Best Online Criminology Programs

UF Online offers a bachelor of arts in criminology that provides students with the theories and methods for studying the intersections of crime, law, and society. Graduates with online criminology degrees can pursue jobs as criminal investigators, probation officers, and substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors.

UF Online's criminology degree requires 120 credits and takes four years to complete. Major requirements include courses in advanced principles of criminal justice, law and the legal process, and law and society.

Each candidate must possess a high school diploma (or equivalent), a cumulative "C" average, competitive SAT or ACT scores, and a record of good conduct. A transfer applicant must hold a minimum 2.5 GPA and have completed prerequisite courses, such as intro to statistics. UF Online is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

USF offers a bachelor of science in applied science with a concentration in criminal justice for those who possess an associate of science from a Florida public institution and want to pursue a bachelor's degree. The criminal justice concentration prepares students for graduate school or professional training related to law enforcement, detention, and corrections.

This applied science degree with a concentration in criminal justice requires 60 credit hours beyond the associate degree. Core concentration courses include theories of criminal behavior and survey of the criminal justice system.

Each applicant must have completed an AS degree from a Florida state or community college with a minimum 2.0 GPA. Enrollees can transfer up to 60 credits from the AS degree into the bachelor of applied science program. USF is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

UWW offers a law enforcement bachelor's degree-completion program that provides a path to a bachelor's in criminology for law enforcement officers who have been working for at least three years and already hold an associate degree. The program combines credit for prior learning, independent learning, online learning, and traditional face-to-face courses.

Degree-seekers can complete the UWW criminology program in three years. Required major coursework includes introduction to criminology, criminal investigation, criminological theory, and forensic documentation.

Each applicant should complete an initial expression of interest form on the program website. UWW is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

FSU offers an online bachelor's degree in criminology and criminal justice that prepares individuals for careers as child welfare caseworkers, victim advocates, private investigators, parole officers, or social services case managers. The program can also lead to further graduate studies or law school.

This online criminology degree requires the completion of all general education credits and 36 credits in major-specific coursework. Major core courses include introduction to criminal justice, white-collar crime, the sociology of black males, and crimes against humanity.

To graduate, each student must hold an associate of arts degree from a Florida institution or complete FSU's liberal studies requirements, earn 36 credits of criminology courses with a "C" or higher in three core courses, and maintain an overall 2.0 GPA. FSU is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

LETU offers a bachelor of science in criminal justice that provides students with an understanding of criminal behavior and positive methods for conflict resolution, including restorative justice and alternative behavior modification incentives. Enrollees can pursue online and on-campus formats.

This criminal justice degree requires 120 credits, including 36 credits of major coursework. Students can choose from three concentrations: criminal justice management, human trafficking, and homeland security. Required major courses include criminal law, justice and human rights, and police and the community. University requirements include theology and vocation courses.

Each applicant must hold a high school diploma (or equivalent), a minimum 2.5 GPA, and a minimum SAT score of 1030. LETU is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

MSU offers a bachelor of science and bachelor of arts in criminology. The bachelor of science awards a degree more specialized in criminology, while the bachelor of arts includes liberal arts requirements like foreign languages, fine arts, and humanities with its criminology courses.

Students must declare their major before completing 60 credits at MSU. The criminology program requires 45 credits in major requirements in addition to general education requirements. Major core courses include juvenile justice, criminal procedure, and criminal law and the courts.

MSU admits students on a sliding scale, based on their class rank and GPA, which determines what minimum test scores they need to have on the SAT or ACT. The higher a candidate's class rank and GPA, the lower the test score threshold. MSU is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

SMWC offers a bachelor of science in criminology that prepares individuals for careers in law enforcement or the criminal justice system. The program provides a social science understanding of crime and criminal behavior, along with a solid foundation in liberal arts. Students can complete the program on campus or online.

The bachelor of science program requires 36 credits of major coursework in criminology, in addition to general education requirements. Major core courses include juvenile justice, corrections, and criminal interviewing and investigation. Students can choose from concentrations in psychology or sociology.

Each applicant must possess a high school diploma (or equivalent) and submit their transcripts. Test scores, such as the SAT or ACT, are not required for admission but are encouraged. SMWC is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

UNCW offers an online bachelor of arts in criminology with concentrations in criminal justice, criminology, and public criminology. Enrollees can complete the first two concentrations entirely online, while the public criminology concentration may require some in-person classes.

The bachelor of arts in criminology program requires 39 credits of major coursework, in addition to all general education and university requirements. Core courses include criminology, methods of social research, and sociological data analysis and interpretation. Students must also complete seminars in their chosen area of concentration.

Each applicant must possess a high school diploma (or equivalent) and a minimum 2.5 GPA. Transfer students must have 24 credits of transferable college-level coursework. UNCW is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Regis offers a bachelor of science in criminology that examines crime as a social phenomenon and emphasizes a sociological approach to analyzing the social, political, and environmental factors that influence crime. Regis also offers a combined bachelor's to master's program in criminology for those who plan to pursue further graduate studies and wish to save time.

The bachelor of science in criminology requires 120 credits and takes four years to complete. Major coursework includes introduction to forensic science, crime analysis, psychology of crime, and family violence. Program electives offer courses on topics of youth violence and delinquency, homeland security, and animal exploitation.

Each applicant must possess a high school diploma (or equivalent) and submit all previous transcripts. Regis is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Based in Tempe, Arizona State University is one of the largest schools in the U.S., currently enrolling nearly 75,000 students. This leading research university offers more than 300 online degrees, including a bachelor of science in criminology and criminal justice.

Students in this BS program explore the causes and consequences of crime, as well as the roles of agencies responsible for managing crime. The 120-credit curriculum covers topics such as introduction to policing, courts and sentencing, and statistical analysis.

Graduates can pursue a variety of career paths, including positions as correctional officers, forensic specialists, and fraud investigators. To apply, prospective students must hold a minimum 3.0 high school GPA, rank in the top 25% of their graduating class, or meet minimum SAT or ACT score requirements.