A bachelor's degree in criminal justice and legal studies is an increasingly popular choice for undergraduate coursework. It usually takes about four years to earn a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and legal studies. With such a degree, students have a variety of career opportunities open to them within the fields of crime analysis, law enforcement, public safety, and legal administration.
Earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and legal studies is an excellent way to begin a career in law enforcement or legal administration. With a bachelor's degree, you will have higher qualifications than someone who simply earns a professional certificate or associate's degree in criminal justice and legal studies. People with bachelor's degrees tend to earn thousands more per year than people with only a high school education. With a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and legal studies, you can expect to make between $30,000 and $80,000 per year over the course of your career.
Some of the things you will study while earning a bachelor's in criminal justice and legal studies might include criminal investigation, ethics, criminal procedure, juvenile justice, and the laws and standards that revolve around law enforcement work. Within a criminal justice and legal studies bachelor's degree program, you can usually choose to focus on administration, paralegal studies, or public safety. Different schools offer different specialties. Some of the most popular career choices with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and legal studies include:
The starting salary for each of these positions is typically over $30,000 per year. In some of these positions, you can eventually make over $80,000 per year.
Earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and legal studies takes time, hard work, and commitment. You can earn a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from public or private universities, or through online accredited bachelor's degree programs. Earning your bachelor's degree online is an excellent choice if you are trying to raise a family, have a restricted schedule, or are already fully employed. Through an online bachelor's program in criminal justice, you can earn your degree in about four years and become fully qualified for careers within the criminal justice and legal studies world.
Earn your Bachelor of Arts in Social and Criminal Justice degree online from Ashford University to enhance your understanding of the criminal justice system and the impact social issues have on maintaining a just society. Investigate both the social and legal sides of criminal justice, from forensics and psychology to crime prevention and terrorism. Be an instrument for change when you choose this degree program to better understand the legal and social forces that shape American culture.
Earn your Bachelor of Arts in Social and Criminal Justice degree online from Ashford University to enhance your understanding of the criminal justice system and the impact social issues have on maintaining a just society. Investigate both the social and legal sides of criminal justice, from forensics and psychology to crime prevention and terrorism. Be an instrument for change when you choose this degree program to better understand the legal and social forces that shape American culture.
Augment your Bachelor of Arts in Social and Criminal Justice degree with a specialization in Forensics. Examine and understand principles of criminal liability and the acts, mental state, and attendant circumstances that are central ingredients in crimes against society, persons, or property.
Work to protect America. With your Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security and Emergency Management degree earned online from Ashford University, you gain a broad view of homeland security and emergency preparedness at the federal, state, and local levels. In the post-911 era, the US government created the Department of Homeland Security, which prepares for, prevents, and responds to domestic emergencies. With this degree program, you will transcend a single discipline to consider counter-terrorism, planning for natural disasters, and terrorism response. Your interdisciplinary courses include ethics, international relations, cybercrime, and an emphasis on American government and the United States Constitution. This program also includes a strong research and writing component.
Earn your Bachelor of Arts in Social and Criminal Justice degree online from Ashford University to enhance your understanding of the criminal justice system and the impact social issues have on maintaining a just society. Investigate both the social and legal sides of criminal justice, from forensics and psychology to crime prevention and terrorism. Be an instrument for change when you choose this degree program to better understand the legal and social forces that shape American culture.
Expand your Bachelor of Arts in Social and Criminal Justice degree with a specialization in Corrections Management. Analyze the philosophies and laws of punishment and sentencing as well as key Supreme Court case decisions specifically pertaining to the constitutional rights of those incarcerated in an American correctional facility.
The B.S. in Criminal Justice program is designed to help you gain the skills and knowledge to prepare for a career in law enforcement, the justice system, corrections, homeland security, and social services. The program blends contemporary theory on the nature, extent, and cause of crime with the study of national and international criminal justice practices. Learning is supported through coursework and a final capstone project. Plus, the program uses the latest interactive media, including lifelike, computer-generated scenarios from crime scenes.
You will apply criminal justice theories to current issues as you gain perspective in three vitally important areas:
Accelerate Into Master's (AIM)
Transition from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree in less time with Walden's Accelerate Into Master's (AIM) degree option. AIM offers high-achieving undergraduate students an opportunity to take as many as five graduate-level courses in their undergraduate coursework. Upon completion, credits from these courses can be applied toward a master's degree. With the AIM degree option, you can earn your master's degree in as little as one year, depending on your individual progress and degree program.
