Study Criminal Justice in Virginia

Criminal justice is a highly interesting field of study. You can learn about why crime occurs, develop an understanding of how to prevent crime, and gain a sense of modern theories of crime and punishment, too. And today, you can do it all online!

Like most states, Virginia has a robust higher education system, with schools dotting its landscape. Most of these schools offer many online learning options, too – not the least of which is online degrees in criminal justice.

Whether you’re a first-year student looking for a bachelor’s degree, a criminal justice professional who wants to advance their skills, or something in between, there are programs that fit your needs in Virginia. The list below outlines some of the popular options to consider.

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

Online Criminal Justice Degrees in Virginia

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

  • Old Dominion University
  • Virginia Wesleyan University
  • Liberty University
  • Penn State University World Campus
  • Radford University
  • Southern New Hampshire University
  • Maryville University
  • The Chicago School
  • Grand Canyon University

Old Dominion University

Online Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice

Old Dominion University offers an online Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice that can be completed as a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science. Both options are virtually the same, though the B.A. track allows for more elective courses while the B.S. track focuses more on research and criminal justice.

You can enter the B.S. program as a first-year student who needs four years of studies to complete 120 credits. Alternatively, you can pursue the B.A. or B.S. track as a transfer student seeking to complete a degree. Transfer options are abundant at ODU – you only need to complete 30 of the 120 credits at ODU to graduate, opening doors for you if you have up to 90 credits of coursework already completed.

As with any online program, you can access course materials any time of day or night from any location, provided you have internet service. Most of the courses in this degree don’t have set class meeting times, either, giving you an additional layer of flexibility for completing your studies.

If entering as a first-year student, you’ll first complete lower-division and upper-division general education classes. For example, you’ll take classes in written and verbal communications, human behavior, and human creativity. Likewise, coursework in science, technology, and ethics are required.

You must complete at least 53 credits within the criminal justice major. This includes very broad courses in areas like Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Criminology, and the Criminal Justice System. You’ll also take a course in Law and the Criminal Justice System, which explores procedural law, investigatory procedures, and the punishment of crimes. Other required courses include the following:

  • Social Research Methods
  • Criminological Theory
  • Capstone Research Project

You must also complete one stratification course. This course focuses on a very specific population or issue within criminal justice, like the Sociology of Women, Social Inequality, or Sexualities in Society. Other options include Sociology of Minority Families, Sociology of Child Welfare, and Minority Group Relations.

The next component of this program is an upper-level law course. Again, you have numerous options to fulfill this requirement. For example, if you’re interested in the rights of children, you might take Children’s Rights and the Law. Likewise, if you’re interested in the sociological implications of crime and law, you might take Law and Social Control.

The remaining 18 credits needed to graduate are criminal justice electives. You’re free to choose which classes to take for this portion of the degree. The only caveats are that you must choose courses at the 300 or 400 level and complete each class with a grade of C or better.

If you want to expand your studies further, Old Dominion offers a double major in criminal justice and sociology that allows you to use up to five courses for both majors. If that’s too much of a commitment, you might consider majoring in criminal justice and minoring in sociology.

The following general admission requirements must be satisfied to apply:

  • Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
  • Provide high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university from which you’ve earned credit.

The specific admissions requirements depend on whether you’re a first-year or transfer student. ODU’s enrollment team will help you determine precisely what requirements you have to meet to be admitted.

Virginia Wesleyan University

Online Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan University gives you a thorough education in the sociology of crime, the U.S. legal system, and the U.S. correctional system. You’ll learn about these topics in the context of a comprehensive liberal arts education that takes a multidisciplinary approach.

Not only will you gain essential knowledge of criminal justice topics, but you’ll also develop real-world skills that enable you to immediately enter the workforce upon graduation. You’ll learn these skills from faculty members who have career experience in criminology, law enforcement, law, and other essential areas of this field.

The curriculum is divided into two components: general education requirements and core requirements. The general education courses are required for all undergraduates, regardless of major. These courses include, but are not limited to, studies in the following areas:

  • Mathematics
  • English composition
  • Natural sciences
  • Social sciences
  • Foreign language

Additionally, you’ll participate in three liberal arts seminars called The Wesleyan Seminars. These classes unite students from various majors to explore topics representing a wide range of study areas. Faculty members choose these topics, and their purpose is to promote the development of intellectual curiosity as well as essential academic skills, like speaking, writing, and reading.

You must also complete a breadth requirement, which is a six-course sequence that explores topics from three key departments at the university: arts and humanities, math and natural sciences, and social sciences. A professional studies course is also required.

