Your interest in criminal justice has led you to research a career in criminology. There may be several variables holding you back from getting a criminology degree at a traditional brick and mortar university. You may work during normal class hours or live far from a college with a quality criminology program in your area of interest. In that case, you may be an ideal candidate for pursuing an online criminology degree.

Online Criminology Degree Programs

As in a traditional school, an online student can earn a Criminology Certification, Associate’s Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree or PhD.

The cost in time and money varies with each degree and each school. Some students get through a program more quickly than others. The average student can earn a certification in six to 12 months, an Associate’s Degree in two years, and a Bachelor’s Degree in four years. A Master’s requires an additional two years and a PhD another two to five years.

Most of the classes early in a program are similar across the board. Regardless of the chosen specialty, beginning students will learn the basics of computer forensics, ethics, criminology, social control, criminal law, psychology, court proceedings, prosecution, criminal behavior, and interaction with criminals. Classes become more focused as the students get closer to achieving their degree. Some areas of specialization include criminal behavior, law enforcement, judicial system, human services, medical examination, computer fraud and security, administration, and homeland security to name a small handful.

Indicators of a Quality Online Criminology Program

It is important that any criminology school you enter–whether online or brick and mortar–is accredited. Check the U.S. Department of Education to verify the school’s national or regional accreditation. Without accreditation, some of your credits may not transfer to another program or be counted toward a future degree at a different school. Some organizations or universities may not acknowledge your degree or certification without accreditation.

A school’s reputation is generally a good indicator of the quality of its programs. Look for a school with an impressive history and a positive standing among the professional community and university circles. A good school will hire professors with high qualifications and legitimate experience in their area of expertise. Finally, a good school can be identified by the professionals it produces. Look for a school whose graduates have a strong alumni support system and outstanding success record.

Finding an Online Criminology School

Consider several factors before enrolling in an online criminology college. Assess the admission requirements to be sure you qualify. Do you meet any prerequisites or residency requirments? Analyze your budget and the cost of the school to determine if the two are compatible. Contact the school’s financial aid office for assistance with tuition and book costs. Financial aid can make a school a possibility, whereas cost was previously prohibitive.

Online schools run their classes in different manners. Some classes are real-time while others require the student to do most of the work independently. Some have a have a very small student-teacher ratio with ready access to the instructor, either during or after class or both, while students in other classes have limited to no question time with the professor. Some professors may test orally while others require written exams or essays. Some school are advanced technologically and make use of their advancements in class. Honestly assess your personal learning style to determine whether you will thrive in the learning environment offered by the online criminology schools you are considering.

Consider the length of the program, both in class hours and in number of months or years the program will last. This will affect the overall tuition cost as well.

Consider whether the school has a helpful and available staff and career resources. A quality program will offer internships and other opportunities for experience in the criminal justice field.

Only you can know what will work best in your specific situation. Honestly analyze whether the program will fit with your life and learning style before spending the money to enroll.

Graduating with a Criminology Degree

With your degree you will be ready to apply for a position in your field of study. With a basic degree, you will be prepared to enter into your chosen profession and advance through hard work and continuing education. If you work toward an advanced degree, you may qualify to be a researcher or teacher or enter into a consulting position. A few of the higher end career paths include becoming a medical examiner, consultant, legal professor, federal justice adviser or professional researcher.

Whatever your area of specialty, with an online criminology degree you will be prepared to participate in the complex process of profiling, capturing and prosecuting criminals. You will be a part of a large and growing team of professionals working to understand criminal behavior and improve the judicial, security, and law enforcement systems. With the boom in the growth of the criminology field projected to continue, the career options are wide open for the qualified person with the right degree and experience. Take the first steps today and look into an online criminology degree.

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