The B.S. in Criminal Justice program is designed to help you gain the skills and knowledge to prepare for a career in law enforcement, the justice system, corrections, homeland security, and social services. The program blends contemporary theory on the nature, extent, and cause of crime with the study of national and international criminal justice practices. Learning is supported through coursework and a final capstone project. Plus, the program uses the latest interactive media, including lifelike, computer-generated scenarios from crime scenes.
You will apply criminal justice theories to current issues as you gain perspective in three vitally important areas:
Accelerate Into Master's (AIM)
Transition from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree in less time with Walden's Accelerate Into Master's (AIM) degree option. AIM offers high-achieving undergraduate students an opportunity to take as many as five graduate-level courses in their undergraduate coursework. Upon completion, credits from these courses can be applied toward a master's degree. With the AIM degree option, you can earn your master's degree in as little as one year, depending on your individual progress and degree program.
The B.S. in Psychology program provides you with a broad understanding of psychology and its relevance in today's increasingly diverse and global society. You will apply psychological theories to current issues in psychology as you gain perspective in three vitally important areas: social awareness, responsibility, and civic engagement; cross-cultural competence; and evidence-based decision-making in an information-rich world. Take up to 70 percent of your courses in psychology or choose elective courses from other majors.
Concentrations
Accelerate Into Master's (AIM)
Transition from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree in less time with Walden's Accelerate Into Master's (AIM) degree option. AIM offers high-achieving undergraduate students an opportunity to take as many as five graduate-level courses in their undergraduate coursework. Upon completion, credits from these courses can be applied toward a master's degree. With the AIM degree option, you can earn your master's degree in as little as one year, depending on your individual progress and degree program.
The B.S. in Criminal Justice program is designed to help you gain the skills and knowledge to prepare for a career in law enforcement, the justice system, corrections, homeland security, and social services. The program blends contemporary theory on the nature, extent, and cause of crime with the study of national and international criminal justice practices. Learning is supported through coursework and a final capstone project. Plus, the program uses the latest interactive media, including lifelike, computer-generated scenarios from crime scenes.
You will apply criminal justice theories to current issues as you gain perspective in three vitally important areas:
Accelerate Into Master's (AIM)
Transition from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree in less time with Walden's Accelerate Into Master's (AIM) degree option. AIM offers high-achieving undergraduate students an opportunity to take as many as five graduate-level courses in their undergraduate coursework. Upon completion, credits from these courses can be applied toward a master's degree. With the AIM degree option, you can earn your master's degree in as little as one year, depending on your individual progress and degree program.
The demand has never been a higher for skilled professionals in the Criminal Justice field. Rasmussen College offers a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Client Services/Corrections, which is designed for anyone who is interested in working as Probation, Parole, or Corrections Officers, or in administrative positions at detention centers.
The Criminal Offenders specialization of our accredited Bachelor's of Science Criminal Justice degree focuses on forensic psychology and criminal behavior as it relates to law and the legal system, such as in analyzing a criminal's mind and intent, consulting with attorneys (e.g., on picking a jury), and treating offenders who are mentally ill.
Prepare for a career in Homeland Security — a dynamic, diverse, and pivotal field — with a Criminal Justice Bachelor's degree. The work required to protect the Nation is constantly changing, just like security threats themselves. Rasmussen College offers a focused, real–world curriculum that will ready you for the front lines of protecting our Nation and its people.
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is designed to provide you with a solid foundation in criminal justice and a broad liberal arts education. The Web-based baccalaureate program combines the professional skills of specialized areas of criminal justice with research and analytical skills. As a graduate of this program, you may seek opportunities in law enforcement, corrections, probation, parole, fraud investigation, or juvenile justice facilities.* You can further specialize your degree by pursuing one of the following emphasis areas: computer crime, corrections, crime scene investigation, forensic psychology, homeland security, juvenile justice, or law enforcement. *Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional police academy training may be required for law enforcement jobs.
Study techniques for locating, collecting, and analyzing crime scene evidence used in courts of law. Identify boundaries of a crime scene and review the principles of searching the crime scene for specific types of evidence, identifiable forensic material, and other items of evidentiary value. As a graduate, you may qualify to pursue a crime investigation position in a law enforcement organization.* *Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional police academy training may be required for law enforcement jobs.
