Strayer University’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice prepares students to examine the criminal justice system, public safety operations, investigations, ethical decision making, and the societal factors that influence crime and justice. The program provides foundational knowledge in policing, courts, corrections, community engagement, and justice related policy while helping students build communication, analytical, and problem solving skills relevant to public service and protective service environments.
Designed for working adults, the curriculum explores both traditional and emerging challenges within criminal justice systems, including investigations, technology related crime, forensic concepts, community safety, and data informed decision making. Students develop practical knowledge that may support career pathways across law enforcement, corrections, investigations, security, fraud prevention, community services, and related justice focused fields.
Students may have the opportunity to earn micro-credentials on the way to completing their degree.
What You’ll Learn
- Analyze the structure and function of the criminal justice system
- Examine ethical and legal frameworks within justice environments
- Explore investigative methods, forensic concepts, and crime response
- Understand policing, courts, corrections, and community safety strategies
- Apply communication, analytical thinking, and problem solving in justice related settings
Skills You’ll Build
- Investigative analysis and reporting
- Legal reasoning and ethical judgment
- Conflict resolution and interpersonal communication
- Public safety and emergency response fundamentals
- Crime prevention and community engagement strategies
- Forensic documentation and evidence evaluation fundamentals
- Digital and cybercrime awareness
- Data informed decision making
- Critical thinking and problem solving
- Professional communication in justice related environments
Career Pathways (Examples of Potential Entry-Level Roles) – Graduates may pursue positions such as:
- Police Officer or Deputy
- Probation Officer
- Correctional Officer
- Investigative Analyst
- Fraud Investigations Support Specialist
- Community Outreach Coordinator
- Loss Prevention and Asset Protection Specialist
- Security Operations Coordinator
- Court Administration Support
- Public Safety Support Specialist
Note: Strayer University does not guarantee employment or employment outcomes. Career pathways vary based on several factors, including experience, location, certifications, industry, and employer requirements.
Major
General Education Core
Concentration
Students must choose one of the concentrations listed to complete the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.
The Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Justice concentration** integrates cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence into the field of criminal justice. Students will gain a deep understanding of AI, its history, applications across the criminal justice system, and ethical considerations. This concentration equips graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the intersection of AI and criminal justice, making them well- prepared for the evolving landscape of law enforcement, crime prevention and many other criminal justice applications.
The Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity Concentration is designed to provide opportunities for students to explore computer networking, security and forensics technologies. Students will learn how to gather evidence to identify, track and prosecute cybercriminals, as well as focusing on networking protocols, topologies, hardware and operating systems.
The Crime and Criminal Behavior Concentration is designed to provide students opportunities to explore the logical structure of criminology theories. Students are introduced to the application of major theories, concepts of crime, criminal justice, and criminology as well as how criminology theories are used to formulate crime prevention programs and to provide a better understanding of criminal and delinquent behavior.
The Criminal Justice Administration Concentration is designed to provide opportunities for students to understand how criminal agencies operate. This concentration focuses on the leadership and operations of the intricate workings of the United States criminal justice system.
The National Security, Emergency Response and Crisis Leadership Concentration is designed to provide opportunities for students to explore the operationally oriented field of emergency response management, including strategic responses to national security threats like terrorism, natural disasters, and global security issues.
The Probation and Parole Concentration** is designed to provide opportunities for students to examine corrections, probation and parole in both concepts and procedures. This concentration focuses on the continuum of services provided in the criminal justice system that manages and supervises criminal and delinquent offenders.
Electives
These courses are selected in consultation with a dean, advisor or coach; within this component it is possible for students to develop a minor in a second area of study (see Minors).
All courses are 4.5 quarter credit hours.
Completion of the Strayer University Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program does not guarantee that a student has met the requirements for employment in the criminal justice field. Prior to enrolling in the program, students are encouraged to consult the applicable licensing board in the field of their employment. Students should be advised that many criminal justice employers take into account the following factors when determining eligibility for employment: U.S. citizenship, state residency, criminal background screening, physical and psychological health, age and military discharge information. Links to the most commonly requested information for regulated professions are available on the Strayer website at https://www.strayer.edu/student-consumer-information/licensed-careers
*This program is not available at Maryland campuses and is available in an online-only format to Maryland students. Students enrolled in this program in Arkansas and New Jersey must follow the requirements as set forth in the catalog section applicable to their state.
**Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Justice: This concentration is only available online.
***Probation and Parole: For students in New Jersey, this concentration is available only online.
The university recognizes that the IT industry uses IT certifications as a means of vetting potential IT professionals in the fields of network security and cybersecurity. Therefore, a number of carefully chosen courses have embedded IT certification training along with academic rigor in order to prepare students for being certified. Review the undergraduate-level CIS course descriptions in the course descriptions section of this catalog to determine which courses in this program have certification training availability and the requirements associated with each course. Certifications are the best means of validating a student's skills and knowledge.
Students are advised to review the Undergraduate Degree Conferral Requirements to ensure they satisfy all of the general requirements for an undergraduate degree, including the minimum grade that must be earned in certain courses.