Online criminal justice degrees
Prepare for a career to help your community
Our online criminal justice degrees prepare you for careers in corrections, the court system, law enforcement and security. Pursue a degree that gives you skills that professionally support and protect justice.
Learn more about our associate, bachelor's and master's online criminal justice degrees.
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Why earn your criminal justice degree with us?
Our online criminal justice degrees are designed specifically for working professionals, like you. Which means they help you build a strong foundation in criminal justice while learning the leadership skills to prepare for a career in corrections, the court system or other positions within the fields of criminal justice, public administration and security without leaving your current role to attend school.
Save time and money
Graduate faster by transferring in prior eligible credits from another accredited institution. If you have existing industry certifications as well as military, security, or law enforcement training you can apply to have that relevant experience evaluated for college credit toward degrees in Criminal Justice Administration, Public Administration and Administration of Justice and Security.
Affordable, fixed tuition
We’ve locked in our affordable tuition for the duration of your online criminal justice degree. So, you can count on your tuition to be as dependable as your education.
Gain real-world knowledge
At University of Phoenix our instructors average 28+ years of experience in the fields they teach. So, you won’t just study theory you’ll learn how to apply it.
Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years
Get value from your education before you even graduate. Update your professional profile with learned skills when you complete every 5- or 6-week course in our associate, bachelor's and master's programs.
Meet your college deans
Our college deans focus on developing a career-relevant curriculum. They bring industry experience to the classroom and lead a faculty of academic professionals with one goal in mind—to help you earn the skills you need to pursue your career.
Christina Neider, EdD
Dean, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Franzi Walsh, DBA
Associate Dean, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
How to apply
We're with you every step of the way
Set your goals
Select your criminal justice degree, course or certificate.
Begin online application
Complete your application on your own or with the help of an enrollment representative.
Start school
Register for class and get ready for the first day of school.
Frequently asked questions
Our criminal justice degrees can prepare you to work in a variety of settings:
- Criminal justice – Operate in the field, using your new understanding of the agencies, corrections systems and procedures involved in criminal justice
- Criminal justice administration – Serve your community via administrative responsibilities in law enforcement, criminal courts and corrections
- Public administration – Work in both the public and private sectors, engaging in areas such as civic leadership and non-profit management, to governmental, finance, and budgeting
- Security management - Keep workplace assets safe as the front line of defense for employee safety and asset protection
- Administration of justice/security - Work in management positions in law enforcement, corrections, court operations and security organizations
Here’s how long it can take to complete a criminal justice, public administration or security degree program without any prior academic or professional experience transfers:
- Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice (AACJS): approximately 2 years
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration (BSCJA): approximately 4 years
- Bachelor of Science in Public Administration (BSPA): approximately 4 years
- Bachelor of Science in Security Management (BSSEC): approximately 4 years
- Master of Science in Administration of Justice and Security (MS/AJS): approximately 18 months
- Master of Public Administration (MPA): approximately 1 year, 5 months
A criminal justice degree from University of Phoenix can help you in a number of ways:
- Equip you with general skills like communication, critical-thinking and problem-solving
- Show potential employers your commitment to personal and professional growth
The University’s Criminal Justice programs are educational degree programs. For those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement, corrections or as a peace officer with any particular local, state, tribal, federal or international agency, there are numerous additional qualifications (and often disqualifications) depending on the position. Before enrolling in a Criminal Justice program, potential students are highly encouraged to check with the relevant agency for a complete list of position requirements. The University makes no representations regarding whether any particular University program will qualify a graduate for any such position.
Start a conversation about your future with an enrollment representative today.
*While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.