Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Criminal Justice Online

Serve and protect your community.

Ready to Get Started?

Learn from prominent scholars and professionals in the field.

Small class sizes encourage engagement with professors and peers to expand your learning.

Take the opportunity to study in graduate-level courses while you pursue your bachelor's degree.

Criminal Justice, B.A. Overview

The online bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of West Florida covers current theories and trends in the criminal justice system, policing, courts, corrections and research design. You can graduate with experience in the field if you choose an internship as your senior capstone experience.

You’ll learn from faculty who have taught online for many years. They design innovative coursework for our online criminal justice degree to establish a strong connection with you and your peers. This engagement fosters a great learning experience and maximizes learning outcomes.

The curriculum in our online criminal justice degree prepares you for the career you’re interested in with a variety of electives that address current issues and specializations in the field. These include juvenile justice, community corrections, cybercrimes, gangs, drugs, forensic science, criminal investigation, homeland security, terrorism and more. You’ll graduate with the specific knowledge you need for the role you want.

If you know that graduate school is in your future, you may consider our accelerated bachelor’s to master’s program and complete up to 12 credit hours of graduate coursework as an undergraduate student — saving you time and money. We also offer express admission to our master’s programs for high-performing UWF undergraduates.

Candidates for This Program Include:

Students who want to earn a degree to start or advance their careers in the criminal justice field
Students who are dedicated to earning a degree and need the flexibility to study around their work schedule
Those who want to take advantage of the variety of electives offered to support their career goals

You Will Be Able To:

Use the appropriate criminological perspectives to explain major types of crime
Interpret and evaluate policies and practices of the criminal justice system
Form solutions to issues by applying proper research techniques
Communicate criminal justice concepts in a professional manner
Demonstrate ethical behavior in academic and professional activities

Courses and Requirements

UWF’s online bachelor’s degree in criminal justice includes a total of 120 credit hours, up to 90 of which may be transferred from a regionally accredited institution. After completing 60 general education credit hours, which include recommended lower-division prerequisite courses, you will complete 60 credit hours in criminal justice, which can include up to six internship credit hours.

: CCJ 3014 - Criminology
3 Credit Hours
Criminology
Examines the causes, types, and patterns of crime in society. Major schools of thought and current research are introduced, compared, and contrasted in the study of crime and its social context.
CCJ 4700 - Research Design in Criminal Justice
3 Credit Hours
Research Design in Criminal Justice
Designed to give students an understanding of the basic principles and practices of empirical research as they are practiced in criminal justice and to enhance students' critical thinking skills with respect to criminal justice programs and proposals. Meets Gordon Rule Writing Requirement.
CJC 4010 - Corrections
3 Credit Hours
Corrections
Basic analysis of correctional systems in the United States. Focus is on widely held conceptions of punishment, physical design and organizational structures of prison facilities, community based correctional options, the death penalty and the evaluation of correctional research. Other topics of interest include sentencing policy, key issues faced by prison administrators and prisoners as well as the role of the victim in corrections.
CJE 4110 - Policing
3 Credit Hours
Policing
Analysis of the role of and challenges to policing in a democratic society. Examination of contemporary and historical influences on police policy, personnel, and organization. Discussion of police function within society.
CJL 3510 - Courts
3 Credit Hours
Courts
Examination of the judicial component of the criminal justice system. Analysis of structure, procedures, and personnel of American courts. General discussion of the political and social influences on the judicial process and organization.
CCJ 2002 - Survey of Crime and Justice
3 Credit Hours
Survey of Crime and Justice
Provides an introduction to the issues of crime and justice in the United States. Discusses the complexities of studying crime and evaluates the role of various criminal justice subsystems. Meets General Education requirement in Social Sciences.
Choose One:
CCJ 4939 - Criminal Justice Seminar
3 Credit Hours
Criminal Justice Seminar
This capstone class is a comprehensive and critical review of the criminal justice curriculum with a focus on contemporary issues. This seminar will help students explore and prepare for a career in criminal justice and/or graduate education. Students are provided the opportunity to explore current criminal justice issues and criminal justice careers through an integration of knowledge gained in the criminal justice curriculum. Students will demonstrate oral and written communication skills. Prerequisite: ((CCJ 3014 AND CCJ 3024 AND CCJ 4700)) AND (CJC 4010 OR CJE 4110 OR CJL 3510)
CCJ 4940 - Criminal Justice Internship
1.0-6.0 Credit Hours
Criminal Justice Internship
Internship in field of criminal justice intended to give field observation and experience. This internship is a cooperative effort between the criminal justice program at the University of West Florida and public or private community agencies. The purpose of the internship is to give students the opportunity to apply their education to actual work situations. The student works under the supervision of an agency professional. A 3 credit hour internship may be used to satisfy the capstone experience in the criminal justice core requirements. Prerequisite: ((CCJ 3014 AND CCJ 3024 AND CCJ 4700)) AND (CJC 4010 OR CJE 4110 OR CJL 3510)
: Students must complete sufficient 3000/4000-level electives to meet UWF’s requirement of 48 semester hours in the upper division or complete all departmental requirements at the 3000/4000-level, whichever is greater.
: Choose a total of 21 credit hours of criminal justice (CCJ, CJC, CJE, CJL, CJJ, DSC) 3000/4000-level elective coursework. You can satisfy up to six hours of this requirement with service learning, internship and/or directed study courses. When the criminal justice internship is taken as part of the core requirements, it will not count in this category.
: Choose a total of 12 credit hours of supporting coursework, including a minimum of 9 semester hours of 3000/4000-level courses, to be selected with and approved by the student’s advisor. These courses may vary from student to student depending on individual needs and objectives.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to UWF’s online bachelor’s in criminal justice program, you must:

