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Studies & Degrees in Criminal Justice

Criminal justice is the study of how a society responds to crime. It follows the three parts of the system — policing, the courts and corrections — and asks how each works, what the law allows and how well the system prevents crime and treats the people who pass through it. The subject is closely related to criminology, which Penn State defines as a broad and interdisciplinary field that promotes an understanding of crime and the criminal justice system and how they relate to human behavior, social environments and government policy.

Criminal justice is not a law degree. It draws on law, sociology, psychology and public administration, and a typical programme includes criminal law and procedure, constitutional law, criminological theory, policing, courts, corrections, juvenile justice, research methods and often an internship. The goals that Albertus Magnus College sets for its Bachelor of Science are a fair summary: a basic understanding of policing, the judiciary and corrections, and of the foundations of criminal law.

Qualifications and levels

Criminal justice as a named degree is above all a North American subject, and most of the schools listed for it are in the United States.

  • Associate degrees. The Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice at Northeast Community College in Nebraska, for example, lasts two years (61-65 credits) and has two concentrations, law enforcement and corrections.
  • Bachelor's degrees. The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic University requires a minimum of 120 credits, and the Bachelor of Science in Criminology at Penn State a minimum of 121 credits. Penn State notes that both its B.A. and B.S. suit students who want entry-level positions in the criminal justice system or who plan to go on to graduate or law school.
  • Master's degrees. These are aimed at graduates and working professionals. The Criminal Justice MS of Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia has 30 credits, takes one and a half to two years and is taught online.
  • Spain. The nearest equivalent is a bachelor's degree in criminology. Official bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits and official master's degrees 60, 90 or 120. The Grado en Criminología y Seguridad of the Universidad de Cádiz is an official degree of 240 ECTS credits over four academic years, taught in Spanish at its Faculty of Law. Criminal law itself is studied as part of a law degree.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 142 active schools for criminal justice. The United States accounts for 123 of them, followed by Spain (8), Canada (2) and the United Kingdom (2); Germany, India, Denmark, Australia, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Ireland have one each. The US list ranges from community colleges such as Northeast Community College, the Community College of Rhode Island and Laramie County Community College to universities such as The Pennsylvania State University, San Diego State University, Purdue University, Florida Atlantic University, Ferris State University and Saint Joseph's University. In Spain it includes the Universidad de Cádiz.

Programmes are taught in the language of the country and are built around its legal system. A US degree explains US criminal law and institutions; a Spanish degree explains Spanish ones. International students should also know that many public-sector jobs in this field are tied to nationality: in the United States, most states and local jurisdictions require police candidates to be US citizens, and federal officers must be, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Careers

Graduates work in police forces, courts administration, probation and prison services, border and customs agencies, private security, victim support and social services.

A degree is not always required, but it widens the options. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the education required to become a police officer or detective ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree, and most officers must also graduate from their agency's training academy. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists typically need a bachelor's degree. Correctional officers typically need a high school diploma, although some federal agencies ask for a bachelor's degree or related work experience.

The Bureau's projections for the United States from 2025 to 2035 differ by occupation: employment of police and detectives is expected to grow 3 percent, with about 60,100 openings each year; employment of probation officers and correctional treatment specialists is also expected to grow 3 percent; and employment of correctional officers and bailiffs is expected to decline 7 percent.

Frequently asked questions

Is criminal justice the same as criminology?

They overlap. Criminology concentrates on the causes and consequences of crime; criminal justice concentrates on the institutions that deal with it: police, courts and corrections. Many departments teach both.

How long does a criminal justice degree take?

An associate degree takes two years, as at Northeast Community College. A US bachelor's degree requires about 120 credits, and the Grado en Criminología y Seguridad of the Universidad de Cádiz has 240 ECTS credits over four academic years.

Do I need a criminal justice degree to become a police officer?

Not necessarily. In the United States the required education ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree, and most officers must graduate from their agency's training academy, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Can I become a lawyer with a criminal justice degree?

Not directly. It is not a law degree, although Penn State notes that its criminology degrees suit students interested in law school. To practise law you need the legal qualification of the country concerned.