminal justice require applicants to submit official academic transcripts and ACT or SAT scores. Schools may require applicants with some college experience from associate degrees or undergraduate certificates.
Schools also routinely include a FAFSA requirement for undergraduate admission. Some programs require personal statements, resumes, and letters of recommendation. Most criminal justice programs do not require a criminal background check for admission, though aspiring law enforcement officers should expect to undergo this process to begin their careers.
Most schools now prefer online applications to traditional mail. Students increasingly use Common App to apply online. This service allows schools to manage large volumes of student applications, while candidates can conveniently enter application information for multiple schools at once.
Comparing Degree Types
Schools most commonly offer BSCJ degrees, though some feature BA, BAA, and BAS formats. The BSCJ outlines a broad core and elective curriculum, while the BA, BAA, and BAS emphasize practical career skills for entry-level employment. The bachelor's in criminal justice meets the preferred education requirement for many advanced law enforcement positions, especially through the federal government.
The top criminal justice degree programs offer diverse concentrations. Popular options include police management, criminology, and corrections. Learners can choose from broad specializations, like law, or more acute areas, such as juvenile justice or domestic violence. Regardless of concentration, core coursework explores victimology, criminology, and the courts and correctional systems in the United States.
Employers place a premium on job experience, especially within federal agencies like the FBI. Aspiring police officers typically must complete police academy training programs in addition to their degrees. All bachelor's in criminal justice prepare students for specialized job training after graduation.
Popular Criminal Justice Courses
A bachelor's in criminal justice typically requires core, concentration, and elective coursework. Many offer optional practicums or internship experiences. At the bachelor's level, the curriculum explores criminal justice theory, practice, and policy. Students also develop field-specific communication, critical thinking, and cultural awareness skills. Common courses include:
Introduction to Criminal Justice
This comprehensive course introduces degree-seekers to the multifaceted field of criminal justice. Topics emphasize the overlapping of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and correctional systems. Enrollees also explore the differences between sworn and civilian occupations.
The U.S. Correctional System
This course examines the broad and acute functions of the national correctional system in the U.S., including incarceration, punishment, and sentencing protocols. Many programs emphasize public policy and allied professions. Learners often take this class concurrently with a course in the U.S. judicial system.
Victimology
Commonly included among the core courses in a bachelor's in criminal justice, this class explores the criminal justice system from a victim's perspective to develop stronger empathy skills. Topics include risk factors, victim statistics, and crime prevention techniques.
Criminology
This course approaches the criminal justice system from the criminal mind. Topics include psychology, sociology, and criminal behavior. Many programs require core coursework in criminology, while others offer criminology as an in-depth concentration of criminal justice.
Internship
Many bachelor's degrees in criminal justice offer optional internships as elective courses. Learners can pursue internship placement within local police departments, law firms, or social services providers. At the bachelor's level, internships involve more technical, less practical experience than in a master's degree.
How Much Will a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice Cost?
The overall cost of a bachelor's in criminal justice depends on several key components. For example, many schools set their tuition rates based on whether in-state or out-of-state residency. Additionally, a school's location and public vs. private status may affect its rates. Distance education programs often charge in-state rates, regardless of location.
Even with set or in-state tuition rates, most college students need financial aid to earn their degrees. Most schools require undergraduate applicants to complete FAFSA forms to determine their financial aid eligibility. Candidates may qualify for federal or institutional scholarships and grants, employer reimbursement programs, and loans to supplement the cost of bachelor's in criminal justice degrees.
Applicants should pursue scholarship and grant awards first, which do not require repayment. After exhausting these options, they can apply for loans, which they must repay.
Jobs for Bachelor's in Criminal Justice Graduates
The BLS projects a 3% increase in employment for protective service occupations from 2019-2029. Beyond protective service occupations like police and detectives, the criminal justice field includes jobs like probation officer, correctional treatment specialist, and paralegal.
Common roles that require or prefer candidates to possess bachelor's degrees include:
Choosing the Right Criminal Justice Program
Our rankings offer a sensible starting point in the search for the best bachelor of science in criminal justice. However, other criteria can affect the quality of a bachelor's in criminal justice, especially accreditation. Schools may achieve national or regional accreditation through an agency approved by the Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Since even the top criminal justice degree programs do not include separate programmatic accreditation, students may prefer schools with regional institutional accreditation, which requires a more rigorous process.
Aspiring criminal justice majors should consider:
Location Aspiring criminal justice professionals often consider the location of a school and its potential to support local job opportunities after graduation.
Program Culture/Composition Learners may prefer traditional BS programs in criminal justice or seek career-oriented BAA or BAS criminal justice degrees.
Cost/Financial Aid Some candidates choose online bachelor's in criminal justice degrees for their set or in-state tuition rates for online learning.
Transfer Admissions Many applicants possess academic or military experience and can transfer the maximum credits allowed toward a bachelor's in criminal justice.
Concentrations/Specializations Candidates should explore each prospective program's concentration options to ensure that they align with their career goals.
Job Opportunities The best online criminal justice programs prepare students for on-the-job training, including police academy programs and federal special agencies.
Why You Should Get Your Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice Online
Bachelor's degrees in criminal justice translate well to the online education experience. While many schools still offer in-person programs, distance degrees continue to grow in popularity. The best online criminal justice programs offer optional internships and benefits, including accelerated schedules, flexible enrollment, and in-state tuition rates. Online enrollees can continue to maintain employment while pursuing their degrees, also avoiding additional housing, commuting, and campus facilities costs.
Online bachelor's degrees in criminal justice develop soft skills in communication, perceptiveness, time management, and sound judgment. Additionally, online programs familiarize students with the latest criminal justice technology, especially in law enforcement and private investigation.
