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Criminal Justice, BA

Dedicate yourself to serving your community

Criminal Justice, BA

Dedicate yourself to serving your community
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Program Overview

Courses

Career Outlook

Tuition

Admissions

 

overview

Online Bachelor's in Criminal Justice Overview

The online Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice is a multidisciplinary degree program with a broad approach to understanding the criminal justice field. The program will help you understand social and behavioral contributors to crime, how ethics and perceptions can influence politics and policy, and how to apply ethical decision models in your day-to-day work. If you are interested in pursuing a career in criminal justice or a related career field, you’ll receive a well-rounded education that gives you hands-on experience in this increasingly interdisciplinary field at UCCS Online. 

Dual Degree Options

Criminal Justice + Psychology
The Criminal Justice + Psychology dual degree is designed to make it easier for students to complete degrees in these two majors. Students in the dual degree program only need to take 28 credits in criminal justice and 36 credits in psychology to complete the major requirements for both degrees. 

Criminal Justice + Sociology
The Criminal Justice + Sociology dual degree is designed to make it easier for students to complete degrees in these two majors. Students in the dual degree program only need to take 25 credits in criminal justice and 34 credits in sociology (instead of 39 and 37 credits, respectively) to complete the major requirements for both degrees. 

Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

College of Public Service
100% Online

Delivery Method

$435*

Cost Per Credit
*Approximate In-state

$636*

Cost Per Credit
*Approximate Out-of-state

Priority Application Deadline

Rolling Admissions

Application Deadline

120

Credit Hours

4 Years

Average Completion Time

courses

Criminal Justice Courses

The program's focus of study is on providing a comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system and the social and behavioral factors that contribute to crime and delinquency. It is an interdisciplinary approach that draws from various fields, including law, sociology, psychology, and political science. The program emphasizes practical critical thinking and communication skills, ethical concerns in the criminal justice field, and cross-cultural differences in policy and public perception. 

During the program, you’ll participate in a required internship. Internships are a career-related, supervised experiential course that give you hands-on experience in a criminal justice agency. You can also learn from others in the field through the BACJ Engagement Series, where criminal justice professionals speak to students.

CJ 4121: Ethics in Criminal Justice 
This course is designed to begin preparing students in identifying and critically examining ethical issues in the criminal justice system by applying ethical decision models. This course also provides students with the unique opportunity to analyze how they would resolve these issues according to their own values and beliefs while staying within the boundaries of the law and professional codes of ethics. 

CJ 2041: Crime Theory and Causes 
This course provides a general survey of the nature and causes of crime and efforts of the criminal justice system to predict, prevent, modify, and correct this behavior. The course involves a critical appraisal of various theories of crime causation, including an examination of biological, psychological, economic, and sociological perspectives that explain crime and deviance. 

CJ 4044: Courts and Judicial Process 
This course examines the basic functions, structure, and organization of the federal and state court systems, with special attention on the criminal court system. It also focuses on the influence of judicial behavior on the court process by examining judges’ policy preferences, legal considerations, group processes within courts, and courts’ political and social environments. 

You'll learn to:

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Identify and understand the social and behavioral contributors to crime  

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Understand institutions, politics, and policy-making in the criminal justice system

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Utilize critical thinking and communication skills in practical contexts 

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Understand ethical concerns in the criminal justice field

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Recognize how perceptions vary across cultures and influence policy and public opinion 

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Build foundational skills you can carry into a variety of careers 

Specialization Track Options

The Forensic Science track option emphasizes key topics in the field, including evidence collection, processing, and analysis. Depending on the courses you select, you may delve into topics such as death investigations, interviewing techniques, and homicide investigations. Our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the evidentiary steps involved in a criminal case. 

This option area requires 15 credits from any of the following courses: 

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the legal system in the Law track option. By selecting from four courses in the list below, you'll gain valuable insights into crucial aspects of the courts and judicial system.

