Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Online

Prepare for a successful future in law enforcement, the judicial system, or graduate school when you explore complex crime issues such as victimology, criminology, police leadership, administration of justice, and law adjudication.

Next Apply Date: 12/16/24
Next Class Start Date: 1/13/25
Apply Now

Program Overview

Get to Know our 100% Online BA in Criminal Justice

Answer the call to be a positive force within law enforcement, courts and corrections by earning your Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice online from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Designed to help you succeed and advance in local, state, federal and private agencies (as well as law school and graduate study), this program strengthens your foundational knowledge and analytical skills.

Our online curriculum connects theory to practice using a comprehensive approach to complex crime issues from political, legal, psychological and sociological perspectives. As a student, you will gain a strong understanding of key criminal justice subject areas, including victimology, criminology, police leadership, administration of justice, and law adjudication.

What Do You Learn in Criminal Justice:

  • Knowledge of key functions and recent developments in the criminal justice system
  • Ability to follow and implement the role of law enforcement, courts, correctional and juvenile agencies
  • Perform sociological research on crime, theories of criminal behavior and trends in criminal law and correction
  • Analyze criminal and social justice issues, including the role of the criminal justice system in relation to other societal institutions
  • Knowledge of key functions and recent developments in the criminal justice system
  • Ability to follow and implement the role of law enforcement, courts, correctional and juvenile agencies
  • Perform sociological research on crime, theories of criminal behavior and trends in criminal law and correction
  • Analyze criminal and social justice issues, including the role of the criminal justice system in relation to other societal institutions

Careers in Criminal Justice

  • FBI Agent
  • Customs Officer
  • U.S. Marshals Service
  • Probation Officer
  • Loss Prevention Manager
  • Victim Advocate
  • Insurance Claims Representative
  • Law School
  • FBI Agent
  • Customs Officer
  • U.S. Marshals Service
  • Probation Officer
  • Loss Prevention Manager
  • Victim Advocate
  • Insurance Claims Representative
  • Law School

Also available:

Southeastern offers a variety of specialized online program options. Check out our other online undergraduate programs.

Per Credit Hour $321*
Transfer Hours Up to 90 Hours
Credit Hours 124
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Need More Information?

Call 844-515-9100

Call 844-515-9100

Why choose a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice?

Learn both the theory and practice of criminal justice in this well-rounded program.

Tuition

Choosing our online degree is cost effective

Southeastern Oklahoma State University offers its students the opportunity to earn their online degree with affordable, pay-as-you-go tuition that includes fees.

Transfer your credits for lower tuition

Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.

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Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's Southeastern record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.
SE-B-CJ

Tuition breakdown:

Per Credit Hour $321*

Calendar

Review these important dates

Our course schedule features multiple start dates throughout the year so you never have to wait long to get started. View the full calendar chart below for upcoming start dates and important corresponding deadlines.

8 week coursesProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlineTuition DeadlineLast Class Day
Spring I1/13/2512/16/2412/16/241/10/252/25/253/2/25
Spring II3/10/252/17/252/17/253/7/254/15/255/4/25
Summer I5/12/254/28/254/28/255/9/256/1/256/29/25
Summer II6/30/256/16/256/16/256/27/257/3/258/10/25
Fall I8/18/258/4/258/4/258/15/259/15/2510/5/25
Fall II10/13/259/29/259/29/2510/10/2511/1/2512/7/25

Now enrolling:

Apply Date 12/16/24
Class Starts 1/13/25

Have questions or need more information about our online programs?

Ready to take the rewarding path toward earning your degree online?

Admissions

Follow our streamlined admission requirements for the online criminal justice degree

Let's start boosting your career! The admission process is the first step toward earning your online degree. Familiarize yourself with these requirements for this online program, along with information on required documentation.

  • Online Application
  • Transcripts
  • College Placement Test

To meet the admission requirements for the B.A. in Criminal Justice, applicants must submit a complete application, pay the $30 non-refundable application fee, and meet the following criteria:

Transfer Students: Students who have attempted seven or more semester hours of college credit. Remedial and activity courses are not counted.

  • Students are accepted as long as their cumulative GPA is a 2.0 or higher. If the student's cumulative GPA is less than a 2.0 but it does not indicate a suspension, they can enroll at SOSU for the upcoming semester; however, they would be placed on probation until that cumulative GPA reaches at least a 2.0. If their last semester does indicate a suspension, they would be required to sit out a semester before enrolling at SOSU. If a student has two suspensions, they must attend another school and raise their cumulative GPA to a 2.0 or higher before being accepted to SOSU.
  • College placement testing: Students will be required to take a test in each of the three areas (English, Math and Reading) unless they have successfully completed a college course in that area or have provided ACT scores of at least a 19. Students who have not scored high enough in the Science area automatically have a deficiency until they clear the Math & Reading deficiencies. If they do not pass the placement test, they will be required to either complete a remedial course or will have an additional lab component. These deficiencies should be completed within the first 12 credit hours (typically one semester). Our Learning Center can provide more information if you have further questions.

Adult Freshmen: 21 or older and has earned no more than six hours of college credit after high school graduation. Concurrent work is excluded.

  • Provide a completed high school transcript or GED
  • College placement testing is required if the student does not provide ACT or SAT scores. See testing information above.

New Freshmen: A student who has earned no more than six hours of college credit after high school graduation. Concurrent work is excluded.

