On-Campus and Online Criminal Justice Degree Programs

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

Colorado Technical University’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program provides an opportunity for students to acquire industry-specific skills and knowledge that apply to a number criminal justice roles. Core courses include Introduction to Homeland Security, American Corrections, Victimology, Juvenile Delinquency, Criminology, The Laws of Evidence, and more. The program offers a general track option as well as four concentrations, and electives vary depending upon which you choose. Our online security studies programs include a fully online cybercrime and security concentration, while those who are able to attend class at either our Colorado Springs or Aurora locations can choose to pursue the on-campus forensic investigation concentration. Our human services concentration is available in multiple attendance formats as well, helping students prepare to pursue human-services related career paths in the criminal justice system.

Master of Science in Criminal Justice

CTU’s College of Security Studies offers a Master of Science in Criminal Justice program that is designed for current criminal justice professionals wishing to expand their knowledge of policy development, planning, and decision-making with the objective of pursuing more advanced roles in the field. The homeland security concentration—comprised of courses such as Technology Solutions for Homeland Security, Organizational and Policy Challenges, Vulnerability Analysis and Protection, Homeland Security and Government, and the Homeland Security Capstone—is offered as a fully online master’s degree in criminal justice program. The general track—comprised of courses such as Court Services Management, Law Enforcement Management, Corrections Management, Graduate Criminal Justice Capstone, and Operational Human Resource Management—is available in on-campus, online, and hybrid formats.

Admissions Process Overview

Prospective CTU students must complete an admissions interview with an Admissions Advisor and submit a completed application, but no SAT, no GMAT, no GRE, or any other standardized test is a prerequisite for our on-campus/online criminal justice degree programs (or any other degree programs we offer). For bachelor’s degree programs, proof of high school graduation (i.e., diploma, transcripts) or its equivalency (i.e., GED) must be provided to CTU. For our on-campus/online master’s degree in criminal justice program, official transcripts verifying completion of an accredited baccalaureate degree program must be submitted.

Students may be required to complete a criminal background check to participate in or attend class activities at certain sites or to qualify for certain types of internships. A criminal record may disqualify a student from some class activities, internships, or career choices. See the University Catalog for complete admissions details.

Accreditation, Awards, and Recognitions

Colorado Technical University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org).

U.S. News & World Report has ranked CTU on a number of its 2025 "Best Of” lists, including:*

• Best Online Degree Programs
• Best for Veterans
• Best Online Master's in Criminal Justice Programs

Additionally, the Military Times has ranked CTU on its “Best for Vets: Colleges 2024” list, and we have been recognized as a Purple Heart University by the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) for our support of military members, veterans, their families, and the community.

Ways to Graduate Faster than You Might Think

Typical program duration at CTU is 48 months for a bachelor’s degree and 18 months for a master’s degree, but many factors can impact overall program length, including:

• CTU’s Transfer Credit Policy: Eligible students may qualify to transfer-in up to 75 percent of the credits required to complete their undergraduate or graduate degree program.³
• CTU Fast Track™ Exams:² Taking and passing these exams can result in completing your undergraduate degree program up to 30 percent faster by letting you “test out” of certain classes. The number of CTU Fast Track™ exams available in the criminal justice bachelor’s program varies by concentration, ranging from four to seven.⁴
• Experiential Learning Portfolios (ELPs): Submitting a successful ELP to demonstrate how prior learning experience (typically professional experience) meets a particular course’s objectives could enable you to skip that course and still receive credit toward completing your degree.
• Military Education Benefits: Active military and veterans may be able to convert their military training and service into course credit.

Ways to Save on Tuition and Fees

The more credit-hours you’re able to apply to your on-campus or online criminal justice degree program by transferring-in credits from other colleges, passing CTU Fast Track™ exams, developing a successful Experiential Learning Portfolio, and turning your military experience into course credits, the fewer courses you’ll have to take to satisfy degree requirements and the less you’ll have to spend on tuition. Members of the military (and their spouses) are also able to take advantage of a reduced tuition rate.

CTU also offers different financial aid resources and tools. Various institutional grants and scholarships may be available that could help you save on out-of-pocket costs.⁵ Many employers offer tuition reimbursement programs that could help offset the cost of taking criminal justice online classes (or on-campus classes), and your HR manager can assist you in determining your organization’s tuition reimbursement policies. To help alleviate some of the guesswork, our tuition and graduation date calculator can help estimate your total tuition and graduation date based on information you supply.

Why CTU?

Going back to school can be intimidating for anyone, but particularly for adults who have families, existing careers, and other personal and financial responsibilities. When you already have very little time, the thought of fitting classes into your schedule might seem impossible, but our online criminal justice bachelor’s degree and online master’s degree in criminal justice programs are designed to offer the flexibility you want to make your goals a reality. CTU’s large network of current and former students is proof that earning a degree, even with a busy life, can be done. Our many attendance options make it possible to fit classes into your existing life, instead of having to put your current responsibilities on hold. And one of the benefits of a CTU education is that you don’t have to sacrifice having a supportive network of fellow students and faculty simply because you’re taking criminal justice classes online. You can stay connected with your classwork and classmates through our award-winning online tools, while our knowledgeable instructors are available to provide assistance when requested.

¹ intellipath^® is not available for all courses.
² The ability to reduce time in school and/or reduce tuition towards the full cost of a degree program depends on the number of CTU Fast Track^™ exams successfully passed. Fast Track program credits are non-transferable. Not all programs are eligible for possible 30% reduction in time and money. Courses eligible are subject to change. Students should not rely on potential Fast Track savings or eligibility when making an enrollment decision.
³ Transfer credit is evaluated on an individual basis. Not all credits are eligible to transfer. See the University Catalog for transfer credit policies.
⁴ https://www.coloradotech.edu/admissions/prior-learning-assessment/fast-track-exams
⁵ Financial aid is available for those who qualify. University grants or scholarships are based on established criteria as published in the University's catalog and are awarded after verification that the conditions of eligibility have been met.