Introduction
You are not required to submit a TOEFL exam result in order to apply and be admitted into the University.
Overview
Whether you’re interested in law enforcement, private investigation, the legal and correctional systems, or forensics and crime scene investigation—among many other growing and technology-driven areas—CalSouthern’s criminal justice degree offers a broad-based and currently relevant curriculum. You’ll combine foundational courses such as legal procedure and criminal law with specialized and cutting-edge topics such as digital crime, forensic psychology, terrorism response, substance abuse, and white-collar crime, among many other exciting subjects.
Program Length
4 Years (full-time status)With maximum transfer credits and by taking courses simultaneously, Learners can complete the degree program in as little as 10 months. Or, Learners can proceed at a more leisurely pace and complete in six years or more.
Online Criminal Justice Degrees Soar in Popularity
CalSouthern’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice features a cutting-edge and well-rounded curriculum—ideal for those wishing to enter this exciting and fast-evolving field.
It’s no wonder that online criminal justice degrees are quickly growing in popularity: it’s a fascinating and technology-driven field that presents students with an increasing number and variety of career opportunities. The comprehensive curriculum of CalSouthern’s online criminal justice degree is well-suited for students whose interests range from law enforcement (local or federal) to forensics and crime scene investigation, the legal system, corrections, security, or private investigative work, among many other areas of specialty.
CalSouthern’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice includes coursework covering fundamentals such as legal procedure, principles of investigation, and criminal law, but also incorporates specialized topics at the forefront of the field, including digital crime, terrorism response, and homeland security. Elective courses allow you to explore subjects including social and forensic psychology, substance abuse, and organized and white-collar crime.
One of the distinguishing aspects of CalSouthern’s criminal justice degree program is that it is taught by a faculty comprised of mentors who are leading practitioners as well as gifted educators. They’ll work with you to apply the course material to real-world cases and scenarios. They’ll get to know you and help you relate the coursework to your particular interests and goals, showing you how to best utilize your life and professional experiences as well as your preferred learning style. It’s a fantastic way to learn; it makes the material come to life, and it makes it stick.
Your faculty mentors will provide you with all the guidance you need to succeed, but, at CalSouthern, you’ll be able to rely on an entire community of support, from academic advisors to the deans, as well as the entire administration, IT team and the rest of the staff. We’re responsive and dedicated to helping you achieve your educational and professional goals.
It’s something we call the CalSouthern difference, and it’s what sets us apart from other universities, both online and traditional. We hope you’ll contact us and experience it for yourself.
Outcomes
The program learning outcomes of the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program are:
Communication
Apply effective written and oral communication skills to various interactions with law enforcement personnel, victims, witnesses, and suspects utilizing the language conventions specific to criminal justice.
Critical Thinking
Demonstrate critical thinking and skeptical inquiry in the understanding of key concepts in criminal justice, applying these concepts appropriately, evaluating and justifying positions, and creating coherent arguments.
Cultural and Social Understanding
Analyze the major historical and contemporary issues facing the criminal justice system as they relate to contemporary urban society and respect for racial, ethnic, cultural, and gender diversity.
Information Literacy
Demonstrate information literacy and technological competency to facilitate the study of criminal justice and criminology.
Personal Development
Practice and apply interpersonal skills in the educational environment so that learning criminal justice and law enforcement practices and procedures are meaningful, personalized and related to both personal and professional goals.
Quantitative Reasoning
Demonstrate the ability to use analytical skills in conjunction with information systems, data analysis, and computer skills to understand situations in criminal justice and make well-reasoned decisions.
Scientific Reasoning
Possess the knowledge, understanding, and ability to employ state-of-the-art technologies common to the criminal justice profession to conduct research and present findings explaining how this data informs policies and programs.
Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues
Apply ethical and legal principles using sound judgment to evaluate and employ appropriate professional behaviors within all aspects of their life.
Courses
The criminal justice courses that comprise CalSouthern’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice are what distinguish this innovative degree program. The program includes fundamental subjects core to any comprehensive criminal justice program, such as criminology and criminal law, legal procedure, and principles of investigation. However, you’ll also find cutting-edge, technology-driven criminal justice courses such as digital crime, homeland security, and terrorism. In addition—and making CalSouthern’s program so unique and well-rounded—you can select courses exploring the ethics of criminal justice, social psychology, forensic psychology, and cultural diversity in criminal justice, among many others.
Required Core Courses
Lower-Division Courses
UNIV 2000 University Success Online - 3 Credits
LGL 2101 Introduction to Criminal Justice - 3 Credits
LGL 2110 Criminal Procedure and the Court System - 3 Credits
LGL 2121 Corrections: a Comprehensive View - 3 Credits
LGL 2210 Ethics in Criminal Justice - 3 Credits
LGL 2221 Criminal Investigation Procedures - 3 Credits
Upper-Division Courses
LGL 2415 Criminal Law - 3 Credits
LGL 2420 Applied Criminology - 3 Credits
LGL 2531 Law Enforcement and the Community - 3 Credits
LGL 2525 Administrative Office Procedures in Criminal Justice - 3 Credits
CAP 2401 Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Capstone Courses - 3 Credits
Elective Courses
Lower-Division Courses
LGL 2105 Family Violence - 3 Credits
LGL 2118 Organized Crime - 3 Credits
LGL 2128 Cultural Diversity in Criminal Justice - 3 Credits
LGL 2130 Cyber-Crime & Cyber-Terrorism - 3 Credits
LGL 2215 White Collar Crime - 3 Credits
LGL 2225 Social Psychology - 3 Credits
LGL 2228 Homeland Security - 3 Credits
Upper-Division Courses
LGL 2410 Research Methods in Criminology - 3 Credits
LGL 2412 Drugs and Substance Abuse - 3 Credits
LGL 2510 Introduction to Forensic Psychology - 3 Credits
LGL 2511 Juvenile Justice - 3 Credits
LGL 2518 Introduction to Terrorism - 3 Credits
LGL 2521 Victims and the Criminal Justice System - 3 Credits
LGL 2535 Terrorism Response: Infrastructure and Risk Analysis - 3 Credits
Getting Started
Getting started on your Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is a quick and simple process. There are no entrance examinations and courses start monthly throughout the year; you can begin your program as soon as your schedule permits. Just complete these four steps:
Complete your enrollment application.
Complete and sign an attestation form confirming your high school graduation.
Pay your $75 application fee.
Upon acceptance, sign your enrollment agreement.
Once the signed enrollment agreement is received, you’ll be contacted by your academic support team including your academic advisor and student success advisor. They will confirm the start date for your first course and walk you through a quick, but thorough orientation process that will give you all the information you need to get started. And they will be there for you every step of the way to ensure that you successfully complete your degree program.
