Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

The field of criminal justice is as diverse as it is demanding for the dedicated people who choose to pursue opportunities across a broad spectrum of disciplines, including law enforcement, corrections, advocacy and court-related positions. Those who dedicate themselves to the field of criminal justice can enhance their futures by acquiring the industry-current knowledge and skills that can help prepare them for challenges and opportunities they will face in modern society.

Colorado Technical University’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) degree program is designed to provide a foundation of knowledge applicable to a broad range of criminal justice roles and responsibilities. By learning about the various paths a career in criminal justice can take, students are given the opportunity to identify the area that interests them the most and the direction they are interested in pursuing further.

Courses in this program focus on a number of substantive areas relevant to the field of criminal justice, including: law enforcement operations, criminology, criminal law, criminal procedure, criminal justice ethics, corrections, criminal investigation and evidence.

Because most criminal justice professionals are required to interact with citizens, CTU’s BSCJ emphasizes the development of “people skills” to help students build vital communication, critical thinking and writing abilities. Courses also focus on the importance of ethics and the high degree of professionalism expected from today’s criminal justice workers at every level of their careers. For example:

• In Criminal Procedure, students may be given a case study requiring them to do research and evaluate whether there were any Constitutional violations during the investigation and prosecution of the case.
• In Victimology, students may be required to identify and describe available services for a particular crime victim or victims and evaluate what type of services would be most appropriate for that victim or victims. 
• In Criminal Investigation, students may be required to walk through the steps involved in collecting evidence from a simulated crime scene. 

Other core courses in the BSCJ program include:

• Homeland Security
• Forensic Criminology
• Managing Diversity
• Public Administration
• The Laws of Evidence
• American Corrections
• And many other courses designed to provide students with a keen understanding of the interesting directions the field of criminal justice may take.

Key assignments in many courses may be group assignments, since criminal justice professionals must be able to work effectively with others. In addition to core courses, BSCJ students take general education courses designed to provide them with a well-rounded education. Successful completion of the BSCJ program can give students an applicable foundation of career-related knowledge and skills, including how to:

• Demonstrate professional written and verbal communication skills.
• Resolve complex problems independently and ethically.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the psychological and sociological dimensions of human behavior and crime.
• Identify and apply strategies in the areas of corrections and parole, including incarceration, community‐based corrections and
• treatment of offenders.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the area of crime scene investigation and forensics.
• Examine and integrate the emerging trends in the criminal justice system.

In addition to a quality curriculum based on industry standards, Colorado Technical University’s BSCJ program is taught by an experienced team of criminal justice professionals who bring a range professional experience into their classrooms.

Their firsthand knowledge and perspectives offer students the opportunity to learn from criminal justice professionals willing to share their understanding of the qualities and skills sought in today's competitive job market.

Colorado Technical University's Bachelor's Degree Completion Program is designed to enable completion of a Bachelor's degree in as little as 17 months.*

*The 17-month Bachelor's degree assumes that all Associate-level requirements have been met through an Associate degree or the equivalent. Program length varies by program.

To learn more about CTU, our Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree program or how to apply for admission, please contact us for more information.