While you have a good deal of liberty to choose which courses you take to fulfill the general education requirements, the same cannot be said for the core coursework. Instead, the faculty has designed the curriculum with specific criminal justice topics in mind to best prepare you for the workforce after you graduate.

The core requirements include nine courses, starting with Introduction to Criminal Justice. As the course name indicates, this class is a broad overview of the criminal justice system, its organizations and entities, and its stakeholders. You’ll also take a Criminology course to become familiar with the nature and causes of crime.

There are opportunities within the core curriculum to examine highly specific criminal justice topics, too. For example, the Extreme Murder class dives into an examination of some of the most notorious murders in U.S. history. Meanwhile, the Delinquency and Juvenile Justice class analyzes the factors leading to juvenile delinquency as well as the mechanisms within the criminal justice system to address the needs of child offenders.

Other core coursework includes the following:

  • Introduction to Social Research
  • Criminal Law
  • Senior Integrative Assessment
  • Corrections
  • Law Enforcement

A final component of the program is your choice of two additional breadth courses. You must choose your two classes from the following: Introductory Statistics, Psychology and the Law, Accounting I, or Accounting II.

The requirements to apply for this program are as follows:

  • Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
  • Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university from which you’ve earned credit.
  • Submit official ACT or SAT scores (if you’ve completed 12 or fewer college credits)

Liberty University

Online Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

At Liberty University, you can complete a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in four years. In that time, you’ll earn 120 or more credits that explore a wide range of academic disciplines that prepare you to work in the criminal justice field. In fact, this degree prepares you for varied careers like police officer, correctional officer, or probation officer. You can also find employment in victim advocacy, social research, and criminal justice policy development.

An interesting feature of this program is that you can choose from nine different degree options. On the one hand, you might select the Generalized Track if you want a broad-based education. On the other hand, you might choose Juvenile Justice, Crime Scene Investigation, or Corrections and Human Services if you have specific career goals that align with those areas. Other options include:

  • Business Administration and management
  • Criminal Psychology
  • Homeland Security
  • Public Administration
  • Strategic Intelligence Studies

No matter which specialization you choose, you’ll enjoy 8-week accelerated courses. Taking fewer shortened classes at the same time helps minimize your workload while still allowing you to graduate in four years.

A common factor between each of the specializations listed above is the foundational coursework and major-area requirements. Just like with the degrees outlined above, this one requires you to complete very broad studies in liberal arts fields like communications, civics, social and scientific inquiry, and math. Liberty is a religious school, so you’re required to take Christianity courses, too.

Before starting the criminal justice coursework, you must complete two major foundational courses: American Government and Constitutional Government and Free Enterprise. Once those classes are complete, you can go about finishing the 39-credit core sequence of courses within the major.

You’ll start with lower-division classes like Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice Research and Writing, and Criminal Justice Report Writing, all of which help you build basic skills for being a more effective criminal justice student. For example, Introduction to Criminal Justice exposes you to various theories, techniques, and practices in this field, including modern theories of crime and punishment. The other two courses help you develop improved research and writing capabilities, which you’ll need throughout the degree and in your profession.

From there, you’ll take upper-division criminal justice classes. For example, you’ll take courses focusing specifically on the Judicial Process, Criminal Law, and Constitutional Criminal Procedure. Furthermore, you’re required to take classes on Juvenile Justice, Corrections, and Criminology.

Lastly, you’ll complete a series of Cognate courses that focus on your chosen specialization. This is where your degree options diverge because each of the nine concentration areas have different cognate courses.

For example, the Strategic Intelligence Studies track requires the following classes:

  • Introduction to Intelligence and National Security
  • Intelligence Analyst
  • Counter-Terrorism
  • Military Operations and Intelligence
  • Strategic Intelligence

Meanwhile, the Criminal Psychology track requires these courses:

  • Overview of Theory and Treatment of Substance Abuse
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Behavior Management
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Psychology of Criminal Behavior

To qualify, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Complete the online application for admission linked above.
  • Submit a $50 application fee.
  • Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university from which you’ve earned credit.

You must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA or higher for admission in good standing.

Penn State University World Campus

Online Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program at Penn State’s World Campus is a 120-credit program, which typically requires four years of full-time study, though it offers the flexibility to adjust your pace. You can accelerate your studies by taking more classes each semester or slow them down to accommodate your personal and professional commitments.