  • Minimum ACT of 20 (or SAT equivalent) or 2.7 overall high school GPA and top 50% of graduating class OR 2.7 GPA in the 15-unit core curriculum (four English, three Math, three History, three Science and two Electives)
  • College placement testing: There are three tests (English, Math and Reading) that are given to students who do not score at least a 19 on the ACT or equivalent SAT scores in that area. Students who have not scored high enough in the Science area automatically have a deficiency until they clear the Math & Reading deficiency.

If the student does not pass the placement test, they will be required to either complete a remedial course or will have an additional lab component. These deficiencies are required to be completed within the first 24 credit hours (typically two semesters). Our Learning Center can provide more information if you have further questions.

Returning Students: Students who have not attended any other school since leaving SOSU are accepted under the following circumstances:

  • The student has a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.0; or
  • If the student's cumulative GPA is under a 2.0 and their final semester with SOSU was on academic probation, they can return on probation. This status will stay in effect until the student raises their cumulative GPA to at least a 2.0.
  • For students who have been suspended, university policy states that for the first suspension, a student must sit out at least one semester before returning. If a student has two suspensions, they must attend another school and raise their cumulative GPA to a 2.0 or higher before being accepted to SOSU.

International Application and Admissions Requirements: Please note, unfortunately, students with an F-1 visa are ineligible for online programs.

  1. Complete the application.
  2. Academic Records:
    • Original final post-secondary transcript(s) and diploma(s) from each college or university attended. If your transcript is not issued in English, we require the original document as well as an English translation done by your school(s) or a professional translating company. Original = issued by a school or examination board with an official signature and school stamp or seal.
    • Post-secondary records from outside the U.S. must be analyzed by a NACES (www.NACES.org) educational credential evaluation service such as IERF or WES or ECE. For IERF, students need to choose the "detailed report" option and select Southeastern Oklahoma State University from the menu. IERF will send the evaluation of your records to our International Student Services office.
  3. English Proficiency: Internet-based TOEFL score of 61 or an IELTS Academic score of 5.5; taken within 2 years of enrollment.
    • For TOEFL, let us know your registration number and have your score report sent to Southeastern (institution code: 6657).
    • For IELTS, let us know your TRF number.
    • You do not need TOEFL or IELTS scores if you meet one of the following:
      • English is your first language
      • You graduated from a U.S. high school with 4 years of English
      • You have a bachelor's degree from a U.S. college or university
      • You have 24 hours of college or university credit in the U.S. with a grade point average of 3.0 or better (including English Composition I and II)

Official sealed transcripts from all previous institutions should be sent to Southeastern Oklahoma State University:

Southeastern Oklahoma State University/Registrar
425 W. University Blvd.
Durant, OK 74701-3347

Email: [email protected]

What can I do with a degree in Criminal Justice?

Graduates of this program are prepared for a wide range of career opportunities in both state and federal agencies.

Courses

View the degree plan for our Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice online program

For the B.A. in Criminal Justice online, students must complete a minimum of 124 credit hours. The curriculum is comprised of 30 Core credit hours, 31 Organizational and Strategic Communication credit hours, 44 General Education credit hours, 18-24 credit hours in a minor, and 12 elective hours selected in consultation with an advisor to meet university requirements for graduation.

Students must complete the following courses for a total of 30 credit hours:

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a critical overview of policing and current issues that relate to law enforcement in the U.S. (Prerequisite: CJ 2533)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a study of the historical development of the correctional system and a complete analysis of the system. Topics included are the prison community, effects of incarceration, rehabilitative efforts, and community treatment strategies. (Prerequisite: CJ 2533)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an introduction to the current legal system, both criminal and civil. The course will focus on the historical development of the U.S. legal system and introduce students to the legal requirements of our system of justice. (Prerequisite: CJ 2533)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An examination of the historical development and contemporary practices related to the major components of the criminal justice system: law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Analysis of research and theory related to the causes, extent, and correction of delinquency.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Summary of sociological research on crime, theories of criminal behavior, and trends in criminal law and correction.

Students must complete two of the following courses for a total of 6 credit hours: CJ 3333, CJ 3323, CJ 3343, CJ 3433, CJ 4283, CJ 4403, SFTY 3133
Students must complete one of the following courses for a total of 3 credit hours: PSY 3373, PSY 4313

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is the study of administration and organization of the major components of the criminal justice system: law enforcement, corrections, juvenile justice, and the courts. (Prerequisite: CJ 2533)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Criminal investigation procedures including case preparation, specific techniques for specific offenses, and crime science. (Prerequisite: CJ 2533)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A historical and contemporary examination of crime and how victims are treated in contemporary society. (Prerequisite: CJ 2533)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an examination of statutory criminal law and its application to law enforcement and the criminal courts in the United States. (Prerequisite: CJ 2533)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An examination of the laws governing the field of corrections from both the inmates’ and correctional employees’ points of view. (Prerequisite: CJ 2533)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an analysis of differing criminal justice systems across nation-states. (Prerequisite: CJ 2533)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a study of drugs and their effects. This course examines physiological, psychological and societal effects of drug misuse and abuse in our society. In addition, the historical development of behavior-altering substances from the early Chinese to the modern drug culture is studied.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A comprehensive survey of contemporary and classical theories of personality, personality development, and concepts used in understanding personality. (Prerequisite: PSY 1113)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of the dynamics, etiology, prevention and treatment of abnormal behavior, including the anxiety and psychosomatic disorders, depressive disorders, social and interpersonal disorders, psychoses, substance abuse disorders, and other abnormal personality patterns. (Prerequisites: PSY 1113 and three additional upper division hours of psychology.)

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