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

Why choose Criminal Justice?
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 MSU criminal justice degree, earned online or in classroom-based study, offers you the opportunity to pursue any field of study relating to police, courts, corrections, or homeland security.
What can I study at MSU?
MSU offers both online and classroom-based bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with three 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.
Police Science: This concentration focuses on employing a scientific approach to the management of crime scenes and administratively managing law enforcement agencies. If you are a potential leader in the field of criminal justice, this concentration is best suited for you.
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.

MSU also offers an associate degree in criminal justice in both online and classroom-based formats.
Why choose MSU?
Gain both academic and field experience. To supplement the academic classes, MSU offers practicum exercises, internships, and job placement activities with local law enforcement agencies, correctional agencies, and the new homeland securities agencies here in West Virginia. This combination gives our students a competitive edge in the 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.

Flexible Learning Delivery. Classes in the criminal justice program are offered on-campus, in cohort settings, and through individualized study. You can also receive credit for past academic courses and prior learning experience.

Active Student Organizations. Two student organizations, Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society and American Criminal Justice Association - Lamba Alpha Epsilon chapter offer our students the opportunity to add to their Criminal Justice studies. Practical experience can be gained through tours of prisons or jails, courses in using firearms and self-defense, and viewing law enforcement demonstrations.

Career Opportunities
Criminal justice graduates will qualify for a variety of jobs:
Local police officer
Sheriff’s deputy
Correctional officer
Private security officer
Probation/parole officer
West Virginia State Police
Federal agent positions (with bachelor’s degree)
Homeland security specialist

MSU’s new concentration in its 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 all 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.

Please see our catalog for degree and program requirements.