Bachelor of Arts Criminal Justice Administration
Acquire the practical knowledge needed to excel in the challenging field of criminal justice.
- Next Start Date
- May 15th
- Est. Program Length
- 2-4 years*
- Credit Hours
- 123
- Course Length
- 7 weeks
- Credits Accepted
- 75
- Cost per Credit
- $535
- Accreditation
- MSCHE
* Depending on transfer credits.
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Alvernia University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Program Overview
The need for ethical and professional criminal justice practitioners is greater than ever in today’s society. As you earn your criminal justice administration degree online with Alvernia University, you can prepare for a rewarding career in the field, such as a police officer, correctional officer, parole officer or private sector security. Through our well-established program, you’ll gain the theoretical and practical knowledge and experience you need to excel. While learning from faculty with vast experience in the varied fields of the criminal justice system, the program’s online format gives you flexibility to study on your own time.
Topics of Study
With an interdisciplinary design, our online criminal justice degree will provide you with a strong foundation in the fundamentals of criminal justice.
- Interrelationships of various parts of the criminal justice system
- Classical and contemporary theories of crime
- Roles of gender and race in the criminal justice system
- Aspects of the correctional field, including incarceration, correctional counseling, practices, theories and specialized programs
- Due process of law and judicial procedure
- Juvenile delinquency and its history, philosophy and evaluation, as well as prevention and intervention programs and techniques
- Honesty, integrity and ethical behavior in criminal justice careers
- Contemporary issues in the criminal justice system
- Crisis management and how it affects law enforcement officials and the criminal justice system
Our program also requires completion of a practicum course, in which you will gain relevant, hands-on experience through an internship on the local, state or federal level at a criminal justice, private corporate security or service agency.
Our Online Criminal Justice Administration Degree Is For Those:
- Preparing for law school and a career in the legal field
- Planning to pursue graduate studies in areas such as criminology, sociology, criminal justice or psychology
- Wanting to start a career in corrections, law enforcement, probation and parole, courts or social services
For those interested in Alvernia’s on-campus program, click here to learn more.
Courses
The online criminal justice degree is made up of a total of 123 credits. The Liberal Arts Core makes up 31 to 55 of the program’s credits, and the major requires 48 credits, including an elective course in criminal justice.
All Alvernia University students are required to complete between 31-55 credits toward the Liberal Arts Core. Transfer work may be applicable for this area. As part of the application process, students receive specific information regarding remaining credits. Students entering the program with 70 or more transfer credits or an associate degree must complete 30-31 Liberal Arts Core credit hours.
A total of 123 credits, including three credits in a human diversity course, are required to earn a bachelor’s degree. To adhere to Franciscan values, community service hours are also required.
Course Description Credits CJ 101 Introduction to organization, administration and operation of the criminal justice system in the United States, with a broad view of interrelationships of police, courts and the correctional process. Major problems discussed include constitutional guarantees, conflicting purposes, mutual support and a view of recommended reforms. CJ 101 is a prerequisite for all other courses in the major.3 CJ 102 Examination of classical and contemporary theories of crime, nature and causes of crime and criminal behavior as well as relationship between law and crime. Emphasis placed on identifying various criminological theories and their advocates to give student an overview of the many theories posited as causes of criminal behavior and crime. Course satisfies the social science core requirement.3 CJ 201 Study of criminal offenses by statutory and common law definition/classification; laws of arrest, search and seizure; and analysis of constitutional and statutory concepts governing introduction and use of information in formalized legal proceedings. PA Crimes Code is used as supplemental text reference. Prerequisite: CJ 101.3 CJ 217 This course reviews diversity in general as it relates to gender, race and crime. During this course, the history and contribution of equity issues are examined as they relate to contemporary diversity themes. Racism, stereotypes, gender discrimination, sexual harassment and role barriers are explored. The course focuses on the role of gender and race in the Criminal Justice system as it relates to victims, offenders and professionals. This course fulfills the Human Diversity requirement. Prerequisite: CJ 101.3 CJ 220 This course is designed for students in the Criminal Justice field to develop proficiency in writing constructively, major specific. It focuses on acceptable scholarly writing as well as investigative report writing, information gathering, report composition, note taking, case history reports, research and grant proposals used by the Criminal Justice profession. This course meets the Writing Enhanced requirement. Prerequisite: CJ 101.3 CJ 221 Introduces students to fundamental issues associated with the application of scientific methods to criminal justice problems. Topics covered include research design, the relationship between theory and research, types of research methods, ethical considerations, and data analysis techniques. Prerequisite: CJ 101, 102.3 CJ 