Program Quick Facts
100% Online
Take 7-week classes online and on your schedule.
Strong Spiritual Foundation
Deepen your faith in programs taught from a Christian perspective.
Transfer Friendly
Get credit for your previous college coursework.
Protect and Serve Your Community
The online Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice will equip you to address the social problem of crime from a Christian perspective across various criminal justice professions and in nonprofit and community settings. It will engage the spectrum of criminal justice issues from legal to social to ethical, preparing you to pursue or advance a meaningful, impactful career.
At Vanguard University, you will be part of a caring, inclusive community and learn from professor-mentors who fully know you and your career goals. Our transfer-friendly programs are perfect for working adults who need flexibility and convenience from a college program. Here, you can complete your bachelor’s in criminal justice fully online and in as few as 22 months. Classes begin every 7 weeks!
Career Outcomes
The bachelor’s in criminal justice program will help you build your expertise and develop essential skills for any workplace, including government and nonprofit organizations. With a bachelor’s degree, you will be well-positioned to pursue or advance in a variety of fields, including:
- Local, state or federal law enforcement
- Corrections
- Crime prevention
- Criminal profiling
- Forensics
- Private investigation
- Security
- Youth correctional counseling
Completing your bachelor’s degree also sets you up to pursue graduate studies.
The B.A. in Criminal Justice program was developed by faculty with years of in-the-field experience, including experts in criminology, counterterrorism and criminal profiling. Faculty have held high-profile positions within law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Upon completion of the B.A. in Criminal Justice program, you will be prepared to:
- Understand theories of crime, criminal justice and reentry, including traditional and contemporary approaches
- Use social science methods of data collection to investigate and document issues related to crime and victimization
- Examine ways in which race, ethnicity, class and gender are related to outcomes within criminal justice systems
- Contrast theoretical and empirical models of crime prevention and suppression with the criminal justice system’s role and function
- Integrate a Christian worldview in understandings of crime, victimization and justice
The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal program consists of 120 total units, including:
- General Education Core Requirements: 50 units
- Major Requirements: 46 units
- Electives: 24 units
| Sample Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| CRMJ-225 Courts and Criminal Procedures | 3 Credits |
| SOC-265C Introduction to Behavioral Statistics | 3 Credits |
| CRMJ-306 Justice and Law Enforcement | 3 Credits |
| CRMJ-311 Criminological Theory | 3 Credits |
| SOC-362 Juvenile Delinquency and Justice | 3 Credits |
At Vanguard University, you will experience personalized instruction paired with a strong spiritual foundation that fosters knowledge, cultivates character and deepens faith. Our Christian professor-mentors will prepare you to make meaningful contributions in your profession and community, equipping you to lead a Spirit-empowered life of Christ-centered leadership and service.
Accreditation
