Study Criminal Justice in California

California has one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. In fact, there are nearly 350 colleges and universities in the Golden State. These institutions are of all sizes and are both public and private.

Of course, in today’s higher education landscape, you don’t have to go to one of these school campuses to get your degree. In the criminal justice field (and many others), you can get your bachelor’s or master’s degree entirely online.

This guide introduces you to some of the popular options in California – both undergraduate degrees and master’s program. In each case, you’ll find a challenging curriculum that prepares you for many jobs in the criminal justice field.

Best Accredited Online Criminal Justice Degrees in California - Criminal Justice Bachelor's, Master's and Associate's Programs in CA

Online Criminal Justice Degrees in California

Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online criminal justice degrees in California:

  • California State University-San Bernardino
  • California Coast University
  • San Francisco State University
  • University of Southern California
  • Clarion University
  • UMass Global
  • Liberty University
  • Maryville University
  • Southern New Hampshire University

California State University-San Bernardino

Online Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

At CSU-San Bernardino, you can get a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice that can be preparatory for your first criminal justice career or help you advance in your current position.

For example, this program is ideal if you’re a high school graduate seeking to become a probation and parole officer. Alternatively, if you’re already a police officer and want to expand your education, this program is a good fit for your needs.

The program requires you to complete 120 credits to graduate. The first third of these credits are dedicated to general education courses. These courses – which all students have to take regardless of major – offer a survey of broad studies in fields like social sciences, communications, and math. You’re also required to complete coursework in natural sciences, the humanities, and English language arts.

The rest of this program includes studies in criminal justice. The curriculum, which was developed by the esteemed faculty in CSU-San Bernardino’s Criminology and Criminal Justice Department, explores a wide variety of criminal justice topics.

The first two courses you must take are prerequisites: Introduction to the Criminal Justice System and Criminal Law. These classes are fundamental to your understanding of the American criminal justice system, which is why you’re required to take them first. You’ll learn about the adult and juvenile criminal justice systems and the history of criminal justice in the U.S., respectively.

You’ll need to complete a seven-course sequence of core classwork in criminal justice, too. You’ll take Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Statistics in Criminal Justice, both of which enable you to critically evaluate current research in this field and conduct your own research. The other core courses are as follows:

  • Theories of Crime and Delinquency
  • Correctional Theory and Institutions
  • Police and Police Systems
  • Integrative Studies in Criminal Justice
  • Expository Writing for the Social Sciences

As you can see, the range of studies in the criminal justice core is extremely broad. This is purposeful; it allows you to acquire a vast range of skills to be successful in your college education and in your future career.

The final component of this program is 18 elective credits. The possibilities for your studies in this part of the program are virtually limitless. You can study Criminology, Correctional Counseling, or Women and Crime. You might also choose to take classes in Forensic Profiling, White Collar Crime, or Crime Pattern Detection.

Additionally, you can choose to complete a six-course certificate in Homeland Security. The courses you take for the certificate count toward the elective credits for your degree, so you can graduate with this degree and a certificate without extra work. The certificate courses are as follows:

  • Hate Crime & Law Policy
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Terrorism
  • Homeland Security
  • Transnational Organized Crime
  • Cybercrime

The application for admission to CSU-San Bernardino is available online. The admission requirements for this program are as follows:

  • Have 60 or more earned college credits.
  • Have a college GPA of 2.7 or higher.
  • Complete the prerequisite courses described earlier.
  • Complete the following general education courses:
    • Oral Communication
    • Written Communication
    • Critical Thinking
    • Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning

California Coast University

Online Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from California Coast University is an extremely flexible online program. In fact, all classes are self-paced, so you don’t have to make accommodations for set class meeting times, group projects, or even specific exam dates.

The curriculum includes 42 courses for a total of 126 credits needed to graduate. These courses are divided into three broad categories: general education requirements, core coursework, and elective classes.

As noted earlier, general education courses help you develop essential skills for being a successful college student and a well-rounded person. You’ll take courses like Introduction to Life Sciences, Psychology of Adjustment, and Early U.S. History. Courses in Intercultural Communication, English, and Mathematics are also required. All told, you’ll complete 14 general education courses.

The core coursework for this degree focuses specifically on criminal justice topics. Your core studies begin with an Introduction to Criminal Justice class that gives you a very broad and basic understanding of the U.S. criminal justice system. You’ll study the balance between individual rights and community interests, as well as how the criminal justice system is designed to respond to crime.

Another noteworthy core course is Juvenile Justice. This three-credit class examines the juvenile justice system, how the system operates, and how it relates to the larger system of addressing crime. You’ll look at the history of the juvenile justice system, learn about intake and processing procedures, and discuss the unique considerations for juvenile probation and parole, too.

A course in Criminal Investigation is also required. This class explores the fundamentals of investigating crimes, from interview and interrogation techniques to follow-up investigative processes to the unique investigative strategies used for different types of crimes.

This degree also focuses on highly specific applications of criminal justice. For example, you’ll take courses on Terrorism, Computer Forensics and Cyber Crime, and Domestic Violence. You’ll also look at different branches of criminal justice, such as Criminal Law, Homeland Security, and Theory and Practices of Law Enforcement. A course in the Theory and Practices of Corrections is additionally required.

