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Online Bachelor's Degree: Criminal Justice (Law Enforcement Track)

Criminal Justice (Law Enforcement Track)
Bachelor of Science
DEGREE AT A GLANCE
  • 120 credits
  • Transfer up to 90 credits
  • All courses available online
  • See special eligibility requirements
TUITION RATES
  • $324 per credit (in-state)
  • $499 per credit (out-of-state)
  • $250 per credit (military)
  • Other fees may apply
Apply Now

Are you a career law enforcement officer ready to take the next step in your academic journey? Are you recently separated from a law enforcement career? Perhaps you're retired and looking for your next challenge? The law enforcement track within the online bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice at University of Maryland Global Campus may be the right fit for you. With a generous transfer credit policy, convenient online courses geared toward your needs, multiple start dates, and access to lifetime career services, UMGC provides the flexibility and support you need. You can also save money with a variety of scholarship opportunities for eligible students. Get started today!

Advance Your Career with a Specialized Law Enforcement Track

If you meet the eligibility requirements, apply, and are accepted to this program, you may be able to transfer up to 60 credits for your law enforcement experience and police academy graduation. UMGC policy allows you to transfer up to 90 credits overall toward a bachelor's degree from a variety of sources. So, if you are a police academy graduate with law enforcement experience and college credits, you may be eligible to transfer in more than the 60 credits specified in this track.

Of the remaining 60 credits in this 120-credit criminal justice degree curriculum, you will benefit from our subject matter expertise while taking focused courses that address key areas.

  • Take convenient online courses that complement your experiences as a police officer.
  • Develop a deeper understanding of constitutional policing principles and contemporary community policing practices.
  • Benefit from hands-on general education courses in your field like advanced law enforcement writing and communication practices for de-escalation.
  • Conclude the program with a comprehensive capstone course designed to allow you to apply principles of interagency cooperation, critical thinking, and systems approaches to solve practical problems in the criminal justice system.

Looking for the General Criminal Justice Degree?

If you’re not eligible for the law enforcement-specific track but are still interested in this subject area, please see our general online bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

See Courses & Program Info

View a complete list of program courses, eligibility requirements, steps to apply, and more.

Search Course Catalog

These requirements are for students who enroll in the 2024–2025 academic year. For prior year requirements, visit our catalog archive.

Bachelor’s Degree Requirements

In addition to the specific course requirements outlined on each bachelor’s degree webpage, UMGC maintains certain requirements for all bachelor’s degrees.

Develop Vital Skills in Criminal Justice

Criminal justice practitioners need to develop deeper knowledge and career-focused skills to meet the increasing professional demands of the field. While state and local law enforcement agencies do not require a criminal justice degree to be hired, many related technical fields and promotional opportunities require higher education. In addition, some federal law enforcement agencies now require at least a bachelor's degree for new hires.

Our faculty refresh and update the online program curriculum regularly with a focus on helping students achieve the following:

Unlock Your Career Potential

This online program track is specially designed to help current and former law enforcement officers obtain the skills they need to advance in local/state police departments, federal law enforcement agencies, and other areas.

Please note: This track does not lead to a law enforcement certification. However, our specialized coursework anticipates your experience as a police officer, while our general bachelor’s degree in criminal justice does not require specific training or experience in a law enforcement agency. 

Vernon H., Woodbine, MD

Top 5
Best Places to Work
The intelligence community ranked no. 3 in the Best Place to Work in the Federal Government employer rankings in 2022 and has ranked top 5 for 11 consecutive years.
Source: Partnership for Public Service & Boston Consulting Group | “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government Rankings” | 2022
Top 15
Criminal Justice Jobs
Five of the 15 highest-paying criminal justice jobs in the United States require at least a bachelor’s degree, according to an analysis of BLS job titles on LinkedIn.
Source: LinkedIn | “15 Best-Paying Criminal Justice Jobs” | January 24, 2023

Practice Real-World Skills in Your Courses

Throughout the criminal justice degree curriculum, your instructors will assign coursework that will help you prioritize real-world skills and hands-on experiences. In past courses, students have been able to complete the following projects: 

  • Analyze a fact pattern and discern what facts are relevant to criminal culpability and why. Consider general criminal law concepts and specific statutes in your analysis. 
  • Assume the role of a law enforcement administrator and develop an appropriate action plan to address a complex crime or law enforcement problem in a community-based capacity. 
  • Based on a description of a serial murder investigation, identify facts and items that are significant to the criminal investigation and explain their importance.

Because academy training and law enforcement experience are substituted for some coursework in the law enforcement track, the experiences of our students may vary.

Explore UMGC Insights

Gain insight from our faculty and staff and delve deeper into a range of topics, including criminal justice careers, prior learning, transfer credits, and more. 

 

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Current Program
Criminal Justice (Law Enforcement Track)
Bachelor of Science

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