Homeland Security
Border security and intelligence, terrorism prevention and analysis, emergency and disaster planning—prepare for work protecting our nation from all kinds of natural and man-made threats.
ONLINE BACHELOR OF ARTS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE PROGRAM
The objective of the online Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice degree program is to provide students with the skills needed to enter the workforce and advance as professionals in various areas of the criminal justice field. Required coursework builds a foundation of knowledge in advanced criminal justice theory and crime, the practice of law enforcement and the U.S. judicial system, which includes adult and juvenile corrections.
ONLINE CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE CONCENTRATIONS
Concentrations are available in homeland security and computer forensic investigation.
Computer Forensic Investigation
Prepare for a cybersecurity career by studying computer crime, computer forensics, ethical hacking, computer crime scene investigation and criminal intelligence analysis.
What are the Topics Explored Within the Online Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice?
Criminology
This is an overview course of the scientific study of criminal behavior. You’ll explore different types of crimes, the potential causes of those crimes, and methods for minimizing criminal behavior in the future. In addition to criminal justice fundamentals, the criminology course discusses how criminal behavior affects greater society and how laws evolve based on criminal activity.
Criminologists are involved with determining patterns and trends related to social behavior, being part of the investigative interview process and analyzing crime scenes to help gather evidence.
Criminal Justice Ethics
This course provides an overview of the ethics of law enforcement. It’s important that police officers, judges and others within the criminal justice system follow procedures and eliminate any biases that may develop. The course also examines how judges rule in court based on precedents and other circumstances. When there is little corruption within the judicial system, the community is more likely to respect the law.
Juvenile Justice
Take a look into the justice system that handles crimes committed by minors under the age of 18. In most cases, children are treated differently than adults in court and given different punishments or opportunities for rehabilitation. This course explores the evolution of state and federal juvenile justice systems and how they are designed to help young people lead law-abiding lives.
Why Earn an online BA in Criminal Justice?
A criminal justice education from a top online college like Grantham provides students with the critical thinking and communication skills they’ll need. Graduates will be able to efficiently work in team settings and thrive in high-pressure situations, which are common in criminal justice careers.
Most of Grantham’s criminal justice faculty are still active in a criminal justice position or have recently retired from one. Because faculty members carry a wealth of criminal justice experience, students are given a real-world perspective into the field.
Criminal justice students can customize their degree to their specific interests by choosing from several available elective courses. Obtaining a bachelor’s degree is typically a minimum requirement when pursuing high-level criminal justice positions.
TIME TO DEGREE COMPLETION
120
CREDIT HOURS
38
MONTHS TO COMPLETE
UP TO
75%
CLOSER TO GRADUATION WITH CREDIT FOR PRIOR COURSEWORK + LIFE EXPERIENCE
How much will THE ONLINE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM cost?
The undergraduate rate is $295 per credit hour — $250 if you're a military member, a veteran or part of a military family. Grantham also offers scholarships and financial aid for those who qualify.
ONLINE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM START DATE
Courses begin monthly, so we're ready when you are.
Call us at (888) 947-2684 to learn more about our accredited degree programs, financial assistance opportunities or enrollment process.
Related Information
Advice from John Wagner: Pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice
John Wagner is a Grantham faculty member who brings over 30 years of professional law enforcement experience. Get education and career advice from this Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and military veteran. READ MORE
4 Tips for Success in Your Online Criminal Justice Degree Program
In order to maximize their criminal justice education, students should look beyond just the textbook. Evaluating real-world situations and keeping up with the latest news and policy changes will provide a more advanced understanding. Learning to become an excellent communicator is also important, especially for those seeking a career as an attorney or law enforcement professional. READ MORE
Criminal Justice (Bachelor of Arts)
Online Criminal Justice Degree Outcomes
After successfully completing your criminal justice degree classes, you will be able to:
- Explain the various causes of crime using criminal justice theories, practices and processes to a multicultural population
- Compare and contrast historical and contemporary police functions, issues and responses to crime
- Describe the nature and function of corrections, its services, practices and institutions
- Analyze relevant criminal law and procedures as they relate to the administration of justice
- Differentiate between adult and juvenile procedures throughout the criminal justice system
- Apply the concepts of professionalism, ethical behavior and social responsibility to make decisions as a criminal justice professional
- Evaluate the three components of the criminal justice system
Criminal Justice Core Professional Competencies
University of Arkansas Grantham prepares graduates to succeed in a variety of professional and civic settings by incorporating these critical life skills into the curriculum:
- Communication – Formulating and expressing thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and non-verbal communication skills in person, in writing and in a digital world.
