Best Colleges for Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Majors

Criminal justice is a commonly offered major in the United States. Below, we've listed a few of our top picks for the best criminal justice and law enforcement degree programs.

1. Florida State University

Florida State University is a public university in the state capital of Tallahassee. It offers several programs through its College of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

The college offers a bachelor's in criminology that can be completed on campus or online. Courses available in this program include:

• Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Criminal Justice and Public Policy
• Law and Ethics in Victim Services
• Law Enforcement

Students can further their education with a master's degree in criminology or an online master's degree in criminal justice studies.

Additionally, the college offers a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in criminology and criminal research for those interested in theory, research methods, and statistics of criminal justice.

2. John Jay College of Criminal Justice

The John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public university in New York City focused on criminal justice studies. It's part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system.

It offers several majors for students in the criminal justice and law enforcement fields including:

• Bachelor of Arts (BA) in criminal justice with an optional concentration in crime control and prevention
• Bachelor of Science (BS) in criminal justice with an optional concentration in institutional theory and practice
• Master of Arts (MA) in criminal justice
• criminal justice bachelor's/master's dual degrees
• BA in international criminal justice
• MA in international criminal justice
• BS in police studies
• BS in police studies/MA in criminal justice dual degree

The master's programs are available fully online, and the bachelor's programs may offer a portion of classes online. Study abroad opportunities are available for some programs as well.

3. Northeastern University

Northeastern University is a private research university in Boston, MA. It offers criminal justice degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.

The Bachelor of Science in criminal justice can potentially be combined with other majors, like psychology, cybersecurity, and journalism. Popular courses in this degree include:

• Communities and Crime
• Human Trafficking
• Psychology and Crime
• Punishment in the Age of Mass Incarceration

The Master of Science in criminology and criminal justice is available on campus or online. Full-time students can complete their degree within a year. Available courses include:

• Crime, Place, and Community
• Criminology
• Punishment and Social Control
• The Criminal Justice Process

Students can continue their education with a PhD in criminology and justice policy. This is a full-time, fully-funded program that students complete in an average of five years.

4. University of California, Irvine

The University of California at Irvine is a public research university south of Los Angeles. Its Department of Criminology, Law, and Society offers degrees at multiple levels.

The Bachelor of Arts in criminology, law, and society focuses on the regulation of behavior, the problem of crime, and responses to crime within this system. It includes courses like:

• Community Context of Crime
• Mental Health and the Justice System
• Race, Ethnicity, and Social Control
• U.S. Legal Thought

Students can also earn a Master of Advanced Study (MAS) in criminology, law, and society. Courses offered in this program include:

• Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, and Society
• Preventing Errors of Justice
• Public Policy, Crime, and Criminal Justice
• Social Problems, Law, and Policy

A PhD in criminology, law, and society is also available. This is a five-year program that examines crime, changing criminal behavior, social regulation, the civil justice system, and the social and cultural context of law.

5. University of Cincinnati

The University of Cincinnati is a public research university in Cincinnati, OH. Through its College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services, it offers criminal justice degrees.

The Bachelor of Science in criminal justice is a four-year, 120-credit program that can be taken on campus or fully online. It includes courses such as:

• Corrections in America
• Criminal Justice Research Methods
• Criminal Procedure
• Policing in America

The Master of Science in criminal justice is also available on campus or fully online. It takes two years of full-time study to complete. Courses include:

• Basic Research Methods in Criminal Justice
• Biosocial Factors in Serial Offending
• Correctional Theory and Policy
• Theory and Practice of Crime Prevention

Students can also earn a PhD in criminal justice with concentrations in corrections, policing, or crime prevention. It takes about four years to complete and concludes with a dissertation.