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What is Criminal Justice? – Criminal justice represents the combined law enforcement, judicial, and corrections systems and professions involved in administering the law and managing criminal punishments. The process may involve investigation or arrest, followed by prosecution and court proceedings, and, when applicable, corrections or community supervision. Not every case reaches that final stage: many are resolved through dismissal, acquittal, diversion, or another outcome short of incarceration. The field includes all professions involved, from LEOs to COs to POs.
Welcome! Criminal justice covers a wide range of career paths and specialties, from patrol work and corrections to forensic labs and federal agencies. At Criminal Justice Programs, our mission is to connect you with the schools and programs that will help you meet your career goals.
We’ve researched more than 2,100 institutions across the US, per U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data, to bring you degree and certificate listings in criminal justice. You can find a full range of criminal justice degrees and certificate programs, from undergraduate criminal justice programs to PhD criminology programs, with more than 6,500 programs to search from.
How This Works
There are a number of ways you can interact with our site to get the information you’re looking for about criminal justice degrees, careers, and schools. Below, we outline how to access the pages that are most relevant to you.
- 1Determine Your Career GoalsIf you know you want to work in the criminal justice field but aren’t sure which career path is right for you, you can start by browsing our career specialty pages.
- 2Research Criminal Justice DegreesExplore general criminal justice degrees, by browsing degree level pages. We offer information on associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees, as well as certificates in criminal justice. Narrow down your criminal justice college choices by selecting your style of learning – online degrees or traditional (on-campus) degrees.
- 3Search Your StateIf you want to find out about criminal justice degrees and schools specific to your state, select your state below. Each state page contains information on criminal justice careers and colleges. You’ll find details about salary and job growth for careers in your state, as well as a full list of criminal justice colleges available.
- 4Check Out Our ResourcesAccess our articles, interviews, and links to criminal justice organizations. You’ll learn more about the best criminal justice colleges, criminal justice education options and information, and interviews with criminal justice professionals in different CJ fields, peruse our resources!
What Kind of Criminal Justice Degree Should I Get Online?
AssociateDegreeA two-year, full-time schedule is the common structure for an associate degree, though your actual completion time depends on course load, transfer credits, and enrollment pace. An associate degree in criminal justice is a common starting point toward entry-level work in policing, corrections, and forensic science support, but the degree itself doesn’t make you eligible for those jobs. Police and corrections hiring run through separate state and agency processes, typically including academy or certification training, background checks, physical and medical standards, and written exams, and these requirements vary widely by state and employer. Forensic science technician roles, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, typically call for a bachelor’s degree as the entry-level credential.
Bachelor’sDegreeA bachelor’s degree opens more specialized roles than an associate degree typically reaches. Crime Scene Investigator is one example, though requirements vary significantly by employer, since the role can be sworn or civilian and lab-based or evidence-focused, with each agency setting its own minimums. Information Security Analyst is a stronger fit for this degree level: the Bureau of Labor Statistics typically lists a bachelor’s degree as the standard entry-level credential, though individual employers still set their own specific requirements.
Master’sDegreeWhether you move directly from a bachelor’s into a master’s program or return to school later to advance your career, a master’s degree can open more specialized and senior-level work. Private investigator licensing, for example, is regulated at the state level, so requirements vary by state and there’s no universal master’s-degree requirement. FBI Special Agent hiring runs through federal, position-specific qualifications that combine education, professional experience, and other eligibility standards, rather than a single required degree level. Intelligence Research Specialist openings are similarly federal and grade-specific: agencies may qualify candidates through education, specialized experience, or a combination of both, depending on the vacancy.
DoctoralDegreeA doctorate is the terminal degree in criminal justice, built for research, teaching, and senior leadership roles rather than entry-level work. Professor is the clearest fit: a doctorate is commonly expected for many tenure-track postsecondary teaching positions, though requirements differ by institution and appointment type. DEA Special Agent and Cybersecurity Analyst roles don’t typically require a doctorate, and a PhD by itself doesn’t qualify anyone for federal law-enforcement appointment. Those positions run through their own federal eligibility, background, physical, and training requirements.
Concordia University, St. Paul – Department of Criminal Justice Scholars’ Forum
Brought to you by Concordia University, St. Paul – Criminal Justice Department
