Criminal Justice Degree Online

Earn your criminal justice degree online!

Why choose an
online criminal justice degree?
Does your idea of success combine professional opportunity with the chance to make the world a better place? If you’re concerned with justice and social issues, and want to make a difference, a career in criminal justice may be your path. Mountain State University offers online criminal justice programs for maximum convenience; earn an associate or bachelor’s degree from the convenience of your home or office.

Criminal Justice is a changing and dynamic profession, its growth spurred by new technologies, increased need for law enforcement personnel, and a continuing focus on homeland security. Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking to advance in your career, or someone new to the field, an online MSU criminal justice degree offers you the opportunity to pursue any field of study relating to police, courts, corrections, or homeland security.

Regional Accreditation — The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.

Affordable Tuition — Full-time financial aid availability and reasonable costs.

Faculty — Academic credentials and real-world experience.

What can I study at MSU?
MSU offers both online associate and bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice.

The online associate criminal justice degree program prepares you to enter criminal justice agencies or can be used as the first step to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Click here for the A.S. course sequence.

MSU offers online bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with two concentrations:

Homeland Security: The focus is on combating terrorism through investigation, detection, location, and apprehension of foreign and domestic terrorists. In this concentration, you will train for law enforcement response to incidents, disasters, and crisis management.
Click here for the Homeland Security course sequence.

Corrections Management: If you see yourself as a future leader in community corrections agencies, prisons, or jails, this concentration allows you to focus on a management and interdisciplinary approach to corrections.
Click here for the Corrections Management course sequence.

Why choose MSU?
Flexible learning delivery. Classes in the criminal justice program are offered online and in-classroom. You can also receive credit for past academic courses and prior learning experience.

Gain both academic and field experience. To supplement the academic classes, MSU offers practicum opportunities which gives our students a competitive edge in a criminal justice field that requires both a college education and relevant field experience for the top jobs.

Homeland security emphasis. All of the bachelor’s degree concentrations include courses and training in homeland security, and MSU is the only university in West Virginia that offers a Criminal Justice concentration in Homeland Security.

Career Opportunities
Criminal justice graduates will qualify for jobs such as:
Local police officer,
Sheriff’s deputy,
Correctional officer,
Private security officer,
Probation/parole officer,
Federal agent positions (with bachelor’s degree), and
Homeland security specialist.

MSU’s new concentration in its online criminal justice programs reflect the need for more law enforcement professionals in all areas of local, state, and national government. The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, projects this area to grow faster than average, which means approximately a 21 to 35 percent increase in jobs between 2002 and 2012.

Since both bachelor’s degree programs feature elements of Homeland Security, graduates will be able to target more competitive areas within the federal government, such as the FBI, U.S Marshals, DEA, BATF, and U.S. Customs for career opportunities.

For more information about these exciting online programs,
please contact Jason Holliday 304.929.1704 or email

Whether students are interested in law enforcement, corrections, law, juvenile justice or private security, Mount Mercy’s criminal justice major provides a unique blend of courses taught by professors with a broad range of experiences. Students progress through a liberal arts-based criminal justice curriculum, preparing for graduate school and/or careers in criminal justice-related fields.

The Mount Marty College Criminal Justice program prepares students to become practitioners in the criminal justice field. Students learn how the criminal justice system works and gain insight into investigations, corrections, juvenile justice, chemical dependency, legal writing and research, police management, ethical responsibility, and security administration.

With its emphasis on community service, internships, and practitioner mentoring, MMC’s criminal justice program is unique, focused on applied learning and preparing students for the contemporary world of work in the criminal justice system.

Criminal Justice majors are taught to challenge assumptions and investigate issues beneath the surface. Motivation to improve the world, combined with a quality education, will lead to a career that can be deeply rewarding on many levels. Given the small size of classes, professors teach all classes, know their students, and commit to helping their students to grow personally and professionally. One of the biggest benefits at MMC is individualized attention and opportunity to work closely with faculty members both in and out of the classroom.

Criminal Justice majors work closely with programs in psychology, sociology, and the behavioral sciences. These disciplines develop insight into human behavior essential to a criminal justice professional. During the senior year, all students experience a senior seminar in criminal justice.

It is recommended that students complete an internship in the criminal justice or social science area. Through this experience, students develop an in depth knowledge of the field and beyond. Graduates receive comprehensive career training that will enable them to choose among several entry-level positions in criminal justice.

MMC offers both a bachelor’s degree and an associate’s degree in Criminal Justice.

Program Overview
The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology is intended to prepare students for entry level and certain mid-level criminal justice positions as well as for graduate or professional school. The program has a social justice focus that advances the following four core values:
a recognition of the innate worth of all human beings, including criminal offenders;
a belief in the potential for criminal offenders to be reintegrated into society;
a recognition of the responsibility of the criminal offender to make good faith efforts to change; and
a belief in society’s responsibility to assist the offender change process by providing reasonable assistance.

Entrance Requirements
Students who wish to pursue a career in criminology should be aware that to secure a position in law enforcement or to teach criminology or criminal justice at most universities and colleges the student is required to pass a background check.

In most states, specifically Pennsylvania, federal law enforcement positions require that the candidate provide reports on his/her background to law enforcement agencies in the particular state they are seeking employment. For example, in Pennsylvania these particular agencies are: the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (if working with children) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Most all state and federal positions require a report from the Federal Criminal History Record Information Department of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the candidate will also undergo future background checks by the particular agency to which he/she applied.

If your background check is unacceptable, you will be disqualified for employment in most law enforcement positions. In Pennsylvania and most states, students can seek a security background check from their state police agency.

From heightened national security to concerns about corporate accountability, our changing world has created a high demand for well-trained law enforcement professionals.

