Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice degree is one of the most popular degree in the U.S. However, many working adults had difficulty to pursue the criminal justice degree due to job and family commitment. This is where the online degree such as those offered by South University becomes relevant. The online criminal justice degree offered by the South University allows you the freedom to decide when and where to attend classes.

You can study for the online criminal justice degree at your own pace. The degree offered by South University focuses on what you need to know. This way, the university is able to accelerate the online degree. Their innovative distance learning degree programs consists of small classes to ensure that all individuals get the attention they deserve.

The online criminal justice degree is conducted by qualified instructors who customise the learning environment and in accordance to a challenging curriculum that helps you achieve your career goals.

Even though the criminal justice degree is offered online, at South University, they ensures that all their faculty and staff are very accessible to all students. All online students of the criminal justice degree are assigned to a team of professionals. The professionals help students at all stages of their studies, from the application and enrolment to career services.

South University is accredited by The Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Other accreditation of South University’s degree program includes the nursing program and the Legal Studies and Paralegal Studies.

South University was first established in 1899 when Draughon’s Practical Business College was founded in Savannah, Georgia. Presently, South University comprised of five ground campuses and the online degree programs are offered through the Savannah College. The five ground campuses are located in Savannah, Columbia, Montgomery, Tampa and West Palm Beach.

The online criminal justice degree and their other online degree programs are built on the same curriculum as the ground campuses. This includes the instructions, academic support, quality education and degree qualification.

Many criminal justice specialists are required due to the changing face of crime and the influence of technology. The online Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice at South University allows students to meet this need.

The online criminal justice degree is designed specifically for working adults. As you prepare for your career in career justice, the online degree allows you the flexibility to maintain a balance between your academic studies, your work and family. The program allows you to attend classes at any time of the day.

You may tailor the online criminal justice degree by selecting one of the following five concentrations:

Corrections
Corrections is the study of correctional systems designed to protect the society from convicted offenders. This concentration also study ways to rehabilitate and integrate the offenders back into society.

Crime Scene Investigation
This concentration is about the crime solving that focuses on collecting and preserving physical evidence found at crime scene. You learn about the functions of a crime laboratory and how to reconstruct crime scenes to solve the crime.

Cyber Crime
Cyber crime is one of the fastest growing areas of criminal justice. This concentration focuses on the recovery of digital information ranging from identity theft and embezzlement to cyber stalking.

Law Enforcement
This concentration from the online criminal justice degree prepares students to protect the society and serve on the front line of security. You will learn about law enforcement operations, criminal law and investigation including terrorism and homeland security.

Juvenile Justice
You will learn the triggers to juvenile justice problems. You will also learn about juvenile protection, rehabilitation and incarceration.

Online Criminal Justice Degree students can earn their degree from as little as 2 years and 10 months. This duration to complete the degree may be shortened if you have previous transferable college credits.
 
As a student in the online criminal justice degree, you will be able to build hands-on experience on the field of criminal justice. You will develop an understanding of contemporary approaches to solve crime. You will also develop insight into all angle of crimes and its causes as well as the criminal justice system in the U.S.

The online criminal justice degree also helps you to gain a broad understanding of law enforcement, criminology, judicial process, juvenile justice, corrections and criminal law. You will also learn to collaborate with others using online communication and research tools. You will also build hands-on experience through internship in local, state or federal criminal justice agencies.

What is the career prospect of those who have graduated with the online criminal justice degree? The online degree prepares you for entry-level position in law enforcement, corrections, juvenile justice, homeland security, private investigation or private security. When you gain more experience in your work, you can develop your career further into positions such as supervisory special agent, deputy warden, protective services supervisor, field investigator and detective. The online criminal justice degree also serves as a good pre-law education if you wish to further your education into law school.

The most basic admission criteria into the online criminal justice degree is that you must be a high school graduate or have equivalent General Education Development certificate. Students also must have achieved a satisfactory score on either the SAT I, the ACT or the CPTs.

For transfer admission into the online criminal justice degree, applicant must satisfy the following criteria:

1. Submit a completed application for admission.
2. Transfer from an accredited collegiate institution.
3. Have earned 30 quarter credit hours, or the equivalent (e.g., 20 semester hours), with a cumulative GPA of 2.0.
4. Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
Transfer students into the online criminal justice degree will be exempted from developmental courses on the basis of grades earned in credit-bearing English or math courses transferred to South University, if applicable, or SAT, ACT, or CPT scores submitted to the university.

The tuition fees for the online criminal justice degree is $335 per credit hour effective from August 14, 2008. South University offers financial aid services for students who wish to pursue their online criminal justice degree. Their financial aid officer will work with students to develop an affordable education plan, determine the suitability of financial aids options and assist you in applying for the financial aid.

The followings are the common financial aid available to students of the online criminal justice degree:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Federal Stafford Student Loan
• Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (FPLUS)
• Federal Work-Study
• Alternative Loan Programs
• State Student Assistance Programs
• Veterans Education Act
• Vocational Rehabilitation Programs
• Awards, Grants, and Scholarships