Grand Canyon University's Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies prepares students to enter careers in law enforcement, governmental and private agencies, research, social work, political science, and a variety of other fields. Graduates will be able to describe the components of the justice system from a systems perspective, including function, organization, issues, practices, and interrelationship of law enforcement agencies, the courts, and the corrections system.
Prospective students should have some previous college experience.
Grand Canyon University's Bachelor of Science in Public Safety and Emergency Management program is a bachelor's degree completion program that provides a theoretical and applied approach to the professional education of students, while ensuring relevance to the homeland security and public safety industries. The program emphasizes the fundamentals of emergency management while providing an interdisciplinary course of study in the skills and practices of emergency planning and management. Candidates for the degree include those working in or desirous of working in one of several fields, including emergency management, fire protection, emergency medical response, law enforcement, environmental health and safety, and other related fields. The program highlights the application of research methodology; the utilization of communication skills at the personal, professional, and public level; and the development of professional skills and knowledge in the fields of public safety and emergency management. Prospective students should have some previous college experience.
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program may provide students with the skills necessary to maintain law and order; protect life and property; and conduct administration, planning, and research services. It is designed to help prepare students for entry-level opportunities in corrections, probation, immigration or security administration.
The Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security enhances the study of homeland security and expands into areas such as crisis management planning, contingency planning and directing emergency response operations. Graduates may be prepared for entry-level positions in government or corporate security.
The Bachelor of Science in Paralegal program prepares graduates for more advanced work in law offices or corporate legal departments under the direction of an attorney. The curriculum introduces students to a wide range of legal topics such as contract law, litigation and criminal law, and expands into such areas as international law, worker's compensation, employment law, higher-level research and writing skills, advanced tort law and more.
The online bachelor's degree in paralegal studies prepares graduates for employment in attorney's offices, courtrooms, corporations, insurance companies, governmental offices and banks. This paralegal degree online provides knowledge of legal office procedures, delivery of legal services, legal research and writing and paralegal training in professional skills, general education, and technical competencies.
With the online paralegal degree from Virginia College, you can enter a skilled and prestigious profession, and one in which job growth is expected.
This online bachelor degree program in paralegal studies is designed for those who require a degree for entry into the workforce or for advancement in a current position. It is especially helpful for those who may have accumulated credits toward a paralegal degree or who may already hold an associate degree in paralegal studies.
Earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice can prepare individuals for career opportunities in corrections, private security, or law enforcement agencies in many states*. The curriculum will examine current practices and influences on the American criminal justice systems and how the three branches of the government intertwine to enact, enforce, and uphold the laws of the land. Learners will also examine criminal investigation techniques, juvenile delinquency, the biological and psychological theories of crime and criminal behavior, and the future direction of public policy.
*Employment as a law officer may require additional training as determined by state agencies. Our program advisors can help identify such training. The bachelor's in criminal justice degree from GU/MSB does not fulfill requirements in Minnesota, however, it does fulfill those of many other states.
Individuals who earn a bachelor's degree in Paralegal studies will acquire the skills and knowledge that can set them apart and distinguish them from other candidates because of the thorough and comprehensive education they receive in our program. Learners will discover and use the various research methods available, how to evaluate each case based on specifics of the case, understand and prepare documents for specific purposes, and the legal processes and principles that are used in a particular area of law. Students can also choose to focus in areas such as real estate, bankruptcy, or criminal law to help them pursue more specific career options.
In this bachelor's degree program you'll enjoy interactive classes taught by industry professionals who will help you acquire:
•a broad-based understanding of the criminal justice field
•exposure to criminal law, juvenile justice and domestic violence
•writing and communications courses to enhance reporting skills needed in many criminal justice professions
Program names, course topics and outcomes may vary by location. Please speak with a Westwood College admissions representative for full program details.
With this bachelor's degree program you can have a positive impact on your community. Our faculty of professionals who work in the field will guide you through:
•an in-depth review of correction-related issues such as correctional environments, law, administration and counseling
•coursework that utilizes written and communications skills to prepare for writing reports and interviewing
•a discussion of the high ethical standards expected of criminal justice professionals
Program names, course topics and outcomes may vary by location. Please speak with a Westwood College admissions representative for full program details.
In this bachelor's degree program you'll acquire skills necessary to launch your career in criminal justice. In interactive classes taught by industry professionals you'll be exposed to:
•an in-depth review of investigation-related issues such as crime scene investigation and digital and white collar crime
•writing and communications courses to enhance reporting skills needed in many criminal justice professions
•investigative techniques that can be applied to a wide variety of career choices in this field
Program names, course topics and outcomes may vary by location. Please speak with a Westwood College admissions representative for full program details.
