Online Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Curriculum

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Criminal justice careers are incredibly diversified, with equally diverse academic achievement and work experience serving as a starting point. Undergraduate criminal justice courses can provide the core competencies that students will require to establish a successful law enforcement career or to continue their university education in the future.

An online BA in criminal justice can help provide a competitive advantage, effectively setting an individual on the path towards one day accomplishing their professional goals. By completing a university program in criminal justice, an individual can learn the skills and tools needed to grow as a criminal justice professional.

Quality criminal justice programs emphasize teaching practical skills and learning from industry veterans who have extensive experience in criminology and other law enforcement areas.

Maryville University Online BA in Criminal Justice Curriculum

The online Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice program at Maryville University strives to prepare students for lifelong careers in the field of criminal justice.

Maryville’s program is designed to develop a student’s understanding and appreciation of the dynamics related to criminality, the law and its enforcement. The interdisciplinary approach examines crime as a social phenomenon by combining theoretical learning with professional field-based education.

Students enrolling in the online bachelor’s in criminal justice program may be able to obtain credit for successful completion of police academy training through select academies. For police academy students, the 128-credit curriculum includes general education courses (42 credits), criminal justice/criminology core courses (15 credits), a social science research sequence (12 credits), police academy training program (up to 12 credits), and general electives (47 credits — or, as needed, to reach 128 total credits).

Alternatively, students may opt for a non-police academy track and through an internship and seminar courses, complete project-based learning at social and protective service agencies. For non-police academy students, the 128-credit curriculum includes general education courses (42 credits), criminal justice/criminology core courses (15 credits), a social science research and internship sequence (21 credits), criminal justice/criminology electives (3 credits), and general electives (47 credits).

Learn more about Maryville’s Online BA in Criminal Justice courses here:

For Police Academy Students:

Criminal Justice/Criminology Core Courses

Enhance your understanding of the dynamics related to the criminality, the law, and its enforcement with courses covering criminology theory, criminal law and procedures, multicultural policing, and more.

CRIM 102Introduction to Criminal Justice3 Credits
CRIM 210Multicultural Policing3 Credits
CRIM 220Corrections in Society3 Credits
CRIM 311Criminal Law and Procedure3 Credits
PSCI 319Civil Liberties/Rights3 Credits
CRIM 322Criminological Theory3 Credits
SOSC 495Internship3 Credits

Social Science Research Sequence

The social science research sequence includes a series of courses designed to help students emerge with an inter-connected understanding of how to craft research, analyze results and present findings.

SOSC 240Criticial Thinking in Social Science3 Credits
SOSC 242Research Methods3 Credits
SOSC 245Research Design6 Credits
SOSC 341Understanding Statistical Inference3 Credits

Police Academy Training Program

Students can receive up to 12 hours of credit toward completion of the major for successfully completing police academy training through select academies.

CRIM 494Police Academy Training Program12 Credits

For Non-Police Academy Students:

Criminal Justice/Criminology Core Courses

Enhance your understanding of the dynamics related to the criminality, the law, and its enforcement with courses covering criminology theory, criminal law and procedures, multicultural policing, and more.

CRIM 102Introduction to Criminal Justice3 Credits
CRIM 210Multicultural Policing3 Credits
CRIM 220Corrections in Society3 Credits
CRIM 311Criminal Law and Procedure3 Credits
CRIM 322Criminological Theory3 Credits

Social Science Research Sequence/Internship

The social science research sequence includes a series of courses designed to help students emerge with an inter-connected understanding of how to craft research, analyze results and present findings. Through an internship and coursework, students can complete project-based learning at social and protective service agencies.

SOSC 240Criticial Thinking in Social Science3 Credits
SOSC 242Research Methods3 Credits
SOSC 245Research Design6 Credits
SOSC 341Understanding Statistical Inference3 Credits
SOSC 480Senior Seminar3 Credits
SOSC 485Senior Project6 Credits

Criminal Justice/Criminology Electives

Choose 1 criminal justice/criminology elective courses from the below options.

CRIM 211Introduction to Criminal Investigations3 Credits
CRIM 305Family Violence Through the Lifespan3 Credits
CRIM 405Domestic and International Terrorism3 Credits

To ensure the best possible educational experience for our students, we may update our curriculum to reflect emerging and changing employer and industry trends. Undergraduate programs and certificates are designed to be taken at a part-time pace. Please speak to your advisor for more details.

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Skills, Concepts, or Opportunities Gained With a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice

Criminal justice programs help aspiring criminal justice specialists grow as academics and professionals. Criminal justice programs often offer the following:

  • Police academy training credit and/or internship opportunities. Many criminal justice programs offer the opportunity to receive credit towards your bachelor’s degree for successfully completing approved police academy training programs. Alternatively, they may offer experiential-based learning opportunities through an internship. Police academy training or an internship is very crucial in law enforcement. Whether you’re looking forward to becoming a police officer or a computer forensic investigator, these hands-on learning and training experiences can give you the practical qualities and competencies required to achieve the most in stressful situations.
  • Learning from law enforcement professionals. A theory-based university education gives students the background and context with which to build the necessary skills. Still, areas such as criminal justice also necessitate a practical approach. A high-quality program is crafted by law enforcement professionals who have years of experience in the field.
  • Project-based instruction. Contemporary educational opportunities necessitate active involvement on behalf of the students. Doing projects will develop critical thinking and help students utilize the skills and knowledge acquired over the duration of the course.

Through such academic instruction, criminal justice students will acquire an array of important skills. Applying ethical standards to criminal justice issues, doing effective research and investigation, knowing how to rely on technology, being perfectly aware of the functioning of the criminal justice system, and approaching complex problems from diverse perspectives are all learned via the right curriculum.

Common Undergraduate Criminal Justice Courses

The following courses are typical for a criminal justice curriculum:

Multicultural Policing. Law enforcement professionals face many potential challenges, and working in diverse multicultural settings may be one of them. The course emphasizes effective communication across cultures and how law enforcement professionals could utilize such skills in the process of doing their job.

Corrections in Society. Correctional practices have changed over the years. Corrections in Society explores this evolution in the United States and highlights the range of different correctional options that criminal justice professionals can employ.

Criminological Theory. As mentioned above, theory is the backbone of every academic discipline. Criminological Theory offers an introduction to criminology, and it looks at the different theoretical schools side by side. The scope of exploration focuses on traditions established over the past three centuries.