Depending on the courses you select, you'll delve into topics such as constitutional rights, the relationship between law and social policy, the integration of evidence in legal procedures, or a detailed examination of the trial and sentencing process. This specialized focus area will enable you to enhance your fundamental knowledge of the legal system.

Students may select from four (4) courses in the list below (12 credits) to complete this option area: 

Expand your knowledge of policing and law enforcement in the Law Enforcement track option. You'll have the opportunity to learn about the evolution of policing, police organization and leadership, and the current challenges facing law enforcement today. 

Depending on the courses you choose, you may also gain insight into topics such as police-community relations, investigations, interviewing techniques, and emerging threats like cybercrime and national security.

Students may select from any of the following four (4) courses (12 credits) to complete this option area: 

Are you interested in learning about hacking, cyberwar, and the application of the Amendments to the cyber world? You do not need to have any technical expertise in computer science or coding to choose the Cybercrime track option. You’ll learn about contemporary challenges that face both the public and private sectors, including criminal justice and other government agencies. 

This option teaches students about the important terminology, legal, policy, and criminal justice agency needs with growing cyber threats and provides a foundation of understanding that you can use in a future career.

This option area requires the following four (4) courses (12 credits) to be completed: 

Criminal Justice Field Career Data

Criminal justice graduates are equipped for more than work as law enforcement officers. They learn skills and knowledge to serve communities, help people in crisis, and protect from the local to the national level, including the military, Department of Defense, and Department of Motor Vehicles.

Our criminal justice graduates are now working as: 

  • Correctional officers 
  • Crime analysts  
  • Crime scene investigators/photographers 
  • Death (medicolegal) investigators 
  • Emergency dispatchers 
  • Evidence technicians 
  • Judicial clerks 
  • Investigators, public defender’s office 
  • Law enforcement officers 
  • Legal assistants 
  • Paralegals 
  • Probation officers 
  • Parole officers 
  • Project managers, research institute 
  • Sherriff’s deputies 
  • Victim advocates 
  • Private investigators/security 
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career

$74,910*

Police and Detectives

$64,940*

Forensic Science Technicians

$61,800*

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists

$60,970*

Paralegals and Legal Assistants

*Median salary in the U.S. as of May 2023. Some occupations may require continued/additional credentials or education.

Data retrieved on March 18, 2025, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.

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tuition

Tuition and Fees

At UCCS Online, we strive to keep our tuition costs affordable so that you can get a world-class education that fits your budget. When you earn a degree, you’re not simply getting a diploma — you’re making a lifelong investment in yourself and empowering your future career. We know that affordability is an important factor, and that’s why we’re here to help you explore all of the options available to fund your education.

Our Enrollment Team can answer any of your questions about tuition and financial aid, help you take care of the paperwork, and make sure you’re able to focus on reaching your goals. From financial aid and scholarships to tuition assistance programs, we’ll work with you to find the best way to finance your degree.

Complete the form on this page to connect with our Enrollment Team and get more information about tuition, fees, scholarships, and financial aid.

In State Cost Per Credit:

$435

Approximate tuition per credit hour based on the number of credits taken

Out of State Cost Per Credit:

$636

Approximate tuition per credit hour based on the number of credits taken

We know that affordability is an important factor, and that’s why we’re here to help you explore all of the options available to fund your education. Our Enrollment Navigators can answer any of your questions about tuition and financial aid, help you take care of the paperwork, and make sure you’re able to focus on reaching your goals. From financial aid and scholarships to transfer credits and corporate tuition assistance programs, we’ll work with you to find the best way to finance your UCCS Online degree. Complete the formComplete the form on this page to be contacted by an Enrollment Advisor.

Financial aid is available for eligible students to use toward paying educational costs while enrolled in a UCCS Online program. To determine your eligibility and apply for financial aid, you’ll need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). When you submit your FAFSA, you will be considered for three types of aid: grants, work-study, and student loans. To be considered for federal financial aid, you will need to apply early and annually.