The AIU Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) degree program offers a dynamic curriculum focused on current technology trends and applications designed to help students learn how to evaluate emerging technologies in the application of appropriate information systems to manage and achieve organizational goals and objectives. By studying key topics in Digital Investigations to complete the upper division's core specialization requirements, AIU gives you the opportunity to gain a fundamental understanding in digital and network investigations as you pursue your interest in opportunities involving the detection and prevention of computer crime.
The AIU Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) degree program combines the required General Education courses that can provide liberal arts foundation with specialized coursework designed to give students a professional education in the criminal justice field, with particular emphases in policing, courts, criminology, corrections, juvenile justice, homeland security and the field of forensic science. By studying key topics in Corrections and Case Management to complete the upper division's core specialization requirements, AIU gives you the opportunity to focus your interests on the acquisition of industry-specific knowledge and skills common to criminal justice professionals.
The AIU Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) degree program combines the required General Education courses that can provide liberal arts foundation with specialized coursework designed to give students a professional education in the criminal justice field, with particular emphases in policing, courts, criminology, corrections, juvenile justice, homeland security and the field of forensic science.
The goal of the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree program is to provide a well-rounded overview of the entire criminal justice system. Students can learn about criminal investigation, the impact of drug usage on crime, probation and parole. A choice of electives offers them the opportunity to delve into areas of particular interest, such as crime victim studies and issues of cultural diversity.
The AIU Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) degree program combines the required General Education courses that can provide liberal arts foundation with specialized coursework designed to give students a professional education in the criminal justice field, with particular emphases in policing, courts, criminology, corrections, juvenile justice, homeland security and the field of forensic science. By studying key topics in Homeland Security and Crisis Management to complete the upper division's core specialization requirements, AIU gives you the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue roles in managing natural and man-made crises.
The Post University Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Degree program provides a comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes creative thinking and writing skills while developing an understanding of the criminal justice system.
Post University's Criminal Justice degree program will prepare you to take positions in local, state, and federal justice systems. You will take a variety of courses covering a diversity of relevant areas such as, forensic science, criminal procedure, criminal law, and ethics and discretion in criminal justice.
The Criminal Justice degree program provides an excellent education for those entering a criminal justice career and those who are seeking to advance their current careers within their department or agency.
With Post University Online, you can earn your Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree entirely online, with no commuting or interruptions in your current career.
You will study in highly interactive, small classes in 8-week accelerated modules. Our faculty will actively engage you in a high quality and relevant curriculum that prepares you to enter a rewarding career in criminal justice fields.
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice graduates can pursue careers as:
Post University's bachelor's degree in Legal Studies will prepare you to start a career in the legal field as a paralegal, prepare you to excel in new positions within your current organization, or enter law school or graduate school.
Paralegal Career
Paralegals are found in all types of organizations, but most are employed by law firms, corporate legal departments, and various government offices. Jobs in this field are expected to among the fastest growing careers according to the US Department of Labor.
Paralegals perform legal research, prepare briefs of researched cases, compose letters to clients and draft legal documents, interview clients and digest depositions, and assist attorneys in trial preparation.
Law School
You may enter law school with any bachelor's degree. This program offers a thorough grounding in honest decision-making as it explores the relationship of the legal system to business, government and society. It provides an excellent foundation and preparation for law school.
The program is broad-based and allows a student to study subjects such as economics; state, local and national government; and patents, trademarks and copyrights. You will develop writing and communication skills necessary for success in law school and the legal profession.
You will study in highly interactive, small classes in 8-week accelerated modules. Our faculty will actively engage you in a high quality and relevant curriculum that prepares you to enter a rewarding career in the legal field.
Post University graduates can become:
If you're interested in a career that allows you contribute to the country's criminal justice system, Daymar College Online's Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration can help you reach your goals. The courses within this degree program maintain a dual emphasis on both the study of crime and justice within the American legal system.
At Daymar College Online, you can build in-depth knowledge about topics that are increasingly important to the criminal justice system. Our programs emphasize the importance of diversity, ethical treatment and community involvement. Whether you are most interested in working with law enforcement, the courts or the corrections system, the skills you gain at Daymar College Online can help you make it happen.
Graduates of our Criminal Justice Administration program can be prepared to pursue career paths such as:
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