Justice Studies - Criminal Justice Programs

Justice Studies - Criminal Justice Associate in Applied Science Degree (AAS)
Justice Studies - Criminal Justice Bachelor of Science Degree (BS)
Police Studies Certificate Program
Homeland Security Certificate Program
Social Justice and Welfare Certificate Program

Real-world career preparation in degree programs with concentrations in specific areas of Criminal Justice

In a field where you can make a difference, the Justice Studies - Criminal Justice degree programs at Berkeley College can arm you with a strong foundation, taught by faculty with years of extensive professional experience. Focusing on the skills that employers require, you’ll also learn from field trips and guest speakers from various areas of criminal justice, which are an important part of the career-focused programs.

The degree programs focus on practical career preparation with timely and relevant courses that examine:

  • The causes of crime
  • Criminal law and procedure
  • The role of law enforcement
  • Forensic science
  • Research methods 

Stand out to employers with a concentration in a specific area

To help you prepare for a wide range of careers, Bachelor’s degree programs allow you to specialize in a specific area of criminal justice. This can help enhance your qualifications and help to set you apart in the job market. Concentrations are available in:

  • Police Studies
  • Homeland Security
  • Cyber Security
  • Investigations and Security
  • Social Justice
  • Social Welfare

Bachelor’s degree students (including Associate’s degree students who choose to continue on toward a Bachelor’s degree) will not need to declare a concentration until registering for their third semester.

Here’s what sets the Berkeley Justice Studies - Criminal Justice program apart:

  • You’ll learn in small classes with personal attention from instructors who have worked in many different areas of the criminal justice system
  • You’ll have the flexibility of day, evening/weekend, and online classes
  • You’ll participate in real-life role playing and exercises to develop the professional skill sets used by professionals
  • You’ll have access to current technology used by criminal justice professionals
  • You may have the opportunity to participate in an internship or job-related assignment for a valuable learning experience
  • You’ll have exceptional networking opportunities through faculty, justice studies clubs, and alumni connections
  • A seamless transition between Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees

Concentrations

Degree programs with concentrations in specific areas of Criminal Justice

To help you prepare for a wide range of careers, Bachelor’s degree programs allow you to specialize in a specific area of criminal justice to help you better prepare for your desired career by improving your qualifications and helping to set you apart in the job market. You can choose a concentration in:

The concentration in Police Studies is ideal for students who are:

  • Exploring careers in law enforcement
  • Passionate about community service and public safety
  • Hoping to make a positive impact on their communities
  • Currently employed in law enforcement or public safety and seeking opportunities for advancement

The concentration in Homeland Security is ideal for students who are:

  • Considering the first step toward a career in federal government, emergency preparedness, policing or security
  • Interested in the theoretical and practical contemporary issues related to Homeland Security
  • Currently working as a first responder (i.e. EMS, fire fighter, etc.).
  • Seeking to apply for a wide range of positions within the federal and local government

The concentration in Cyber Security is ideal for students who:

  • Want to develop competency and practical knowledge, enabling them to work with various issues related to cybercrime and cyber security
  • Are interested in practical digital investigative knowledge, legal practices, and policies related to cyber security
  • Desire a critical understanding of the technological needs, threats, and weaknesses in cybersecurity
  • Wish to obtain an entry-level position in a rapidly growing and in-demand field with unlimited potential

The concentration in Investigations and Security is ideal for students who:

  • Want to develop competency and practical knowledge to enable them to work with various issues related to criminal and civil investigations
  • Seek an opportunity to learn the principles and theories associated with all aspects of security, ranging from international security to physical security
  • Are interested in advancing their current career by acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to address the continuously changing needs of today’s security requirements

The concentration in Social Justice is ideal for students who:

