Overview of a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice

A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice provides intensive study for those students who wish to pursue a variety of criminal justice careers or for working students who wish to be considered for promotional opportunities with their current employer.

A bachelor’s degree can also prepare students to apply for a master’s degree in criminal justice and become eligible for managerial, administrative, and teaching positions.

Bachelor of Arts vs. Bachelor of Science Degree

Both the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees will provide students with intensive study in liberal arts and science coursework. Students in each degree program will take courses in science, mathematics, arts and humanities, and social sciences. The liberal arts portion of the degree will include required courses, as well as electives you choose based on your goals and interests.

Specifics of BA degree programs:

• A BA degree in criminal justice will focus on psychology, sociology, anthropology, urban studies, etc. A BS in criminal justice will tend to emphasize the biological and physical sciences, technology, and mathematics.

• Both programs will require the same number of credits for graduation but the BS degree will likely require a greater number of upper-level 300 courses.

Both the BA and BS degrees are in-demand by employers. However, for students who are interested in forensic psychology or thinking of pursuing a law or social work degree, the Bachelor of Arts degree may be the more appropriate choice. Students who are seeking a scientific or technical career, such as forensic scientists, may wish to consider pursing a BS degree that will provide greater exposure to hard sciences.

 

Bachelor Degree Course Requirements

In most cases, a total of 128 credits will be required to obtain a bachelor’s criminal justice degree. Aside from liberal arts coursework taken during the first two years of study (or 64 credits) students will also take coursework that will provide a basic foundation in law and the criminal justice system at different levels of government (i.e. local, state, and federal).

Common courses within a criminal justice major include:

Collecting evidence	Forensic Science
Corrections	Juvenile Justice
Courts and the Legal System	Police Methods
Criminal Analysis	Psychology of Criminal Behavior
Criminal Justice Theory	Sociology of Crime
Drug Addiction and Crime	White Collar Crime

Admission Requirements

In most cases, colleges and universities will require that applicants have a high school diploma or general equivalent diploma (GED) and submit satisfactory scores from the SAT or ACT. Adult students returning to school may be exempted from submitting scores on standardized tests.

Those who possess an Associate’s degree in criminal justice or related field may also be eligible to have some course requirements waived thereby reducing the time it will take to complete the bachelor degree program. Other admission requirements may include letters of reference from former teachers and/or current supervisors, along with a statement of career goals.

“Do You Need An Associates Degree To Enroll For The Bachelor Degree?“

No you do not. The Associates degree takes around 2 years and the Bachelor 4 years.

What most people do to save money is get an Associates degree at a cheaper community college and use the credits to transfer to a larger University to complete the Bachelors.

This way you can transfer and only take two years at the major university to complete the Bachelor’s. You can save quite a bit of money by doing this. Just make sure that the credits from the college are transferable to your university of choice before you sign up for your Associates degree.

Universities can vary greatly on their policies so you are better to contact the University and request the information to be certain.

Format of Study

The bachelor’s criminal justice degree may be completed in traditional classroom studies or via distance learning programs. Whether you choose to attend a traditional or online program, the most important consideration is to attend a school that has received accreditation from a regional accreditation agency.

Accreditation attests to the quality of the education you will receive, program resources, graduation rates, and faculty backgrounds. A listing of accredited schools is provided below.

 

Tuition Cost Of The Bachelor Degree In Criminal Justice

Tuition will vary depending on whether you attend a state-based or private school. If you choose to attend a college or university in the state where you reside, you can expect to pay about $120 per credit.  Out-of- state students will pay about $160 per credit. This compares to private school tuition which can cost nearly $900 per credit. With about 128 credits required for graduation, total tuition costs are in the range of $15,360 (in-state school); $20,500 (out-of state school); and upwards of $115,200 (private school).

Aside from direct tuition costs, students may also need to pay for room and board which typically costs about $10,000 per year at state schools and upward of $15,000 at private schools. Added costs are textbooks, class supplies, lab fees, and personal expenses which taken together can add up to about $10,000.

There are various financial aid programs available to qualified students to include grants, scholarships (which do not need to be paid back) and student loans (which will need to be paid back at a low interest rate).  Check with your school’s financial aid office for further information regarding all forms of financial assistance available. The first step will be to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Potential Criminal Justice Jobs and Salaries With A Bachelor Degree

There are several considerations with regard to the criminal justice salary you will earn. For the most part, jobs within large urban areas will pay higher salaries than will jobs located in smaller communities or rural areas. Specific states, such as the District of Columbia, Illinois and California, and New York also pay higher salaries than do other states. Those working for government agencies, whether at the local, state, or federal level also tend to earn a higher income than those who are employed in private firms or nonprofit organizations.
Median criminal justice salary by job title

Police Officer or Sheriff	$48,532
Paralegal	$40,909
Security Guard	$23,820
Correction Officer	$28,790
Probation Officer	$37,430
Detective/Criminal Investigator	$57,520

Source Payscale.com September 2011

The highest paying jobs in the criminal justice field are very often within various federal agencies. Job opportunities may be found within the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), U.S. Secret Service (USS), The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Most jobs within the above-noted federal agencies will require a minimum of a bachelor degree, with many agents holding a master’s in criminal justice, business administration, or JD.

Median Entry Level Criminal Justice Salary—Federal Level

FBI Agents	$53,743
DEA Agents	$49,746
U.S. Marshal	$36,658
U.S. Secret Service Agent	$50,987
U.S. Border Patrol Officer	$36,568

Sources; FBI.gov, USDOJ.gov, Secret Service.gov, DHS.gov

The following is a list of alternative careers within the field of criminal justice along with median salaries.

Social Worker	$56,600
Court Reporter	$47,810
Fish and Game Warden	$48,800
Forensic Psychologist (needs at least a master’s)	$86,540
Forensic Science Technician	$51,480
Hearing Officer	$83,920
Rehabilitation Counselor (masters needed)	$31,210
Teacher (at community colleges)	$57,500

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010

Accredited Criminal Justice Schools Offering The Bachelor Degree

The following schools are among the best criminal justice schools in the United States out of those that offer the Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice:

• American Public University System

• Ashford University

• American InterContinental University Online

• Bellevue University

• Bryant & Stratton College

• California Coast University

• Chancellor University

• Colorado State University Global Campus

• Eastern Kentucky University

• Everest College

• Everest University Online

• Florida International University

• Florida Tech University Online

• Fort Hays State University

• Grand Canyon University

• Hodges University

• Indiana Business College

• Kaplan University

• Keiser University

• Liberty University

• Mountain State University

• National American University

• Portland State University

• Post University Online

• Rasmussen College

• Saint Leo University

• South University

• Tiffin University

• University of Arkansas at Little Rock – UALR

• University of Flordia – Fire & Emergency Services (highly recommended)

• University of Maryland University College – UMUC

• University of Phoenix

• Upper Iowa University

• Utica College

• Virginia College Online

• Westwood College Online

• American Military University

• Colorado Technical University

• Devry University

• Duquesne University

• Penn State University

• Washington State University

• Walden University Online