Criminal Justice

Overview

Criminal justice programs prepare people to manage agencies such as a police or sheriff's department.

Criminal justice programs teach people about the legal system, theories of crime, and public policy. Students learn how to manage a budget and staff.

Criminal justice programs include topics such as:

Law enforcement theory and history
Incident response strategies
Labor relations
Budget management

Concentrations

In criminal justice programs students may be able to specialize in:

Law enforcement administration
Corrections
Safety studies

Schools

Many community colleges offer associate degree programs in criminal justice. An associate degree program usually takes two years of full-time study. After earning an associate degree students can transfer to a college or university for further study.

Many colleges and universities offer a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. A bachelor’s degree usually takes four years of full-time study to complete.

Some universities offer graduate degrees in criminal justice. A master’s degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor’s degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master’s degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

For this program, schools recommend that you know how to use a computer and the Internet.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Advanced English Composition courses
Advanced U.S. History courses
Economics
Political Science
Probability and Statistics
Sociology

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores.

Additional requirements at some schools include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
Letters of recommendation
Personal statement
Writing sample
Undergraduate degree in criminal justice or a related field, such as sociology, psychology, or political science

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This undergraduate program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

Abnormal Psychology
Correctional Counseling
Correctional Systems
Crime Prevention
Criminal Court System
Criminal Investigation
Criminal Law and Policy
Criminology
Deviant Behavior
Forensic Technology
Juvenile Delinquency
Labor Relations
Law Enforcement/Police Science
Management Theory
The Probation and Parole System
Project Management
Research Methods
Sociology
Statistics
Theories of Crime

Graduate Program Courses

Graduate study in criminal justice typically includes:

Required courses
Thesis (master's degree)
Preliminary exams (doctoral degree only)
Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree)

Things to Know

Criminal justice programs also provide additional training for people already involved in law enforcement administration, correctional administration, forensic science, and security management.

Some schools combine criminal justice and sociology into a single bachelor's degree program.

Programs in criminal justice can be used as preparation for future study in law, criminal justice, public administration, or social work.

Most employers will perform a criminal background check before you are hired.