  • Scholarships | You may be eligible for scholarships at UCCS. We offer many scholarships and grants to students who are ready to earn their degrees and achieve success. Between both UCCS-offered and external scholarships, our students earned more than $10 million in scholarship awards last year alone.
     
  • College Opportunity Fund (COF) | The College Opportunity Fund (COF) is a trust fund created by the Colorado Legislature that provides a tuition stipend to eligible undergraduate students. The stipend pays a portion of your total in-state tuition when you attend a participating college. All students must create a COF account directly through the College Opportunity Fund (COF) website.
     
  • WICHE | The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) has given many students from Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming the opportunity to study at UCCS. The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is an agreement through which 160+ participating public colleges and universities provide significant nonresident tuition savings for undergraduate programs, with eligible students pay no more than 150 percent of resident tuition rates.

UCCS Online is military-friendly and committed to providing service members and their families with a high-quality education that fits their distinct needs. As a UCCS Online student, you will have access to the UCCS Veteran and Military Affairs, which connects veteran, active duty, reservist, National Guard, and dependent students with fundamental support, services, and resources to ensure academic and professional success. UCCS is a proud home campus to many veteran and military students.

Eligible veteran and military students may use veteran benefits, military tuition assistance, and/or financial aid to pay for their education. Military benefits with UCCS Online include:

  • Waived application fee for active duty and veterans
  • Military benefits approved program

Connect with our Enrollment NavigatorsConnect with our Enrollment Navigators to learn more about the benefits and financial assistance available to military and veteran students.

All students are automatically opted in to the TAAP program with the choice to opt out. The TAAP program provides all your course materials for one flat fee per credit hour. That means no more time spent searching for, ordering, and paying out of pocket for your own course materials.

Many companies offer tuition assistance benefits as part of their employee compensation program. Generally, these policies determine a set number of credit hours per year that the company will pay for on behalf of the student/employee. Some policies place a cap on eligible tuition dollars and related expenses while others reimburse employees on a per-credit-hour basis. Get in touch with your organization's human resources department to learn more about your educational benefits.

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admissions

Admissions Information

As you consider an online education, we understand that it’s important for you to know that you’re getting a high-quality, affordable, and flexible online education that helps you reach your goals. That’s why the UCCS Online Enrollment Team is available to offer guidance and answer any questions that you may have about our degree programs, financial aid options, transfer information, admissions requirements, and more.  

Whether you want to talk through your degree plans, learn more about a specific program, or start your application, the UCCS Online Enrollment Team will provide friendly support as you decide if UCCS Online is the right fit for your future. 

To learn more about admission requirements and the application process, please visit the UCCS Admissions page.

Year-round applications are always welcome, as we use a rolling admissions process that provides you with flexibility. While we accept applications at any time, we recommend submitting your application by the preferred deadline for your desired start date. The application fee for first-year students is $50. 

  • Fall Semester: August 1
  • Spring Semester: November 1
  • Summer Semester: May 1

  • Spring 2025 A – January 21, 2025
  • Spring 2025 B – March 18, 2025
  • Summer 2025 A – June 9, 2025
  • Fall 2025 A – August 25, 2025
  • Fall 2025 B – October 22, 2025
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Earn an education that creates opportunity. Start the admissions process with an enrollment advisor by filling out the form on this page today.

 

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faq

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We’re here to help. We emphasize to all students that faculty members are here for them. As faculty seek to connect with you, feel free to use their flexible office hours or contact them if you need additional help.

A common barrier to success is time management, especially if you are working a full-time job. The online format offers more flexibility and the opportunity to develop better balance among your commitments, but having a plan for completing your studies each week can help you get on track to success early.

Online courses at the University of Colorado are taught by the same professors that teach in-person classes. This ensures that you are receiving the same education and learning experiences as on-campus students. The primary difference is with the delivery format. Your online courses will all be taught in Canvas, the Learning Management System (LMS). You will be responsible for logging in, accessing course content, and completing any requirements of the course.

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice is offered fully online, which means you will not be required to take courses at our campus and there are no on-campus components to this program.