The remaining core courses are as follows:

  • Procedures in the Justice System
  • Forensic Science
  • Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology
  • Criminal Behavior

Fourteen elective classes are necessary to complete this program. You have the freedom to choose electives that are directly related to criminal justice or explore other academic areas.

For example, you might take Abnormal Psychology, Psychology of Gender, and Social Psychology to gain insights into human behavior, which is a direct component of criminal justice. Alternatively, you might explore electives like Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness, Medical Law and Ethics, and the United States Healthcare System if you have an interest in how mental and physical illnesses are treated in this country.

The university has very basic admissions requirements for this program:

  • You must have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
  • Submit a copy of your high school transcripts showing your graduation date, or alternatively, submit equivalency exam scores.
  • You must be 18 years of age or older.

San Francisco State University

Online Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice

If you’ve already completed an associate’s degree or an equivalent number of transferable credits and want to finish your undergraduate studies, San Francisco State’s online bachelor’s degree completion program in criminal justice might be for you.

In fact, your previous coursework doesn’t have to be in criminal justice – you can apply to this program regardless of your major. Once admitted, you’ll join students from diverse backgrounds in learning more about the U.S. system of criminal justice. However, you won’t learn in a traditional classroom format. Instead, all classes are asynchronous, so you can work on your studies when it’s most convenient for you.

This program offers the same learning opportunities as the on-campus degree. You’ll study the same topics in the same sequence and learn from the same professors as on-campus students as well. Typically, students require about two years to finish this degree completion program, though you might be able to finish faster by taking additional courses each semester.

There are two types of classes you must complete for this degree: core coursework and electives. The core sequence covers essential topics in this field. For example, you’ll take a class entitled Construction of Crime and Justice, in which you examine the development of the criminal justice system in the United States. You’ll also take a class in Crime, Data, and Analysis, in which you analyze how crime is defined and measured. You’ll learn how to analyze crime, how crime data is disseminated, and the impact of understanding crime on society.

The next required course is Criminal Justice: A Cross-Disciplinary Perspective. As the course title indicates, you’ll examine criminal justice from multiple perspectives, including psychology, sociology, and public health. You’ll combine your studies in that class with competencies gained in a Research Methods course, which familiarizes you with the processes used to gather research data about crime, analyze it, and provide insights into what the data indicates about crime in the U.S.

The final core course is Field Course in Criminal Justice. This class puts you in a real-world criminal justice setting where you conduct research. More specifically, you’ll gather data, organize and analyze it, and present your findings. Coursework like this not only helps you build essential research skills, but it also helps you develop into a quality consumer of research information.

Elective coursework for this degree must come from three categories. You’ll complete one course in the Power and Inequality category, which explores the unique experiences of specific groups within the criminal justice system. There are four courses that satisfy this requirement, of which you must pick one:

  • Race, Crime, and Justice
  • Latina/o Youth, Crime, and Justice
  • Geographies of Social Control and Urban Diversity
  • Criminalization of Gender and Sexuality

The second elective category you must satisfy is Criminal Justice Law and Administration. You’re required to take one class that examines various criminal justice bodies, and you can choose from among the following classes:

  • Police and Public Policy
  • Jails and Prisons
  • California Corrections System
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure

Lastly, you’ll take 12-16 elective credits of your choice. San Francisco State offers a host of options to choose from, including those that focus on American Indian Law, Ethics in Criminal Justice, and Organized Crime. Other options include Issues in Free Speech, Gender and Communication, and Conflict Resolution, to name a few.

You can apply to this program online. Admissions requirements are as follows:

  • Be a California resident or a resident of an authorized state.
  • Have at least 60 college credits already completed.
  • Have a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • Be in good standing at the last institution you attended.
  • Complete all lower-division general education requirements with a C or better. This includes the following four courses:
    • Oral Communication
    • Written Communication
    • Critical Thinking
    • Quantitative Reasoning
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.

University of Southern California

Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice

If you’ve already completed your undergraduate studies and want to expand your knowledge of criminal justice, you might consider the Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Southern California.

This program explores evidence-based principles used by leaders in criminal justice to make the system fairer and more equitable. You’ll specifically examine the experience of vulnerable populations in the criminal justice system. You’ll also look at organizational leadership issues in this field as well as proposals for making positive changes.

USC offers this program as an accelerated one-year option or as a more typical two-year option. Both can be completed entirely online. Likewise, both options explore the same curriculum, which was developed by experts in this field and related fields of academic study. In all, you must complete 24 units of study to graduate.

Your classes include a broad cross-section of criminal justice studies. For example, you’ll take a Criminology course that examines how crime is explained and how responses to crime are developed. This includes an analysis of major criminological theories, criminal behavior rates among different groups, and how criminology informs the development of criminal justice policies.

Another required class is Criminal Justice Leadership. This class takes a look at various approaches to leadership in criminal justice applications, including those in policing and corrections. You’ll evaluate various leadership theories, discuss issues related to representation in leadership positions in this field, and devise a leadership development plan that supports your success as a leader in criminal justice.

