What Is a Criminal Justice Degree?

According to a 2023 Gallup poll, only about 49% of Americans think the justice system is fair. In 2003, that number stood at 66%. With this sharp decline in trust in police, courts and correctional systems, a highly trained and highly educated criminal justice workforce is perhaps more important than ever.

To learn how to revitalize trust in the criminal justice system, future and working professionals alike turn to Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice degree programs. Focused on helping students learn both fundamental and advanced problem-solving skills, these programs are the bachelor’s degree of choice for everyone from policymakers to frontline enforcement professionals.

Exactly what is a criminal justice degree, and how can earning one help new and early career professionals accelerate their careers?

What Is a Criminal Justice Degree? An Overview of the Curriculum

Criminal justice is a complex field. To understand and work in it, professionals must have a firm grasp of not only criminal laws and legal processes but also the many social and psychological issues that influence behavior. As such, the uniquely diverse curricula they offer define criminal justice degree programs.

While each program is a little different, criminal justice degree programs typically offer classes on:

• Each part of the criminal justice system (law enforcement, courts and corrections)

• Gender, race and class, as well as their relationships to criminal justice policy

• Civil rights

• Local, state and federal legal policies

• Social welfare programs

• Abnormal psychology

• Research methods and statistics

In addition to classes on these fundamental topics, criminal justice degree programs offer electives on more specific topics, such as the juvenile justice system, forensics and organized crime. These types of classes can help students learn the unique skills needed to work in various sectors of the justice system.

3 Benefits of Earning a Degree in Criminal Justice

Pursuing any type of degree is a complex decision. Before enrolling, students want to be sure that their education can help them enter their intended field, make them competitive candidates for career advancement opportunities and give them a solid foundation to build upon later in their careers — whether they are current or future criminal justice professionals.

Dr. Elicka Sparks, professor of criminal justice at Appalachian State University, explains, “I really enjoy working with the adult criminal justice students in our program — both those who are currently working in the criminal justice system and those who want to do so in the future.”

She also highlights how her own experiences inform her approach to educating students in Flight Path Programs: “I truly understand juggling family, work, and school because I was a nontraditional student myself. It’s great to have the opportunity to help others navigate that balancing act with empathy. It’s a very satisfying way to help others and give back.”

Fortunately, criminal justice degree programs excel in helping students in all three areas.

1. With a Degree in Criminal Justice, Professionals Can Work in Any Number of Sectors

Students typically enroll in criminal justice degree programs because they feel a calling to work in the criminal justice system. However, the American criminal justice system is made up of more subsectors than many future professionals realize. Also, because a flexible, diverse curriculum is at the heart of what a criminal justice degree program is, graduates can launch careers in any number of these specialties.

Graduates of criminal justice programs often work for:

• Law enforcement agencies

• Courts system

• Correctional facilities

• Probation and parole offices

• Nonprofit advocacy organizations

• Homeland security and counterterrorism agencies

• Private security and investigative firms

• Social service providers

• Fraud detection branches of insurance agencies and financial institutions

Just as important, professionals with criminal justice degrees can work at any level of the justice system. Those who want to support their communities can work at the local or state level, while those who are passionate about big-picture social issues can work at the federal or international level.

2. Criminal Justice Degree-Holders Are Well-Positioned for Career Advancement Opportunities

Many entry-level criminal justice positions don’t require bachelor’s degrees. Patrol officers, corrections officers and dispatchers in many jurisdictions only need a high school or GED diploma. That being said, degrees are often required or highly recommended for more competitive and advanced positions. For that reason, future and current criminal justice professionals often earn a BS in Criminal Justice early in their careers.

Special agents at the FBI and other federal agencies, for example, must typically have both experience and bachelor’s degrees. Forensic technicians, criminal investigators and analysts and similar specialists also typically need at least a bachelor’s degree because of their complex technical duties.

While policies vary between jurisdictions, a study published by the National Policing Institute found that many law enforcement agencies require officers to have a bachelor’s degree to qualify for promotions to lieutenant and above. The study also found that the vast majority of law enforcement agencies offer incentives, including increased salaries, to officers with degrees.

3. Criminal Justice Degrees Lay the Foundation for Further Studies

For many criminal justice professionals, earning a bachelor’s degree is an important step toward earning a master’s degree or a doctorate. A BS in Criminal Justice isn’t always required to enroll in a criminal justice-related graduate degree program, but it can form a strong foundation for further studies.

For example, a degree in criminal justice is what many future lawyers, judges and legal consultants earn before pursuing their Juris Doctors and taking their local bar exams. Similarly, future psychologists, social workers and other behavioral health professionals often earn a degree in criminal justice before pursuing the advanced clinical degrees their positions require. This is so they can be better prepared to serve inmates, victims and other populations.

Start Your Journey in Making Justice Fairer

Whether a criminal justice graduate wants to become a force of change in their local precinct or battle systemic issues at the national level, getting there means finding the right program. The online BS in Criminal Justice program at App State Online strives to be that program for students of all kinds.

With 30 years of criminal justice education experience, App State Online offers a curriculum that prioritizes career-focused skills, critical thinking and social context. While our flexible eight-week terms and online classes allow students to maintain their own busy schedules, students also get support and professional guidance from experienced criminal justice faculty.

To find out more about App State Online’s dynamic criminal justice curriculum, transfer credit policies and more, contact a member of the admissions team today.

Recommended Readings:

Understanding Criminal Justice Policy

Sources:

FBIJobs.gov, Application and Evaluation Process

Gallup, “Americans More Critical of U.S. Criminal Justice System”

Indeed, 11 Jobs You Can Get With a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice

National Policing Institute, “Policing around the Nation: Education, Philosophy, and Practice”

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Forensic Science Technicians