Successfully complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better

How to Apply

To apply for admission to this program, you first need to submit an application for undergraduate admission (plus a $30 application fee) and be admitted to the University of West Florida. In addition, you must:

Submit official transcripts from all institutions previously attended whose accrediting agency is included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies
Submit ACT or SAT scores
Complete the residency application form for tuition purposes
Complete the departmental application form

Have questions about this program or the admissions process? Contact our undergraduate admissions team at admissions@uwf.edu.

Costs & Financial Aid

Component	Cost	Total*
In-State Tuition	$218.98 per credit hour	$26,277.60
In-State Tuition with Maximum Transfer Credits (Up to 90)	$218.98 per credit hour	$6,569.40
Full Out-of-State Tuition	$648.37 per credit hour	$77,804.40
75% Out-of-State Tuition Waiver	$341.67 per credit hour	$41,000.40

Tuition waivers cover up to 75% of the non-resident portion of your tuition. These waivers are available to non-Florida residents (including international students) admitted to online programs and registered for online courses in active pursuit of that degree or certificate. You must pay all other assessed tuition and fees. Review Tuition Waiver Information to learn more.

Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted. This program takes up to 48 months to complete, depending on course availability and applicable transfer credits.

Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.

* Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Alabama Differential Out-of-State Tuition

Residents of Alabama are eligible for Alabama Differential Tuition, a reduced out-of-state tuition rate. For more information and to verify residency status for tuition purposes, new undergraduate students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and new graduate students should contact the Graduate School. Students who are currently enrolled should contact the Office of the Registrar.

Active Duty Military

All active-duty members of the U.S. military who are residing or are stationed outside the state of Florida shall have all (100%) out-of-state fees waived by the University. Contact the Military & Veterans Resource Center to apply for the Active Duty Military Out-of-State Waiver.

UWF Short-Term Financial Assistance

The University of West Florida provides eligible students with an alternative to paying the full amount of tuition at the beginning of each term in the form of an installment payment plan or a short-term loan.

Military Students

UWF is a Military FriendlyⓇ School proudly serving active-duty U.S. military members and veterans. As UWF has been a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program since 2011, you could be eligible to receive free tuition with your military benefits.

See How We Can Serve You

Financial Aid

Funding your college education should not empty your wallet. We offer various financial aid options for our online students, including loans, scholarships and grants for degree-seeking students.

Learn More About Financial Aid

Frequently Asked Questions

: You may either contact your enrollment counselor or log into your MyUWF account to view the status of your application.
: No, you may be enrolled part-time and be eligible for financial aid. Different awards have different enrollment criteria. For example, federal direct loans require at least half-time enrollment. All students are awarded assuming full-time enrollment. If you change enrollment plans, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships must be notified immediately, and we will revise your award if necessary.
: UWF will only accept credits from institutions whose accrediting agency is included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies, and the amount of transfer credits allowed depends on the program. For detailed information, visit our Transfer Students page.
: Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates for more information.