- Distributed Collaboration – Working effectively across distributed locations and asynchronously to achieve a common goal through relationship-building, shared responsibility, empathy and respect.
- Professional and Social Responsibilities – Engaging in social responsibility through seeking justice, valuing diversity, respecting the environment; demonstrating professionalism through integrity, mutual accountability and ethical behavior. This includes considering the social and global impact of individual and organizational decisions and an awareness of and adherence to regulations, professional standards and industry best practices.
- Critical thinking/problem solving – Using analytical reasoning when gathering and evaluating relevant information to effectively formulate possible solutions for an issue, problem or a variety of issues. This includes the ability to recognize potential consequences of a decision.
- Data Aptitude - Developing information literacy and the capacity to manage data with subsequent finding, structuring, evaluating and interpreting in order to provide meaningful analysis to accomplish a specific purpose.
NOTE: Students seeking a career in law enforcement at the local or state level will require additional training and testing. This additional training is determined by the Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) in each student’s state.
Criminal Justice (Bachelor of Arts)
ONLINE CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE CURRICULUM
University of Arkansas Grantham’s 100% online coursework is designed to help you prepare for success.
| PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Program Core Credits: | 42 | ||
| General Education Core Credits: | 42 | ||
| Concentration Credits: | 18 | ||
| Electives Credits: | 18 | ||
| Concentration Credits: | 18 | ||
| Electives Credits: | 18 | ||
| Electives Credits: | 36 | ||
| Total Credit Hours: | 120 | ||
| Accreditation(s): | DEAC |
| Program Core: | 42 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course: | Title: | Credits: | |
| Course: CJ101 | Title: Introduction to Criminal Justice | Credits: 3 | |
| This course examines a general overview of the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on decision points and administrative practices in police and other criminal justice agencies, as well as basic criminal procedures. Topics include: Causes of crime, criminal law, policing history and structure, police management and legal aspects, adjudication including the courts and sentencing, corrections drugs and crime, multinational criminal justice and the future of criminal justice. | |||
| Course: CJ102 | Title: Introduction to Criminology | Credits: 3 | |
| This course introduces the student to the major theories of crime by exploring the biological, psychological, sociological and economic theories. Traditional and contemporary theories of criminology are examined to better explain patterns and root causes of crime, crimes against persons and property, white-collar and organized crime, drug abuse and crime, technology and crime, terrorism, and criminology and social policy. | |||
| Course: CJ201 | Title: Police Systems & Practices | Credits: 3 | |
| This course provides an overview of police issues, integrating the history, social context and theoretical understanding of policing in America. Relationships between communities, individuals and police organizations are studied. Topics include: evolution of policing, organizational structure and supervision, societal expectations and police corruption. | |||
| Course: CJ202 | Title: Correction Systems & Practices | Credits: 3 | |
| This course evaluates the history and progression of correctional systems. Contemporary correctional practices are analyzed and evaluated using a historical perspective with a modern emphasis on community and institutional corrections. This course balances current and past research, theories and applications and practical examples and issues. Topics include: historical perspectives, the court process, alternatives to imprisonment, correctional functions, institutional clients, rights of correctional clients, reintegration systems and the future of corrections. | |||
| Course: CJ203 | Title: Juvenile Justice I | Credits: 3 | |
| This course explores the evolution of the juvenile justice system and the different approaches followed by the court and correctional authorities. Current topics in juvenile justice include youth victimization, crime prevention, treatment and various juvenile sanctions. Distinction is made between the adult and juvenile system, with emphasis placed on the roles and functions of the juvenile justice system. | |||
| Course: CJ302 | Title: Criminal Procedure | Credits: 3 | |
| This course provides the student with the core knowledge of constitutional criminal procedure. Topics of study include: Fourth Amendment doctrines such as the exclusionary rule, the search warrant, plain view, arrest and Terry-stops and warrant-less searches. The focus of the exclusionary rule reflects the areas in which the Supreme Court has been most active in recent years. The conflicting approaches to the application of law evident between justices adhering to the Due Process Model and those following the Crime Control Model are addressed. Additional topics in the course include: meaning, context and constitutional foundation of criminal procedure; the right to counsel; rules of interrogation and confession; identification of suspects and entrapment; and the pretrial and trial process. | |||
| Course: CJ305 | Title: Introduction to Criminal Justice Ethics | Credits: 3 | |
