How Can I Get This Degree?

The Helms School of Government at Liberty University offers students the ability to earn a bachelor’s in criminal justice and become leaders in the field following graduation. To earn this degree, student must first apply to the university and submit all appropriate application material, including high school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and personal essays. The application deadline for the fall semester is at the end of January. Once accepted into the program, students must complete between 45 and 50 credit hours, depending on whether students take the courses online or residentially. Required courses include Criminal Justice Research and Writing, Administration of Justice Organizations, Juvenile Justice, Corrections, Judicial Process, Criminology, Criminal Justice ethics, and Criminal Law. Electives are also required for this degree plan, but will again vary based on the students’ status. Law enforcement personnel that attend this program and can provide documentation that states they completed an accredited police academy could earn up to 14 hours in their degree program.

What Can I Do With This Degree?

Earning this degree provides students a wide array of career options following graduation, including working as criminologists, customs service inspectors, detectives, federal agents, fraud investigators, police officers, parole officers, military service personnel and other similar professions. As an example, criminologists can work independently, with a securities company, or as part of a law enforcement agency, where they analyze crimes and criminal behavior. They attempt to dissect the patterns and data available to them in order to provide explanations, motives, and other similar information regarding crimes. These professionals usually earn between $36,000 and $48,000 annually, according to PayScale.com. Many students also become police officers. These professionals work to catch criminals, enforce the law, and maintain the peace and order of a community. This profession is projected to grow fairly steadily between 2008 and 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Annually, police personnel can expect to earn around $50,000, but this depends on their rank within their department, their geographic location and their experience level.

Top Online Universities

	University of Phoenix - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, & Doctoral Degrees. University of Phoenix has numerous educational resources that allow it to offer students assistance that many other colleges can’t. University of Phoenix has campus locations throughout the country and classes are available online.
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	American InterContinental University Online  - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. American InterContinental University has campus locations around the world that have been educating students for over 35 years. AIU has become internationally recognized for offering dynamic, hands-on classes for students seeking new careers.
	Liberty University - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. Liberty University is one of the largest evangelical universities in the world today and has the resources to provide each student an outstanding education. Liberty University is a fully accredited university that has graduated thousands of students.
	Everest University - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. Every student attending classes at Everest University receives a hands-on approach from a well respected faculty that allows them to better learn the material. Everest University is very convenient for students working full time and allows them to take classes from home.
	Virginia College - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. Virginia College has been successful in placing students in fast-growing industries using their dynamic curriculum. An accredited university, Virginia College offers affordable programs that allow almost everyone to be able to attend.
	Capella University - Bachelor’s, Master’s, & Doctoral Degrees. Offering flexible class schedules and affordable classes, Capella University is making it easy for students to go back to school. Capella University offers many accredited upper level degrees that other colleges do not provide.
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