Online Associate Degree AS in Criminal Justice

Boost Your Opportunities in America's Justice System with an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice Online

Gain a better understanding of criminology and law enforcement with an associate degree in criminal justice online at Southern New Hampshire University. You’ll have a broad choice of courses, allowing you to obtain a thorough overview of the American justice system, criminal law, social science and more. This diverse approach to your studies translates into expanded opportunities when you graduate.

SNHU’s associate degree in criminal justice program is suited for both experienced criminal justice professionals who want to upgrade their skill set and those seeking entry-level professional positions in the field.

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See Yourself Succeed in Criminal Justice

Through a carefully selected program of study, you have the opportunity to discover a broad scope of the American justice system. SNHU's associate degree in criminal justice provides an introductory and career-focused overview, with a curriculum designed to help you begin your career or continue on to earn the BS in Criminal Justice.

As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your associate in criminal justice online at SNHU include:

Affordability. Take advantage of some of the most affordable tuition rates in the nation
Convenience. Attend class when it’s convenient for you – online education means 24/7 access
Efficiency and flexibility. Complete your certificate program at your own pace, over six 8-week terms per year
Expert instruction. Learn from instructors with relevant, real-world experience
Networking. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni for internship and career opportunities
Simple application process. Just fill out an online undergraduate application, and we’ll retrieve U.S. transcripts from your previous institutions and automatically complete an official credit evaluation. Plus, there’s no application fee
Student support. Count on the ongoing support of dedicated academic and career advisors specialized in your area of study
Transfer-friendly enrollment. Transfer up to 45 credits toward an associate degree

Career Outlook

By earning your associate degree in criminal justice online, you’ll open up a variety of career opportunities in fields like law, business security, court administration, corrections, victim advocacy and dispute resolution. The employment outlook in these fields is positive. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a wide range of positions, from social work (19 percent increase) and community service manager (21 percent) to security and gaming surveillance (12 percent) and dispute resolution (10 percent), are all expected to see growth through 2022.

Curriculum

The online AS in Criminal Justice curriculum introduces you to a broad spectrum of ideas, theories and information across the many topics and issues related to the criminal justice system in the U.S. Your coursework will provide you with a solid foundation of core principles to help start or advance your career, or prepare you for further studies.

