Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

The Foundation of CTU's Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Degree

The number of quarter credits needed to complete the overall bachelor's degree can vary based on the concentration selected by the student. At CTU, core classes comprise 56 quarter credits and include:

• Criminal Law
• Criminal Procedures
• Juvenile Delinquency
• Laws of Evidence
• Criminology

Of course, many people may wonder what 'criminology' actually is and how it differs from other components within the criminal justice system. Criminology looks at the motivations behind crime, significant offense areas, and related statistics and trends.

In addition to the 56 quarter credits needed in the core criminal justice classes, students take another 66 quarter credits in general education. These courses help provide students with a well-rounded education they may use to prepare to enter the workforce. The general education classes in the criminal justice program at CTU include, but are not limited to, Introductory Psychology, Algebra for Business, and Speech Communications.

Concentrations for the Criminal Justice Degree

The 122 combined quarter credits in the general and core education classes are just the building blocks of CTU's criminal justice degree. Within the criminal justice area of study, students then have the opportunity to choose one of four concentrations, including:

• Cybercrime and Security
• Forensic Investigation
• Homeland Security and Emergency Management
• Human Services

Pursuing a concentration allows students to explore niche skills on top of their general understanding of criminal justice procedures and law enforcement. While the concentration area requires completion of 60 quarter-credit hours, approximately 20 hours of these are in required coursework while the remaining 40 are chosen from elective options. (Please note that not all electives may be available at both campuses or online.)

Finally, an internship or capstone project is required as part of the concentration area. The internship allows students to study skills in the field under the supervision of a professional while the capstone project enables students to demonstrate skills and knowledge gained throughout the program. When students have completed their campus-based or online criminal justice degree at CTU, they should be equipped to:

• Possess the knowledge and skills to help seek employment in the criminal justice field
• Identify the diverse needs of the criminal justice system and the public it serves
• Apply communication, professional skills and technical knowledge in the criminal justice field