Unlock Your Career Potential
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See Courses & Program Info
View a complete list of program courses, credit opportunities, and more.
This program requires a total of 120 credits.
- 33 Required Major Credits: Review the required major core courses outlined below or view the recommended course sequence to progress through this program.
- 41 General Education Credits: Review the options available to fulfill the 41 credits of general education coursework for bachelor's degrees.
- 46 Minor and Elective Credits: Review a list of available academic minors or see the course catalog or Schedule of Classes to help you select elective courses.
Required Major Courses
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Vertical Pathway
If you completed your undergraduate degree at UMGC with coursework in criminal justice, a vertical pathway between UMGC's graduate and undergraduate degree programs in that field allows you to reduce your total coursework for a master's degree in management with a criminal justice management specialization.
Not ready to get started on the criminal justice degree? You can pair a 15-credit minor in criminal justice with another major at UMGC.
Develop Vital Skills in Criminal Justice
Criminal justice practitioners need to develop deeper knowledge and career-focused skills to meet the increasing professional demands of the field. While state and local law enforcement agencies do not require a criminal justice degree to be hired, many related technical fields and promotional opportunities require higher education. In addition, some federal law enforcement agencies now require at least a bachelor's degree for new hires.
Our faculty refresh and update the curriculum regularly with a focus on helping students achieve these learning goals:
60K+
Job Postings
More than 60,000 job postings for police and detectives are projected annually from 2022 to 2032.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | “Occupational Outlook Handbook” | 2023
Top 5
Best Places to Work
The intelligence community ranked no. 3 in the Best Place to Work in the Federal Government employer rankings in 2022 and has ranked top 5 for 11 consecutive years.
Source: Partnership for Public Service & Boston Consulting Group | “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government Rankings” | 2022
Top 15
Criminal Justice Jobs
Five of the 15 highest-paying criminal justice jobs in the United States require at least a bachelor’s degree, according to an analysis of BLS job titles on LinkedIn.
Source: LinkedIn | “15 Best-Paying Criminal Justice Jobs” | January 24, 2023
Practice Real-World Skills in Your Courses
Throughout the curriculum, your instructors will assign coursework that will help you prioritize real-world skills and hands-on experiences. In past courses, students have been able to complete the following projects:
- Analyze a fact pattern and discern what facts are relevant to criminal culpability and why. Consider general criminal law concepts and specific statutes in your analysis.
- Assume the role of a law enforcement administrator and develop an appropriate action plan to address a complex law enforcement problem in a community-based capacity.
- Based on a description of a serial murder investigation, identify facts and items that are significant to the criminal investigation and explain their importance.
Explore UMGC Insights
Gain insight from our faculty and staff and delve deeper into a range of topics, including criminal justice careers, prior learning, transfer credits, and more.
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FAQs
Get answers to questions that current and prospective students are asking about program-specific admission, credibility, student organizations, and more.
UMGC's online bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice is uniquely designed to provide you with an understanding of crime and criminal behavior, criminal justice administration, the roles of practitioners within the criminal justice system, and the critical thinking and ethical decision-making strategies necessary to meet the professional demands of the field of criminal justice.
The online criminal justice degree is a 120-credit program with courses offered year-round. The time it will take you to complete your degree will depend on several factors, including your goals, how many transfer credits you have, your course load each semester, and whether you are able to benefit from one or more of our fast paths to credit, including credit for prior learning and credit for military education and training.
At UMGC, we're proud to offer competitive, affordable tuition rates to students who want to earn an online criminal justice bachelor’s degree. We offer scholarships for those who qualify, an interest-free monthly payment plan, and no-cost digital materials instead of most textbooks to help make online bachelor's degrees even more affordable. You can see our affordable tuition rates, including a low in-state rate for Maryland residents and a reduced tuition rate for military service members and their spouses and dependent children, at the top of this page.
You do not need any background, experience, or prerequisite to apply for and graduate with an online criminal justice degree. As long as you meet our undergraduate admission requirements, you can enroll in this program.
You do not need any prior certifications to enroll in or complete this program.
Pi Gamma Mu (Social Science Disciplines)
Pi Gamma Mu recognizes outstanding scholarship in the social sciences. UMGC's Maryland Theta chapter was recently added to the society’s Roll of Distinction and was also the winner of the 2020 UMGC Student Organization Awards Best in Show Activities and Events Award. It is available to undergraduate students. Membership is by invitation only. You must have completed at least 45 credits toward your degree to be eligible. If you have earned at least 20 credits in social science coursework (including at least 9 credits at UMGC) and have a GPA in the top 35 percent, you may be invited to join. For more information, please email marylandtheta@umgc.edu.