The Best Schools for Criminal Justice Majors

The criminal justice system plays a critical role in maintaining a fair and peaceful society. It includes various professions within law enforcement, court and legal services, corrections, and rehabilitation.

Students interested in these careers can pursue an online bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. These programs usually require four years of full-time study and include diverse classes like juvenile delinquency, criminology, and psychology.

The following guide explores college application requirements, concentration options, and potential jobs for criminal justice majors. Keep reading to discover the best schools for criminal justice that can help prepare learners to protect and serve their communities.

Many criminal justice programs ground students in a liberal arts foundation, enabling graduates to pursue public and private sector careers in all levels of government.

The curriculum emphasizes the complexities of the American criminal justice system, covering law enforcement, the courts, and corrections. Using criminological theories, criminal justice majors explore crime and deviant behavior from a sociological perspective.

Learners can pursue a bachelor of science (BS) or a bachelor of arts (BA) in this field. There are usually only minor differences between these options: For instance, a liberal arts-focused BA degree may require foreign language coursework, while a STEM-centered BS may not.

Minors such as informatics, linguistics, and journalism allow criminal justice majors to expand their expertise. Programs may also offer criminal justice internships at local and state government agencies and nonprofits.

Criminal justice majors can potentially enjoy greater career relevance when they pursue concentrations within the field. Much like a minor, specializations allow students to explore subjects that fall within or intersect with criminal justice. Common concentrations include:

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reveals 10.1 million college students nationwide took at least one online course in 2022, including 4.9 million students enrolled exclusively in distance education classes. The advantages of online learning make it a popular option to pursue a college degree. Online programs offer the same quality and education as on-campus programs with added benefits, such as:

Each criminal justice school has its own requirements and preferences when reviewing candidates for its bachelor’s program. However, most institutions require applicants to hold a high school diploma or an equivalent, like a GED certificate. Additional materials like those listed below are also common components of college applications.

Online criminal justice schools usually look for courses that prove college readiness in math and English. Many institutions stipulate a minimum 2.0-2.7 high school GPA. If students do not meet GPA minimums, some schools consider standardized test scores or placement exams.

No matter their major, colleges may prefer students who participated in diverse extracurriculars, including sports, language clubs, and music groups. Criminal justice candidates can focus specifically on psychology, law, forensics, or debate clubs. Volunteer experience can also bolster applications by showing learners’ commitment to their communities.

Many schools require bachelor’s applicants to submit a self-reflective essay about their experiences. Consider discussing your interest in criminal justice as a major and career path to help the admissions committee understand what drives you.

Undergraduate degree-seekers may need recommendation letters from educators, mentors, and other nonfamily professionals.

Many institutions have made ACT and SAT scores optional, while others request scores only if a student’s GPA does not meet required minimums. Generally, schools look for scores totaling at least 20 for the ACT or 1030 for the SAT. Students who have earned these scores — or higher — can submit these results to boost their applications, even if not required.

Graduates of online criminal justice programs can pursue work in many different settings, such as police departments, law offices, and correctional facilities. Popular criminal justice jobs include police officer, probation officer, and corrections officer.

Many federal agencies prefer candidates who hold bachelor’s degrees. Even for professions that only require a high school diploma, a college degree can often lead to higher pay.

The list below includes a few career paths for criminal justice degree-holders.

Upon completing a criminal justice degree, individuals can begin their professional journey or pursue advanced studies.

Law school can be a valuable next step after a criminal justice undergraduate education. Law students with a juris doctor degree can specialize in criminal law or other subfields like intellectual property, corporate, health, or tax law.

With a master’s in social work, you can pivot into a career as a forensic social worker. A master’s in cybercrime can lead to advanced opportunities and higher pay within the digital forensics and cybersecurity sector.

If you are interested in working in academia, a Ph.D. in criminal justice can qualify you for research and professorial positions.