The demand for new and skilled personnel in the criminal justice system has spiked over the last decade. Law enforcement, the judicial system, and the correctional system more than ever need qualified personnel to ensure the general well-being of the community, maintain order, enforce the laws, and impose justice on those who break them.

What You Will Learn With an Online Criminal Justice Degree

The level of depth and the scope of the courses that you will encounter depend largely on which degree you pursue-whether it’s at the Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD level. However, the following courses are common to most criminal justice programs at one point or the other.

Introduction to Criminology or Intro to Criminal Justice

This course is standard fare in any entry-level program, especially at the Associate’s or certification level. It teaches students the general architecture and inner-workings of the criminal justice system, including: foundational knowledge of criminal law, crime scene investigation essentials, interrogation techniques overview, corrections, the nature of the court system, legal issues and rights with suspects, public safety, and more.

Psychology

A prerequisite for a plethora of majors, psychology fundamentals are part of the core curriculum. Students learn to identify key social and personal behaviors and the mental processes that surround them.

Narcotics and Trafficking

This course, or series of courses, gives students knowledge on the most common types of illegal drugs and prescription narcotics (which are wrongfully used), how to identify each, and what the social and personal ramifications of abuse are. Also, the law, narcotic statistics, and penalties regarding illegal drugs are taught.

The Responsibility of Law Enforcement in Society

This course typically highlights the responsibilities that law enforcement, corrections, and the judicial system has towards the general public. It entails theory on policing, policing ethics, jurisprudence, rights of citizens as well as public servants, and more.

Mediation and Dispute Management

Also known as arbitration or neutral fact-finding, this courses gives students core skills about facilitating communication to foster understanding in conflicts and disputes—and how to be an unbiased, critical thinker with skills and techniques that will help to diffuse conflicts and disputes.

Criminal Justice Graduates are Far More Likely to Succeed

Earning a degree in criminal justice paves the way for students to enter into, succeed, and advance in the arena of criminal justice. Those who have a degree have a substantial competitive advantage over those who’re lacking one-and are ten times more likely to advance in their careers as well as earn significantly more money over the long term.