Criminal Justice Degrees

Graduates with degrees in criminal justice and related fields will have opportunities to build careers in a broad range of criminal specialties. From private employment to employment in the federal government, a criminal justice degree online offers entry into careers in law enforcement, crime scene investigations, emergency management, forensics, homeland security, public safety, corrections, private security services, and many others. Some criminal justice careers require only an associate degree, but many require a bachelor’s, master’s, or law degree. Law related careers in the criminal justice system can include paralegal work, justice administration, and business law. Degrees in criminal justice could also lead to careers in corrections. A growing specialty in the criminal justice arena is computer security. Earning a criminal justice degree online is an excellent way for a person already working full-time to enter these professions.

Criminal Justice Degrees 

Criminal Justice – A criminal justice degree online offers a broad education encompassing every aspect of the criminal justice system. Courses will include law enforcement, basic legal theory, sociology, political science, crime scene investigation, forensics, and many related subjects.

Business Law – A business law degree will focus upon business and finance related areas of the legal system. Criminal justice careers in business law will focus on white collar crime, tax crime, political corruption, etc. Business law specialists often begin with degrees in criminal justice.

Computer Security – A bachelor’s degree in computer science, with an emphasis on computer security, focuses on issues related to privacy law, corporate security, identity theft, and techniques for detecting and preventing “hacking” of computer systems.

Corrections – Programs in corrections focus on corrections administration, parole, and probation to prepare graduates for careers in prison administration as parole or probation officers.

Crime Scene – A certificate or degree in crime scene technology will prepare a graduate to manage a crime scene, including evidence collection and preservation. Crime scene technicians also need excellent communication skills for presenting evidence in court.

Emergency Management – An emergency management degree program will cover the basics of law enforcement and emergency response as they relate to civil defense, disaster response, and disaster recovery issues.

Forensics – Forensics specialists are responsible for examining physical evidence in an effort to identify suspects. Many forensic scientists not only have backgrounds in criminal justice, but also advanced degrees in fields such as medicine, computer technology and engineering.

Homeland Security – A homeland security degree program focuses on preventing threats to public safety and the national infrastructure, whether the threats originate from domestic or foreign sources.

Justice Administration – A justice administration degree will combine criminology and sociology to prepare graduates to work in many capacities within the criminal justice system, such as parole officer, court administrator, or victim advocate.

Law – A law degree is a requirement for many criminal justice specialties. Public defenders, prosecuting attorneys, judges, and business law specialists all have legal degrees.

Law Enforcement – A law enforcement degree program focuses on issues involving sociology, psychology, law enforcement, criminal investigations, and communications, all of which are necessary for becoming a law enforcement officer at the local or federal level.

Legal Studies – Legal studies degree programs cover all the basics of the legal system, constitutional law, legal research, legal document preparation, and computer skills necessary for work in the paralegal profession.

Paralegal – A paralegal professional performs many of the same tasks as an attorney, preparing defense or prosecution cases in criminal proceedings, doing in depth research for attorneys, and preparing legal documents.

Public Safety – A public safety degree program is often combined with homeland security to teach graduates to prepare public response to terrorist attacks and natural disasters, and also to manage more mundane tasks like ensuring the safety compliance, design and maintenance of public buildings and outdoor spaces.