273 This course examines the correctional field covering incarceration, probation and parole, modern correctional counseling, philosophy, practices, theories, system components, specialized programs, innovative sentencing, training issues, supervision techniques and standards. Prerequisite: CJ 101.3 CJ 302 Explanation of the role of the judiciary, its historical background and development in the United States with stress on due process of law, and the judicial procedure by which an arrested offender enters the system. Problems of change and reform of the process are also discussed. Prerequisite: CJ 201.3 CJ 350 This course emphasized development of skills needed for professional settings. Outcomes of the course include a resume, analyses of jobs available in the field of criminal justice; team building; individual oral and written presentations; completion of required background clearances and an evaluation by an interview panel. Prerequisites: CJ 101; junior status.3 CJ 377 Nature and extent of delinquency is discussed. Explanatory models and theories of juvenile delinquency are presented. History, philosophy, and evaluation of juvenile court practices and procedures are presented including the role of the juvenile officer. Prevention and intervention programs and their techniques are illustrated. Prerequisites: CJ 101 and 102.3 CJ 379 Examines challenge and conflict between professional standards of behavior and the acceptable system within the organization. Roles of Inspector General and Internal Affairs are presented. Issues concerning dual relationships, corruption, perjury, false reports, gratuities, wrongful acts, and code of silence are discussed. Civil Rights and brutality, and use of deadly force are viewed as ethical concerns. Honesty, integrity and ethical behavior in criminal justice professions are key themes in the course. Prerequisite: CJ 101.3 CJ 403 This course will address current issues in the field of criminal justice. This course is offered to broaden the student's experience, as well as assuring advancements and changes in the field has a mechanism to be addressed within the program structure. Course may be repeated for credit with different topics. Depending on the issue(s) identified, this course can be utilized as an elective for the Criminal Justice Tracks. Prerequisites: CJ 101; junior status.3 CJ 408 Actual involvement in an internship designed to broaden educational experience through appropriate observation and assignment with criminal justice, private corporate security, and service agencies on the local, state, or federal level. It is the responsibility of the student to locate and secure the internship placement. Prerequisites: 2.0 GPA overall, 2.0 GPA in major, senior status (90 or more credits), background clearances, CJ 102, 201, 221, 350.6 CJ 422 Encompasses an overview of crisis as it affects law enforcement officials and the criminal justice system, including dealing with suicidal individuals, barricaded subjects, hostage takers and their hostages. Psychological and behavioral profiles of perpetrators and victims are discussed. Protocols for dealing with the several identified issues are presented. Students will participate in classroom scenarios and exercises designed to incorporate the material presented. Prerequisites: CJ 101, 201, and 217, senior status or permission of instructor.3 CJ Criminal Justice Elective
Admission Requirements
For admission into Alvernia Online’s criminal justice degree online program, you must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. To apply:
- Speak to an enrollment counselor
- Complete an application
- Provide evidence of High School completion/graduation. Documentation may include high school transcript, diploma, GED scores, or equivalent.*
- Submit official transcripts of all previous college work (if applicable)
- Submit a copy of DD214 from military (if applicable)
- Submit police academy transcripts plus confirmation if currently a police officer
*This requirement may be waived if an official college transcript is provided to validate completion of 15 credits or more from an accredited school.
Tuition & Fees
| Component | Cost | Total* |
|---|---|---|
| Full Program Tuition | $535 per credit hour | $65,805 |
| Full Program Student Fees | $50 per credit hour | $6,150 |
| Total | $71,955 | |
| Tuition with Maximum Transfer Credits (Up to 75) | $535 per credit hour | $25,680 |
| Fees with Maximum Transfer Credits (Up to 75) | $50 per credit hour | $2,400 |
| Total with Transfer Credits | $28,080 | |
Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted. This program takes four years to complete, depending on transfer credits. For a personalized estimate of time to completion, call an enrollment counselor at (888) 536-1251 or request more information.
* Tuition and fees are subject to change.
Financial Aid
Alvernia offers loans, grants, scholarships, payment plans and GI Bill benefits to help make your education more affordable. Our enrollment counselors can help you determine your financial aid eligibility. For more information, visit our Financial Aid page.
Yellow Ribbon
Alvernia University is a proud participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program. The Yellow Ribbon Program, a provision of the GI Bill, provides those who served the U.S. military on active duty with free tuition and fees, as well as a book allowance. For more information, visit our Veterans page.
Career Outcomes
After earning your Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration online, you can pursue a variety of careers, including:
- Fraud investigator
- Prison warden
- Security manager
Your Support Team
We’re dedicated to your success. Our enrollment counselors will assist you through every step of your college career, from enrollment to tuition and more.
Benefits of Learning Online
With the convenience of studying online, you can learn whenever and wherever you’d like.