  • Desire a broad background in the discipline by focusing their coursework on the substantive topics of social change, social inequality, and social justice
  • Are interested in a wide range of careers, such as: civil rights, gender-based violence, immigration; public policy and public issues concerning marginalized populations
  • Recognize that equal access to life-sustaining resources, such as a clean environment, education, employment, healthcare, food, legal protection from discrimination, and economic opportunity is vital to society 

The concentration in Social Welfare is ideal for students who:

  • Are passionate about working with vulnerable populations, transforming individual lives, and helping children and families to thrive
  • Wish to develop an understanding of the impact of trauma, poverty, and substance abuse on society
  • Want to comprehend the underlying systemic issues related to disproportionality and disparities faced by communities

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Justice Studies – Criminal Justice program are prepared to enter and succeed in a variety of professional occupations and field within the criminal justice system, including:

  • Federal Law Enforcement Officers
  • State Police Officers
  • Sheriffs Deputies  
  • Police Officers
  • Prosecutors Office Investigators
  • Detectives
  • Corrections Officers
  • Parole Officers
  • Correctional treatment specialists
  • Probation Officers
  • Intelligence Analysts
  • Social Justice Advocates
  • Social Welfare
  • Private Security Management

Catalog

Justice Studies - Criminal Justice Programs

You’ll find additional information in our Catalog, including the different degrees offered, descriptions of the courses you’ll take, the department faculty, and much more. You can always live chat or contact us with questions.

Locations Offered

The Criminal Justice-Justice Studies BS and AAS degree programs are offered by Berkeley College New Jersey and Berkeley College New York. The Criminal Justice-Justice Studies program courses are offered online and at various campuses as identified in the Course Schedule for each semester.

Frequently Asked Questions: Justice Studies – Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice is much more than the police, corrections, and the courts. It is a complete system that is interrelated and complex. The policing aspect of the system deals with the prevention of crime and disorder, as well as the detection and apprehension of law breakers. It also includes the custodial aspects of justice before, during, and after the trial process. These actions are supported by a legal system of laws and regulations. The criminal justice system also touches on issues of social justice and social welfare, addressing the causes and impacts of crime.

The College considers students for admission to degree and certificate programs on the basis of future potential, the motivation and interest to succeed in a chosen profession, and past academic achievement.

Graduation from high school or the equivalent is a basic requirement for admission to degree and certificate programs. In evaluating candidates, the Committee on Admissions takes into consideration your individual interests, your motivation to succeed in a chosen profession, and prior academic achievement. Basic requirements for admission include graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent and an entrance exam or SAT/ACT scores. Applicants to the programs offered within the School of Health Studies may have additional requirements. Documentation of successful completion of high school or the equivalent must be submitted to the College prior to starting classes.

A personal interview is strongly recommended. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Director of Admissions at the campus of their choice to arrange for an appointment with an Admissions Associate. For further information, students may also call the College at 866-317-6087 or email info@BerkeleyCollege.edu.

Berkeley maintains a rolling admissions policy, so students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Applicants will be notified of a decision as soon as all credentials have been evaluated. Certain programs may have specific application deadline requirements. 

For further questions about the enrollment process, schedule an appointment with an associate.

Justice Studies – Criminal Justice programs at Berkeley College offer students the opportunity to gain a practical mastery of the foundations of criminal justice. This includes examining the causes of crime, the role of police, criminal law, and forensic science. These courses are taught by professors with real-life experience in the field.

At Berkeley College, our career-focused curricula are designed with job preparation and career success in mind. Our BS in Justice Studies – Criminal Justice program offers concentrations for students. By working with professional advisory boards, these concentrations provide recommended elective courses that complement the program curricula and help develop the relevant, in-demand career skills sets that employers look for when hiring graduates or promoting employees. These in-demand concentrations include:

  • Police Studies
  • Homeland Security
  • Cyber Security
  • Investigations & Security
  • Social Justice
  • Social Welfare

Berkeley College’s Bachelor’s and Associate’s degree programs in Justice Studies - Criminal Justice provide students with a comprehensive foundation in the criminal justice field. Graduates are armed with skill sets through a combination of knowledge gained in the classroom and hands-on instruction from faculty with professional experience. After learning these skill sets, graduates are prepared to enter a variety of professional careers in a wide range of organizations. Students take courses that focus on the theoretical, practical, technological, and management skills required for success in the field of criminal justice. Program-related group excursions and guest speakers from various areas of criminal justice are also an important part of the career-focused program.