Major Courses
ENG 122 English Composition I English 122 is a college-level writing course that introduces students to the various forms of academic discourse. This course focuses primarily on the basic elements of college composition and writing as a process in both narrative and analytical forms. Students will investigate the importance and promise of effective written communication in various personal and professional contexts and identify effective strategies through critical analysis of written works as well as their own writing. Finally, this course prepares students for more advanced research analysis by connecting students to important avenues of research.
ENG 123 English Composition II English 123 focuses students on the importance of research to advancing knowledge for various purposes. This course will build on the foundations of composition and introduce students to the research process and the analysis and evaluation of various sources. Students will investigate the writing process for research as well as appropriate research methods and skills. Additionally, this course offers multiple opportunities to engage in the important tasks of revision and editing and will ask students to incorporate feedback to improve their writing.
IT 100 Introduction to Information Technology This is the fundamental computer fluency course. It is designed to promote a working knowledge and understanding of computer information technology concepts, skills and capabilities that support academic and professionally related goals and requirements. Students learn about the application and science of information technology. Concepts to master include the fundamentals of computer information technologies along with issues that affect people today such as : Internet and other network technologies, web publishing, digital media, hardware, software, file and database management, information security, viruses, and spyware, social impact, as well as algorithmic thinking and the limits of computation. Students develop capabilities such a managing complexity, assessing the quality of information, collaborating and communicating using IT, anticipating technological change and thinking abstractly and critically about IT. Students develop computer-related skills in support of their college studies and career goals. This is accomplished, in part, by the mastery of word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and database software.
SNHU 107 Success Strategies for Online Learning This course focuses on student success strategies for students who are new to higher education or online learning. Skill areas include critical thinking, self-advocacy and support services, and the empowerment of students to utilize their strengths in order to improve the likelihood of academic success.
Select one MAT foundations course Select one EFAH exploration elective Select one ESBS exploration elective Select one ESTM exploration elective
CJ 104 Ethics and the Criminal Justice Leader This course examines the subject of ethics as it relates to leadership in the criminal justice profession. It provides for an in-depth understanding and application of ethical decision-making processes at all levels of the criminal justice organization.
CJ 202 Writing for the Criminal Justice Profession This course will equip the criminal justice student with the skills and assets necessary for writing with the precision, coherence, and integrity that are crucial to the demands of the profession and the criminal justice system.
CJ 300 Research Methods for Criminal Justice In an era of rigorous scrutiny from entities such as the media and the general public, it is essential criminal justice professionals make evidence-based and ethical decisions. The course is an introduction to basic social science research methods applied to contemporary issues in the field of criminal justice. Students examine the relationship between theory and research, identify patterns, and ultimately draw evidence-based conclusions.
JUS 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice This course covers the nature, scope and impact of crime in the United States, independent and interdependent operations and procedures of police, courts and corrections, and introductory theories of crime and delinquency. The course introduces the justice model in a systematic way whereby students delve into the numerous components of the justice system including law enforcement, legal and judicial process and correctional operations. Career opportunities will be fully covered throughout the course.
JUS 261 Judicial Administration An examination of the American judicial system, highlighting state, local, and federal tribunals, including an assessment of their hierarchy, subject matter jurisdiction, and administration. Also reviewed will be judicial reasoning, judicial process and the chief personnel responsible for judicial operations. More particularly the course will expose the various phases inherent in civil and criminal litigation including the concepts of jurisdiction, venue, parties and the pleadings that guide advocacy. Typical case calendars and dockets will be examined throughout the course so that students may acquire a complete understanding of the litigation process.
JUS 305 International Criminal Justice This course compares and contrasts the criminal justice system of the United States with the systems of other countries on a substantive and procedural basis. A thorough examination of other cultural models of law and justice in order that differences in justice processing and definition become apparent. Some emphasis is placed on international policing and legal enforcement, whether through INTERPOL, treaty or other regulation.
JUS 331 Juvenile Justice System This course covers the juvenile justice system, with special emphasis on the way it procedurally differs from adult offender adjudication. The parts of the juvenile justice system, hearings, due process standards and constitutional mandates are fully reviewed. Status offenders and other youth classifications are considered, together with a historical summary of juvenile court philosophy. New trends in the procedural disposition of juveniles especially transfer to adult jurisdiction, types of punishment, suitability of the death penalty are discussed.
JUS 375 Criminal Law An introduction to substantive criminal law that reviews the social, philosophical, and legal foundations of criminal codification. In addition, the course covers the historical development of criminal law in the U.S. Other subject matters include parties to crimes including principals/accessories, criminal capacity, criminal elements, e.g. mens rea, actus rea, and the specific crimes against person, property, and public order. Lastly, the course captures criminal law from the defendant's perspective by reviewing the accuser's mental states, potential defenses and uses of mitigation.
Select one of the following:
JUS 102 American Policing An introduction to the police system in America, which is the gateway to the criminal justice process. Topics considered include the historical foundations of police processes, occupational roles and tasks of law enforcement, and the nature and designs of typical, as well as innovative, police systems. Perennial problems of policing, particularly as it relates to community interaction, are also essential components of the course.
JUS 103 Correctional Systems This course examines the management, structure, and organizational design of correctional institutions. Correctional planning, construction, program evaluation and community interaction will be considered and improvement strategies for correctional operations will be debated and critiqued. The course provides a broad based overview of the correctional system which incarcerates and confines, treats, and reclaims criminal personalities and protects and serves the state and the community by removing threats to the social order.
JUS 104 Introduction to Security A basic overview of private sector justice is the course's chief aim. Types of security operations and functions comprises much of the course coverage including perimeter and physical security, intelligence gathering, retail and industrial security, terrorism and executive protection as well as security in select business and industrial centers. Careers, regulation and licensure, and the debate on professionalization are other areas of major intellectual concern.
Free Elective Credits: 9 Total Credits: 60

Program Outcomes

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer financial aid packages to those who qualify, plus a 30 percent tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Online Undergraduate Programs	Per Course*	Per Credit Hour*
Degree/Certificates	$960	$320
Degree/Certificates (U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty)	$675	$225

*Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed Annually.

Additional Costs

No Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)

University Accreditation

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges as well as several other accrediting bodies. More...