Essential Information
Individuals who want to enroll in a criminal justice degree program in Vermont have the choice of enrolling in a 2-year associate's or 4-year bachelor's degree program. Some academic programs provide the opportunity for internship or fieldwork experience and offer students the option of combining police academy training with academic instruction. Programs may offer tracks or concentrations within the degree, and some programs are available online.
Read below to learn about the 5 public and private, non-profit schools offering programs in criminal justice.
Champlain College
Champlain College in Burlington provides a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice that requires 120 credits. This program offers specializations in the Spanish language, computer forensics and 21st-century problems. Each specialization requires students to complete 4 courses. All students in the criminal justice program take courses in criminal procedure and investigation, police operations, digital forensics, white-collar crime and investigative interviewing, and all 4th-year students must complete criminal justice field experience or police academy training.
College of St. Joseph
The College of St. Joseph offers an associate's and a bachelor's degree program in criminal justice at its campus in Rutland. Students in the associate's degree program can choose a general concentration or a corrections concentration. The criminal justice curriculum in the associate's and bachelor's degree programs covers topics like criminal procedure, corrections, victimology, juvenile justice and criminology. Internship opportunities are available in both programs.
Community College of Vermont - Montpelier
The Community College of Vermont offers an associate's program in criminal justice at its Montpelier campus. This program can be completed entirely online and prepares students for employment as police officers, private security guards or corrections professionals. The program covers the American judicial system, criminology, law enforcement in America and restorative justice. Students must complete 60 credits of criminal justice and general education coursework to receive this degree in addition to 80-90 hours of fieldwork experience.
Norwich University
Students at Northfield's Norwich University can enroll in a criminal justice bachelor's degree program that can be completed in 4 years. The criminal justice courses cover subjects like the courts, criminal law, corrections, ethics and criminology. Students may also have the opportunity to complete internships at law enforcement agencies, correctional facilities and courts. Norwich University also offers a minor in criminal justice that requires students to complete 6 courses.
Southern Vermont College
Southern Vermont College in Bennington offers a 128-credit bachelor's degree program in criminal justice. The core curriculum includes a practicum and seminar as well as courses in criminology, social research and an introduction to criminal justice. Students can choose 1 of 3 tracks, which are corrections and supervision, public and private law enforcement and administrative justice. Southern Vermont College also provides police training to students in the public and private law enforcement track through a partnership with the Vermont Police Academy. Students in this program option complete 113 credits of coursework at the college and then complete the remaining requirements at the police academy.
Career Information
Those who want to become Vermont law enforcement officers must receive certification from the Criminal Justice Training Council. Certification requirements include the passing of entrance testing and police academy training.
School Comparison: At a Glance
| School Name | School Type and Setting | Criminal Justice Degrees Offered | Undergraduate Tuition and Fees (2018-2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champlain College | 4-year; private, not-for-profit; small city | Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice | $41,010* |
| College of St. Joseph | 4-year; private, not-for-profit; distant town | Associate of Science in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice |
$18,520* |
| Community College of Vermont - Montpelier | 2-year; public; midsize suburb | Associate of Science in Criminal Justice | $7,120 in-state; $14,090 out-of-state* |
| Norwich University | 4-year; private, not-for-profit; distant town | Minor in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice |
$40,014* |
| Southern Vermont College | 4-year; private, not-for-profit; fringe rural | Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice | $25,511* |
Source: *National Center for Education Statistics.
