What do you learn in a bachelor's in criminal justice?

For those interested in working in or supporting law enforcement, pursuing a criminal justice degree may be an excellent place to start. On this page, you'll learn what to expect from a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and explore possible career pathways.

What to expect from a criminal justice bachelor's program

Earning a criminal justice bachelor's degree helps prepare students for a wide variety of jobs within the criminal justice system. Students can expect to learn about the history of criminal justice, how the current system works, and best practices for supporting and enforcing the law.

This knowledge can help students prepare for positions like police officer, DEA agent, crime scene investigator, correctional officer, detective, and FBI agent.

Students can expect to earn a bachelor's in criminal justice in about four years, with the standard bachelor's requirement of 120 credits. Some students may participate in a real-world internship within some facet of the criminal justice system.

Bachelor's in criminal justice curriculum

The key to successfully understanding, interpreting, and enforcing the law starts with a strong foundation of knowledge. With a bachelor's in criminal justice, you'll build this knowledge base by taking courses such as:

• U.S. criminal justice policy: This course teaches the primary functions and overall structure of the criminal justice system in America.
• Economics of crime: Students in this course learn how economic trends and conditions can affect criminal behavior. Additionally, some programs cover the economic effects of crime on communities and individuals.
• Forensic psychology: This course helps students learn the basics of psychology and human behavior, showing how these principles can be applied to individuals within the legal system.

Specializations and concentrations

Criminal justice is a vast topic, and students pursuing a bachelor's degree may have the opportunity to narrow their focus by concentrating on a particular area of study.

Examples include:

• Crime mapping and analysis: Students learn to use state-of-the-art computer systems and technology to monitor crime trends, analyze statistical crime data, and provide actionable insights for law enforcement and officials to make proactive decisions.
• Victim advocacy: Advocating for victims is an important aspect of supporting law enforcement. Students learn about the programs and resources available, how to utilize these programs, and how to effectively communicate this to victims.
• Criminal profiling: Students learn about methods of profiling criminals to help detectives and investigators solve crimes. Students learn about the use of analytical skills and psychological markers while analyzing interviews and interrogations.

Graduation requirements for a criminal justice bachelor's degree

Earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice typically requires students to complete 120 credits of coursework, including general education courses, criminal justice-specific courses, and any electives to support a concentration or additional certification.

In addition, many schools require students to complete an internship in the criminal justice field. These can be completed with local police departments, appropriate federal agencies (such as the FBI), victim advocacy groups, or any other organization the program approves of. Alternatively, some schools may allow students to replace their criminal justice internship with a capstone project.