The criminal justice degree program at JWU’s Providence Campus can prepare you for a wide variety of police work at the local, national and federal levels—including careers in court administration, private investigation, airport security and social services, or as a federal agent, police officer or border patrol agent, among others.

Through the program, you will:
Learn from professionals experienced in law, criminal justice and forensic science technology
Gain experience using police and other forensic science investigation equipment in our dedicated criminal justice lab
Work with a faculty advisor and career coach to develop a plan tailored to your career goals
Acquire the communication, logic, critical thinking and ethical reasoning skills essential for the understanding of criminal justice issues and for effective career progression
Develop an appreciation for diversity, citizenship, leadership, science and technology, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and social and business culture
Gain real-world experience in the field and build your resume through an externship in your field of interest
Customize your degree with an Arts & Sciences concentration or pursue a collection of criminal justice electives which target your interests and goals

Whether competing for your first job or working to advance your long-term career, you’ll find that employers are looking for candidates with a bachelor’s degree. Take the time to learn more about JWU and start pursuing your passion for criminal justice at our Providence Campus.

Course Listing

From heightened national security to concerns about corporate accountability, our changing world has created a high demand for well-trained law enforcement professionals.

The criminal justice degree program at JWU’s Providence Campus can prepare you for a wide variety of police work at the local, national and federal levels—including careers in court administration, private investigation, airport security and social services, or as a federal agent, police officer or border patrol agent, among others.

Through the program, you will:
Learn from professionals experienced in law, criminal justice and forensic science technology
Gain experience using police and other forensic science investigation equipment in our dedicated criminal justice lab
Work with a faculty advisor and career coach to develop a plan tailored to your career goals
Acquire the communication, logic, critical thinking and ethical reasoning skills essential for the understanding of criminal justice issues and for effective career progression
Develop an appreciation for diversity, citizenship, leadership, science and technology, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and social and business culture
Gain real-world experience in the field and build your resume through an externship in your field of interest
Customize your degree with an Arts & Sciences concentration or pursue a collection of criminal justice electives which target your interests and goals

Whether competing for your first job or working to advance your long-term career, you’ll find that employers are looking for candidates with a bachelor’s degree. Take the time to learn more about JWU and start pursuing your passion for criminal justice at our Providence Campus.

Adelphi offers a redesigned undergraduate major in Criminal Justice leading to the Bachelor of Science degree, with a concentration in either Police Science or Social Science. The program provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of crime, delinquency, and social control and prepares students for graduate work or professional training.

Introduced in fall 2004, this revised major combines traditional liberal arts classes with courses in criminology, sociology of law, psychology, and law enforcement administration. The following six new classes have been added to the curriculum:
Crime and Punishment
Juvenile Delinquency
Gender Issues in Criminal Justice
Law and Social Inequality
Psychology of Criminal Behavior
Sociology of Law
The major is interdisciplinary in nature. Students may select courses in Adult Academic Programs in University College, the Derner Institute, the School of Social Work, and the departments of anthropology, political science, and sociology. Many of the required courses will be cross-listed, enabling students to receive credit toward their degree through University College or the College of Arts and Sciences.

Contact
For additional information, please contact:

Sally Ridgeway
Criminal Justice Program Director
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology and Sociology
Blodgett Hall, Rm 105C
p - 516.877.4938
f - 516.877.4717
e - ridgeway@adelphi.edu

Accreditation Information :
Pre Requisite Courses :
Qualifying Exams :

Tution Fees :
Financial Aid / Scholarship Offered :
Courses :

Director: Leonard G. Brown
W369 Thompson Hall
(716) 673-3421
Criminal.Justice@fredonia.edu

Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Social Work and Criminal Justice Home Page
Criminal Justice Faculty

Academic Programs

Criminal Justice: Bachelor of Arts

Criminal Justice: Minor

NOTE: Requirements may differ according to date of enrollment.
Current students should check their college catalog.

The Bachelor of Arts degree program in Criminal Justice is an interdisciplinary curriculum that offers broad based knowledge of crime and delinquency, criminal law and procedure, police science and security, and the juvenile justice system. The curriculum includes courses in criminal law and procedure, crime theory, human deviant behavior, police science, security, corrections, statistics and research methods. Graduates will be prepared for careers in the field of juvenile justice, court system administration, law enforcement, adult corrections, rehabilitation, crime data analysis and security at the city, county, state and federal level.

Internships are highly recommended. Participating internship sponsors include local police and sheriff departments, the county district attorney’s office, Department of Probation, New York State Department of Corrections, U.S. Customs, and the Chautauqua County Victim/Witness program. In addition to the Core Curriculum and elective requirements listed below, students are strongly urged to include elective courses that will help develop effectiveness in speaking and in writing. Students are required to be computer literate, able to use word processing software, conduct research, access internet data bases and communicate in cyberspace. Familiarity with bibliographic and data search routines is strongly encouraged.

Students are strongly advised to complete a minor in a related discipline given the interdisciplinary characteristics of the Criminal Justice major.

What Kind of Jobs Can I Get With a Criminal Justice Degree?

Our liberal arts program qualifies graduates to pursue both professional and further academic goals. Employment opportunities for those with Bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice include entry-level positions in the following areas:
Federal Government
Border Protection
U.S. Marshalls
Governmental Investigation Services
Law Enforcement
State Police
Local Police
Court Administration & Investigation
Juvenile Justice
Probation/Parole Officer
Corrections
Administration
Corrections Officer
Graduate School
Law School
Criminal Justice Graduate Studies
Behavioral Sciences
Plattsburgh State Career Development Center

Our Career Development Center provides services, resources, and programs designed to help students and alumni to better understand the career development process, and to enhance their professional preparation and employability.