| This course examines the diverse ethical issues frequently encountered in the criminal justice system. Students study the writings of the major theorists such as Plato, Socrates and Aristotle. Classic ethical theories will be studied, reviewed and applied to such varied topics as the application of professional and personal discretion, the appropriate use of force, dimensions of professional responsibility and proper application of authority. | |||
| Course: CJ309 | Title: Criminal Law | Credits: 3 | |
| This course introduces the student to the foundational aspects of criminal law, including its historical background and fundamental elements. Major themes of both common law and the Model Penal Code, including the elements of statutory crimes, criminal responsibility and defenses are reviewed. Topics include: the historical background of criminal law, fundamentals of criminal law, jurisdiction, the criminal act, the mental element, matters affecting criminal responsibility, assault and related crimes, homicide, sex offenses and offenses to the family relationship, theft, robbery, burglary and related offenses, arson, kidnapping, narcotics and offenses by and against juveniles. | |||
| Course: CJ401 | Title: Community Policing | Credits: 3 | |
| This course is designed to provide an analysis of both the community-oriented policing philosophy and its practical application through strategic oriented policing, neighborhood oriented policing and problem oriented policing methods. Additional aspects to be reviewed include the various roles in the systemic approach, organization and management styles of the police department,implementation methods, evaluation methods, and an examination of past and future practices under this new model in policing. | |||
| Course: PS380 | Title: Psychology and the Law | Credits: 3 | |
| Psychology and the law will provide a broad overview of the interplay between behavioral science and the legal system. In appearance, the two disciplines are vastly different; however, the legal system has an immense influence on our everyday psychology. The purpose of this course is to examine the legal system through the use of psychological concepts, methods, and research results. | |||
| Course: CA408 | Title: Research Methods | Credits: 3 | |
| Research Methods presents a broad view of the methods and techniques for conducting academic and professional research. The course focuses on why and when research is performed, the methodologies involved and a description of the applied statistical tests most often used. Techniques and procedures are compared and contrasted so each student gains a firm understanding of what method or test to use and why. Topics include: the research enterprise, theory and research, ethics in research, research design, sampling techniques, questionnaires, interviews, observational techniques, secondary data, reliability and validity issues, data coding,hypothesis testing and sampling distributions. Students will be required to successfully complete the ethics certificate of completion using the Collaborative Institution Training Initiative (CITI) to advance further in the program. | |||
| Course: PA301 | Title: Introduction to Public Administration | Credits: 3 | |
| This course is broad-ranging and provides a combination of theory and practice. The course purpose is to promote a superior understanding of government and its relationship with the society it governs, as well as to encourage public policies that are more responsive to social needs. Additional topic include managerial practices attuned to effectiveness, efficiency and human requirements of the citizenry. | |||
| Course: CJ499 | Title: Criminal Justice Capstone | Credits: 3 | |
| This course serves as an opportunity for students pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice to demonstrate their mastery of program objectives and knowledge of their field. This capstone encompasses a range of topics and involves the completion of a major research paper that exhibits significant comprehension of one subject area within the field of Criminal Justice. | |||
| Course: EN361 | Title: Fundamentals of Technical Writing | Credits: 3 | |
| This course explores the fundamental principles of successful professional communication. Students learn how to write business correspondence, job search correspondence, public relations documents, and professional reports. Students also gain experience in defining their audiences and purpose, designing document layout, as well as writing, revising, and proofreading text. In completing the requirements of this course, students showcase and evaluate their own writing and design skills in a professional correspondence portfolio. Additionally, through a series of reflective journal exercises, students reflect on their learning and writing progress. NOTE: Credit may not be awarded for both EN261 and EN361. | |||
| General Education: | 42 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course: | Title: | Credits: | |
| Course: English Composition | Credits: 6 | ||
| Course: Math | Credits: 6 | ||
| Course: Natural/Physical Science | Credits: 3 | ||
| Course: Computer Science | Credits: 3 | ||
| Course: Oral Communication | Credits: 6 | ||
| Course: Humanities and Fine Arts | Credits: 6 | ||
| Course: Social/Behavioral Science | Credits: 9 | ||
| Course: General Education | Credits: 3 |
NOTE: CO120 Interpersonal Communication may take the place of CO101 Introduction to Public Speaking.
It is highly recommended that the following courses be taken as open electives, since they provide a solid knowledge base:
CJ414 Multicultural Law Enforcement
CJ415 Police Community Relations
CJ416 Victimology
CJ421 Advanced Criminal Law
CJ425 Judicial Process