Throughout this program, you’ll gain essential skills in the criminal justice field, such as:

  • Addressing complex criminal justice problems.
  • Analyzing criminal behaviors.
  • Assessing the effectiveness of crime control strategies.
  • Understanding the legal principles of the criminal justice system.
  • Evaluating criminal justice research critically.

Your education will cover a variety of subjects. Initially, you’ll complete general education courses in writing, communication, quantification, and natural sciences. Additionally, you’ll take introductory courses in the arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and health and wellness.

The core criminal justice curriculum consists of 24 credits of required courses. These foundational courses include broad studies of topics like Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Policing in America.

You’ll also take specialized courses in Courts and the Prosecution Process, Corrections in America, and Ethics in Criminal Justice. To strengthen your research skills, you’ll complete a statistics course that will teach you how to collect, analyze, and interpret criminal justice data.

An additional 12 credits of coursework will focus on specialized areas within criminal justice, such as Public and Private Policing, Diversity in Criminal Justice, and Special Populations and the Law. You can choose to concentrate on one area or mix courses from different specializations.

For example, if you are interested in diversity issues within criminal justice, you might take:

  • Race, Ethnicity, and Culture
  • Border Security
  • Race, Crime, and Justice
  • Criminal Law and Procedure

If you prefer to focus on administrative aspects of criminal justice, your courses might include:

  • Police Administration
  • Border Security
  • Alternatives to Incarceration
  • The Juvenile Justice System

To round out your degree, you’ll select elective courses that align with your interests. Penn State offers a wide range of electives in criminal justice, allowing you to tailor your studies. Possible areas of focus include security management, homeland security, and child welfare.

Additionally, you can earn credit for prior police training. Penn State may accept up to 16.5 credits from ACT 120, Municipal Police Training, or Pennsylvania State Police training, which can be applied to courses such as:

  • Introduction to Criminal Justice
  • Courts and the Prosecution Process
  • Policing in America
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Physical Conditioning
  • First Aid and CPR

To be admitted to the program, you must:

  • Hold a high school diploma or its equivalent.
  • Submit high school or GED transcripts.
  • Provide official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.
  • Demonstrate English proficiency if English is not your first language.

Radford University

Online Master of Criminal Justice

Radford University’s College of Graduate Studies offers a Master of Criminal Justice that can be completed as a Master of Science or a Master of Arts. Both options require you to complete 36 credits of coursework, which usually takes two years of full-time studies. However, you can enroll part-time and spend up to six years completing the requirements for graduation.

The curriculum is divided into three parts: core courses, Master of Arts or Master of Science requirements, and criminal justice electives. The core coursework includes 15 credits of studies in areas like Criminal Justice Research Methods, Quantitative Methods in Criminal Justice Research, and Studies in Criminological Theory.

Additionally, you’re required to take a course in Public Policy and Criminal Justice that examines the role of public input in the criminal justice system. You’ll examine topics related to ethics, administration, and policing, as well as policy issues related to the court system and corrections.

Furthermore, you’ll take a Survey of Criminal Justice class that serves as a broad overview of the U.S. Criminal Justice system. You’ll closely examine areas of practice in law enforcement, law, and corrections, and develop an understanding of how each component is both its own entity and how each is interrelated with the other.

The next aspect of the program is the M.A. and M.S. requirements. If you choose the M.A. track, you’re required to complete a thesis. The thesis is worth six credits and requires intensive research on a topic of your choosing. The topic must be approved by your advisor beforehand, and you must defend your thesis in an oral examination as part of the graduation requirements.

If you choose the M.S. track, you’ll complete a portfolio requirement instead of a thesis. This enables you to collect samples of your best work from throughout the program, summarize them, and explain the knowledge and skills you’ve gained and how you’ll use these new tools in your future career. Additionally, M.S. track students must take an additional six hours of coursework to meet the requirement of 36 credits to graduate.

Lastly, you’ll take 15 elective credits. You can choose the five classes from a list of varied courses that have been approved by the department. On the one hand, you might take Social Awareness, Judicial Behavior, and Foundations of Corrections as three of your electives. On the other hand, you might choose Crime Mapping, Applications in Crime Analysis, and Foundations of Law Enforcement as your electives. Other options include the following:

  • Historical Perspectives in Criminal Justice
  • Organizational Theory
  • Constitutional Law and the Criminal Justice System
  • Crime Science and Crime Analysis
  • Topical Seminar

If you want to gain real-world experience in this field before graduating, you can also participate in a graduate internship.

You must meet the following requirements to apply:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
  • Have a 2.90 cumulative undergraduate GPA or higher.
  • Submit two letters of reference.
  • Submit an original writing sample.

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