You’ll take various courses focusing on criminal justice research, too. For example, a course in Applied Research Methods for Criminal Justice explores the basic methods used to answer critical questions about criminal justice issues. This class discusses ethics, evidence-based practice, and experimental design, among many other issues.

Additionally, the Applied Statistics and Data Analysis in Criminal Justice class helps you gain an understanding of statistics and statistical methods used to analyze and interpret criminological data. This class, combined with a course in Ethical Decision-Making in Criminal Justice, enables you to not only critically analyze criminal justice information, but also do so in a way that enhances ethical decision-making regarding criminal justice policies, procedures, and techniques.

Other required coursework explores specific applications of criminal justice theories. For example, you’ll take courses like:

  • Organizational Change in Criminal Justice
  • Youthful Offenders
  • Criminal Justice Policy and Program Development
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Corrections and Community Supervision

The final course in this program, called Making a Difference in Criminal Justice, readies you to be a leader in this field. You’ll explore how to evaluate current criminal justice policies, how to make policy changes, and evaluate the outcomes of those changes to ensure the criminal justice system works as effectively as possible.

To apply, you must meet the following requirements to apply:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
  • Provide a current resume or curriculum vitae.
  • Submit two to three letters of recommendation.
  • Provide a one to two-page statement of purpose in which you explain why you want to pursue this degree, how this program will assist you in achieving your career goals, and why this program is a good fit for you.

Is a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Worth It?

When considering whether to pursue a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, you need to evaluate several factors. This degree can open doors to numerous career opportunities, including positions in law enforcement, corrections, and the legal system. With a focus on the structure and functions of the criminal justice system, this education equips you with the knowledge necessary to understand and work within this field.

You’ll study a range of subjects, including criminal law, criminology, and the ethical issues surrounding justice administration. This knowledge can be particularly beneficial if you aim to advance in your career or pursue specialized roles. Moreover, the skills you acquire, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication, are highly valued in various professional settings.

Financial considerations are also important. A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice can lead to positions that offer competitive salaries and benefits. However, you should weigh these potential financial rewards against the cost of obtaining the degree. Investigate financial aid options, scholarships, and the potential return on investment in your chosen career path.

The degree also provides opportunities for networking with professionals in the field, which can be advantageous when seeking employment or career advancement. Internships and practical experiences are often part of the curriculum, allowing you to gain hands-on experience and make connections that could be beneficial in your future career.

In short, the worth of a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice depends on your career goals, financial situation, and personal interests. By thoroughly researching and considering these factors, you can make an informed decision about whether this educational path is right for you.

Which is Better, a BA or a BS in Criminal Justice?

When deciding between a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice, you need to consider your career goals, interests, and the focus of each degree program. Both degrees offer valuable education in the field of criminal justice, but they have different emphases and can lead to distinct career paths.

BA in Criminal Justice

  • Focus: The BA typically includes a broader liberal arts education, emphasizing subjects such as sociology, psychology, and public administration. This degree often requires more humanities and social science courses.
  • Skills Acquired: You’ll develop strong analytical, communication, and critical thinking skills. This can be beneficial if you are interested in roles that require understanding human behavior, policy analysis, or community relations.
  • Career Paths: Graduates with a BA in Criminal Justice may pursue careers in social services, community outreach, policy development, or administrative roles within the criminal justice system. This degree can also be advantageous if you plan to attend law school or pursue further studies in criminology or related fields.

BS in Criminal Justice

  • Focus: The BS degree typically has a more technical and scientific approach, with a stronger emphasis on mathematics, natural sciences, and research methods. You might take courses in forensic science, criminal investigation, and quantitative analysis.
  • Skills Acquired: You’ll gain skills in data analysis, research, and scientific methods. This can be particularly useful if you are interested in roles that involve investigative work, forensics, or technical aspects of criminal justice.
  • Career Paths: Graduates with a BS in Criminal Justice may pursue careers in law enforcement, forensic science, criminal investigation, or homeland security. This degree is well-suited for those who are interested in the practical and technical aspects of the field.

If you are drawn to the analytical and policy-making side of criminal justice, a BA may be more suitable. If you are interested in the technical, investigative, or scientific aspects, a BS might be a better fit.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Criminal Justice Degree Online?

The time it takes to earn a criminal justice degree online can vary based on several factors, including the type of degree, the specific program, and your personal schedule. Here are some general timelines for different levels of criminal justice degrees:

Associate Degree in Criminal Justice: Typically takes 2 years. This degree usually requires around 60 credits. It can be a good starting point for those looking to enter the workforce quickly or for those planning to transfer to a bachelor’s program later.

Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice: Typically takes 4 years. Most programs require around 120 credits. Some online programs offer accelerated options that allow you to complete the degree in a shorter timeframe, often around 3 years, depending on your pace and the number of credits you take per term.

Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice: Normally takes 1-2 years. This degree usually requires around 30-36 credits. Some programs offer accelerated options that can be completed in as little as one year.

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