’)If you’re ready to begin your online Bachelor of Science degree (also known as B.S. degree) in criminal justice, you may wonder how you’ll benefit from this degree, as well as how long it will take you to get it.
A Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is the first step toward a long-term career in law enforcement and related fields. With this degree, you could work in a police department, become a lawyer, and even work in corrections.
Typically, you’ll learn about the following subject areas:
Comparative criminal justice
Domestic terrorism
Legal issues
Healthcare fraud
Organizational crime
The impact of gender, race, and class in the criminal justice system
Crime and mass media
Criminology theory
These are just a few of the topics that will be covered in your program. Your particular course of study may place an emphasis on subject matter that is pertinent to your final career goals.
How Many Courses Do I Have to Take to Get a B.S. in Criminal Justice?
Typically, you will complete a minimum of 124 semester hours to earn your degree. Colleges and universities also require a pre-determined number of courses in advanced coursework. Additionally, you will take general education courses in English, history, psychology, political science, economics, literature, and lab sciences. General education requirements may vary from state to state and from college to college.
If you take a full-time course load – 12 to 15 credit hours – you will typically complete this degree in four to five years, depending on whether you take classes during fall, spring, and summer sessions.
How Do I Get Started on my Online Criminal Justice Degree?
The first step is to contact the college’s admissions office. Most colleges provide a direct link on their websites. You will complete the application. You may also be required to submit an application fee. You will also want to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, if you’d like to be considered for grants, loans, and other forms of financial aid. Even if you do not qualify for federal grants, most colleges require all students to apply for student aid to be considered for other aid programs.
Whether you want to be a police officer, lawyer, or work as a parole officer, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice can prepare you for a professional career in law enforcement and related fields. Better yet, you can begin coursework online and work around your job, your family’s needs, or other personal or professional obligations. There’s no better time than the present to check out what you need to do to get started in your law enforcement career.
