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Online Associate's in Criminal Justice
Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice
Learn how the criminal justice and corrections systems operate — and prepare for a career that allows you to support the agencies, systems and procedures involved in criminal justice. Our customizable Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice is transfer-friendly when you optimize your work experience, transfer credits and certifications.
Courses in this program are just 5 weeks long, so they won’t get in the way of your busy life. Plus, There’s no application fee, no SAT test requirements, and we’ll even request your prior college transcripts for you.
Program Purpose Statement
The University’s Criminal Justice programs are educational degree programs. These programs do not prepare students to become certified peace officers. For those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement, corrections or as a peace officer with any particular local, state, federal, tribal or international agency, there are numerous additional qualifications (and often disqualifications), depending on the position. Before enrolling in a Criminal Justice program, potential students are highly encouraged to check with the relevant agency for a complete list of position requirements and disqualifications.
Ignite Your Passion
Start when you're ready
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Courses
Browse courses for your online criminal justice degree
Education should hold practical value. That’s why our courses meet rigorous academic standards and provide you with skills and knowledge immediately applicable to your career.
Look for this icon to see which skills you’ll learn in a course.
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Requirements: 60 credits
You’ll need 60 credits to complete this associate in criminal justice. Your course schedule may vary based on transferable credits or credits earned through the University’s Prior Learning Assessment.
Schedule
Your academic counselor will help you schedule your courses for an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice.
Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years.
Learning shouldn’t take years to put into practice. That’s why we’re empowering you to build career-relevant skills with every five- to six-week course.
We’ve worked with the labor market researcher Lightcast to identify in-demand skills for occupations and mapped those to our related associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.
Tuition
Paying for school
Tuition is based on number of credit hours per course. Courses are typically 3 credits, but can range from 1-6 credits. Costs do not include savings opportunities like transfer credits and scholarships.
What affects the overall cost of my program?
Your full program cost can vary by:
- Savings opportunities. Your cost could be reduced with eligible transfer credits, scholarships, employer discounts and more. Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11K and 1 year off their undergraduate degree at University of Phoenix.
With our Tuition Guarantee, you pay one flat, affordable rate from the moment you enroll to the day you graduate from your program.
Discover ways to save time and money on your degree with our Savings Explorer® tool:
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Get credit for what you already know
Earn your degree without starting from scratch. Have previous relevant work and life experience evaluated for potential credit. If you have military or law enforcement training, such as Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), Basic Corrections Academy
training or Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy
training, you can apply to have that experience evaluated for up to 30 credits.
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Other ways to save on time and tuition
Because we believe everyone deserves an affordable education, we work hard to help our students achieve one. Here’s a few ways you can save time, save money and avoid starting from scratch.
Transfer credits
Your prior eligible college credits can lower your cost and help you graduate sooner. As a transfer-friendly university, we accept eligible credits from 5,000+ accredited institutions.
Employer tuition benefits
Are you employed? Check to see if your employer has an alliance agreement with us for education benefits. This can help you save money while gaining skills that could apply to your job.
Credit for life experience
We look at all your relevant experience, from parenting to past jobs, to help you get the college credits you deserve. For every 3 credits earned, shave 5 weeks off your degree.
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Budget & borrow
How to pay for college
Paying for school can be intimidating, but we’re here to help you make sense of it. Our finance advisors can walk you through your options like federal financial aid and savings opportunities to minimize your debt. Plus, we can help you figure out your financial plan.
Careers & Outcomes
What can you do with an Associate in Criminal Justice?
Discover where your degree might take you and make informed choices about your future.
An AACJS can prepare you to be a:
- Correctional Sergeant
- Corrections Specialist
- Corrections Officer (CO)
- Correctional Officer
- Juvenile Corrections Officer
- Detention Officer
- Security Officer
- Jail Officer
- Deputy Jailer
- Corrections Corporal
- Community Corrections Officer
Top skills learned in this program:
Enforcement
Sociology
Communication
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Ready to get started?
Start your application for free or request additional information.
What you’ll learn
When you earn your online associate in criminal justice, you’ll be equipped with a concrete set of skills you can apply on the job. You’ll learn how to:
- Explain the foundational components of the criminal justice system.
- Apply interpersonal and collaborative communication skills.
- Explain societal issues in the criminal justice system.
-6% Growth
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , job growth for correctional officers and bailiffs is projected to decline between 2023 and 2033.
The BLS Projected Growth for 2023-2033 is published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects the BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.
Admissions
Apply for free – no application fee, no obligation.
Starting your degree is a big decision — and we want you to feel great about it. That’s why we remove obstacles from your application.
- No SAT/ACT required
- No essay required
- No cost, risk-free trial for eligible students
- We’ll request transcripts at no cost to you, when possible, and we accept eligible credits from over 5,000 accredited institutions.
How to enroll at University of Phoenix
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Gabriel G., Enrollment Rep
Receive 1-on-1 support
You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 85% of our surveyed students.[1]
[1] Transactional Survey, September 2022-August 2023 (23,739 respondents)
Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.
Call us at 844-937-8679 or chat with us 7 days a week.
Receive 1-on-1 support
You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 90% of our surveyed students.[1] Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.
[1] Transactional Survey, August 2021-22 (18,645 respondents)
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Call or chat with us 7 days a week.
Student Experience
An education that fits your busy life
Balancing family, work and school
Work toward your degree without giving up what matters most. Start your degree year-round and take one class at a time.
Online learning
Enroll in online classes and attend class whenever it fits your life, day or night.
Around-the-clock support and resources
You have a support team available up to 14 hours a day, 5 days a week.
Computer requirements for courses
Many course assignments will require you to use a computer to complete and submit your assignment.
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Faculty Spotlight
Professionals dedicated to you
Your success is a top priority for our deans and faculty members. They bring an average of 28+ years of experience and hands-on perspective to the classroom, and help bridge the gap between academics and industry knowledge.
Accreditation
Accredited for 45+ years
Since 1978, University of Phoenix has maintained institutional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org . Learn more about the value of University of Phoenix accreditation and how it benefits our students.
While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.