The concentration in Police Studies is ideal for students who are:

  • Are exploring a career in law enforcement
  • Are passionate about community service and public safety
  • Wish to make a positive impact on their community
  • Are currently in law enforcement or public safety and seeking opportunities for advancement

The concentration in Homeland Security is ideal for students who are:

  • Are considering the first step toward a career in federal government, emergency preparedness, policing or security
  • Are interested in the theoretical and practical contemporary issues related to Homeland Security
  • Are currently working as first responder (i.e. EMS, fire fighter, etc.)
  • Wish to apply for a wide range of positions within the federal and local government

The concentration in Cyber Security is ideal for students who:

  • Want to develop competency and practical knowledge, enabling them to work with various issues related to cybercrime and cyber security
  • Are interested in practical digital investigative knowledge, legal practices, and policies related to cyber security
  • Desire a critical understanding of the technological needs, threats, and weaknesses in cybersecurity
  • Wish to obtain an entry level position for a rapidly growing and in-demand field with unlimited potential

The concentration in Investigations and Security is ideal for students who:

  • Want to develop competency and practical knowledge to enable them to work with various issues related to criminal and civil investigations
  • Seek an opportunity to learn the principles and theories associated with all aspects of security, ranging from international security to physical security
  • Are interested in advancing their current career by acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to address the continuously changing needs of today’s security requirements

The concentration in Social Justice is ideal for students who:

  • Desire a broad background in the discipline by focusing their coursework on the substantive topics of social change, social inequality, and social justice
  • Are interested in a wide range of careers, such as: civil rights, gender-based violence, immigration; public policy and public issues concerning marginalized populations
  • Recognize that equal access to life-sustaining resources, such as a clean environment, education, employment, healthcare, food, legal protection from discrimination, and economic opportunity is vital to society

The concentration in Social Welfare is ideal for students who:

  • Are passionate about working with vulnerable populations, transforming individual lives and helping children and families to thrive
  • Wish to develop an understanding of the impact of trauma, poverty, and substance abuse on society
  • Want to comprehend the underlying systemic issues related to disproportionality and disparities faced by communities

The Criminal Justice-Justice Studies BS and AAS degree programs are offered by Berkeley College New Jersey and Berkeley College New York. The Criminal Justice-Justice Studies program courses are offered online and at various campuses as identified in the Course Schedule for each semester.

Graduates of the Justice Studies – Criminal Justice program are prepared to enter and succeed in a variety of professional occupations and field within the criminal justice system, including:

  • Federal Law Enforcement Officers
  • State Police Officers
  • Sheriffs Deputies  
  • Police Officers
  • Prosecutors Office Investigators
  • Detectives
  • Corrections Officers
  • Parole Officers
  • Correctional treatment specialists
  • Probation Officers
  • Intelligence Analysts
  • Social Justice Advocates
  • Social Welfare
  • Private Security Management

Testimonials

Kenzy A. Barrett

Berkeley College Alumna

"I am excited about the next chapter of my life and the opportunities that await me. To my fellow graduates — stay curious, hungry, and humble. Always believe in yourself and your abilities, and never let anyone define your worth or limit your potential."

Headshot of Kenzy Barret

Tianna Eason

Berkeley College Alumna

"I chose Berkeley because it’s one of the best schools for Criminal Justice. Also, in smaller classes, it’s easier to learn. I like all of my professors—they all were or still are police officers, so it gives us real-world experience."

Tianna Eason smiling and holding Berkeley College notebook

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