Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Overview
To pursue a career in criminal justice, you must have a firm working knowledge of the law, and you must understand the motives and societal issues that contribute to crime. Virginia Wesleyan University’s online criminal justice degree provides a criminal justice education viewed through a liberal arts lens. By taking a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach, we ensure you’re able to put criminal justice issues within their broader social context.
Our online bachelor’s program teaches you real-world skills and emphasizes flexibility so that you can fit your education into your already busy life. Our highly qualified professors include lawyers, criminologists, police officers, NCIS officers and a homicide detective, and you’ll learn not just how to work within the criminal justice system, but why that system is necessary.
Upon graduation, you’ll have the skills and knowledge necessary to enter a career in law enforcement, victim support or court support. At Virginia Wesleyan University, discover an online bachelor’s in criminal justice with a social conscience.*
*At VWU, we value our students’ previous academic and professional experience. Police academy graduates may be able to receive prior learning assessment credit. Talk to your enrollment counselor for more information!
- Next Start Date:August 23, 2023
- Total Degree Credit Hours:128
- Program Length:Finish in as little as 12 months
- Cost Per Credit Hour:$399
- Major Credit Hours:44
Who Is Our B.A. in Criminal Justice For?
- You have a strong sense of ethics and duty to your fellow citizens.
- You want to help the victims of crime and try to reduce crime in your community.
- You already have a career, but you’re looking to make a change.
Start Your Journey
Career Outcomes Your online criminal justice degree prepares you for a number of career paths.
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Local Law Enforcement
Whether you’re a police officer, a probation officer or a crime scene investigator, your VWU education will prepare you to enforce the law and investigate crime in the real world. VWU encourages a sense of social responsibility in law enforcement officers, to ensure you’ll do the most good.
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Federal Law Enforcement
You might decide that a career in the FBI, DEA or other, similar organization is for you. Use the skills you’ve learned at VWU to enforce the law at a federal level, investigate civil rights violations, fight terrorism and reduce drug use.
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Detective Work
Whether you work as a homicide detective, a private investigator or a fraud investigator, VWU’s online criminal justice degree gives you the tools you need to perform investigative work. With your knowledge of forensics and evidence collection, you’ll excel in this field.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to an online undergraduate program at Virginia Wesleyan University, students must:
- Complete our online application.
- Applicants who have not yet completed 12 semester hours of college work must submit an official high school transcript and SAT/ACT score, and an official college transcript from all colleges and universities previously attended. Applicants who have not taken an SAT or ACT may be admitted on the basis of an evaluation of high school coursework. Applicants who are not high school graduates may be admitted on the basis of GED test results.
- Applicants who have successfully completed 12 or more semester hours of college work must submit official college transcripts from all institutions previously attended. Generally, individuals transferring to Virginia Wesleyan must present a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Tuition Costs & Financing
Virginia Wesleyan University has one of the most affordable online criminal justice programs in the region, at only $399 per credit hour. Financial aid and financing options are available for those who qualify.
Members of the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) will also receive $150 reduction in cost per credit hour.
Course Information All courses are needed for completion of the program. Each course is 4 credit hours.
- CJ 100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice
- CJ 301 - Criminology
- CJ 350 - Introduction to Social Research
- CJ 387 - Criminal Law
- CJ 488 - Senior Integrative Assessment
- CJ 210 - Corrections
- CJ 290 - Extreme Murder
- CJ 300 - Law Enforcement
- CJ 348 - Delinquency and Juvenile Justice
- And an additional two of the following four course options
- MATH 210 - Introductory Statistics
- PSY 350 - Psychology and the Law
- MBE 203 - Accounting I
- MBE 204 - Accounting II
Why Virginia Wesleyan Online?
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Successful Alumni
More than 90 percent of our alumni are working or in graduate school within 1 year of graduation.
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Highly Qualified Faculty
90 percent of our professors have attained the highest degree in their fields.
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Military-Friendly
Virginia Wesleyan University is a Yellow Ribbon school, and we have a dedicated Veterans Service Team.
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Streamlined Admission
Admission decisions are made on the basis of a review of the applicant's undergraduate transcript. No SAT, ACT, or GMAT required!
Why Study Online? Learning online is different from working in a classroom setting. Here’s what you can expect.
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Structure Your Week
You have control over when you work on your online degree. You'll probably spend between 18 and 24 hours per week on coursework in order to complete your degree in as little as 12 months.
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Talk to Your Instructor
You have access to your instructor when you need help, via Blackboard. Your online instructors will let you know when they’re available to answer your questions, help you through difficult tasks and point you in the right direction.
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Work With Classmates
Just because you’re learning from home doesn’t mean you’re on your own. Other students will be participating in your class discussions, and you can connect with them on Blackboard when you need to. Your fellow classmates can be a great source of ideas and understanding.
Yellow Ribbon
Virginia Wesleyan University is a military friendly school. In addition to providing veteran support services to our students, we participate in the Yellow Ribbon program. With this program, you can use your Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits to pay for all VWU tuition and fees.
Accreditation
Virginia Wesleyan University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, and masters degrees. Virginia Wesleyan University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Virginia Wesleyan University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).