Why Earn Your Criminal Justice Degree at Saint Leo University?
Earn your online criminal justice associate degree from Saint Leo University, and learn the tools you need to help your community become a safer place. As a student in Saint Leo’s criminal justice program, you’ll learn the fundamentals of law enforcement, including investigation procedures and the court system. Take advantage of the flexible hours our online criminal justice programs provide our students while learning these life-changing skills.
The associate of arts in criminal justice provides a foundation for a career or for future study in the field of criminal justice.
Learning Experience:
Campus
Education Center
Online
Est. Time to Complete:
2 years
Credit Hours:
60 hours
Associate's Criminal Justice Program Details
At Saint Leo, you’ll hear about the latest techniques from faculty members who've served more than 25 years as crime scene investigators, local and federal agents, chief deputies, detectives and FBI advisers. Saint Leo’s online professors are leading experts on all the skills you need to get your foot in the door: interrogation, non-verbal communication, hostage negotiation, and international sex and organ trafficking. As an approved educational partner by the FBI National Academy Associates, we will help get your career off to the right start.
Learn Your Way:
Online, On Campus, or Near You
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What are the on-campus facilities like?
Students who pursue their degrees at Saint Leo’s main campus near sunny Tampa Bay, Florida, join a community of enthusiastic learners just like them.
Crminial Justice students enjoy plenty of engaging learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom, as well as exciting departmental events.
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What are the benefits of earning your criminal justice degree online?
Saint Leo University’s online learning experience provides a well-rounded education with the flexibility to tailor your course of study to meet your individual needs. We know our students have lives outside school, and we seek to meet them where they are. Online students can count on receiving excellent academics as well as opportunities for hands-on learning.
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Taking online classes has afforded me the opportunity to learn while maintaining a job. They give me some flexibility to study at times that work more cohesively with my schedule and allow me to utilize resources such as the library 24 hours a day.
Bentley Streat | Hayes, VA
Are education centers near you offering criminal justice degree programs?
You may also choose to pursue your degree through one of our education centers, which merge a traditional in-person education with the flexibility to match your lifestyle. Education centers offer eight-week academic terms as well as evening and weekend classes.
Career Outlook
No matter which learning experience you choose, you will receive plenty of professional development opportunities, industry knowledge from expert professors, and support from the Saint Leo community. All this together means that you will be ready for a successful career or continued studies upon graduation.
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How will you gain real experience?
Field placement
Earn your police standard certificate with training at the Pasco-Hernando Police Academy. Intern with the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Customs, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. District Court and Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Hands-on learning
Testify and sit on a jury for a courtroom role-playing assignment. Stand in the death chamber of the Florida state prison. Examine fingerprints in a forensics lab.
What can you do with an associate's criminal justice degree?
Online graduates pursue entry-level positions in law enforcement agencies, correctional facilities, government agencies, private security companies and other security-related jobs in the private and public sectors.
What are the top criminal justice degree jobs?
| Career | Growth | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Corrections Officer | 4% (Slower than average) | $55,690 per year |
| Paralegal | 12% (Faster than average) | $52,920 per year |
| Police | 7% (As fast as average) | $67,290 per hour |
From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020.
Where are Saint Leo criminal justice graduates now?
- Secret Service
- FBI
- Tampa Police Department
- Atlanta Police Department
College of Education and Social Services
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Saint Leo University’s College of Education and Social Services couples a transformative liberal arts tradition with highly specialized training in the education and social services fields. Through close faculty mentorships, practical field internships, and applied learning experiences, we prepare students for careers in education, social work, criminal justice, and human services. Our faculty remain active in their respective fields as researchers and practitioners, giving students close access to a wealth of real-world knowledge and experience.
With the ever-changing needs of today's students, we provide flexible degree programs. These include programs at University Campus and education centers with evening and weekend options, as well as online offerings. These degree programs are grooming the next generation of educators and social service specialists—a new breed of professionals with the talent and resolve to make a difference in the world.
Student Stories
Academically, I majored in marketing and even with how much marketing has evolved socially/digitally since my time at Saint Leo, I use so much of what I learned every single day. My international business courses have absolutely come in handy when doing business in other territories and overseas, knowing when I have to adjust to different standards.
Joey Gandolfo, class of 2008
Saint Leo was a smaller and more intimate environment than many other institutions. That intimacy helped to reinforce the value of building relationships that has stayed with me and benefitted my career.
Davion Cooper, class of 2011
I feel a natural and symbolic connection to the core values of the college and my own Catholic values. Saint Leo really lives up to its reputation for promoting a values-based education through the core values.
Lauren Boos, class of 2019
I think the sense of community at Saint Leo, the teachers, and those working with Saint Leo in many capacities, truly prepare their graduate and undergraduate students to become teachers and administrators. I don’t know of any other university where you get that sense of community. Even with the online programs, there is that feeling of being a part of the community.
Mike Lastra, class of 2015
My experience at Saint Leo was amazing. I had the flexibility to learn from home, while at the same time, having an available teacher to help me when I became stuck or confused. The fact that I completed my degree while working full time, raising two little kids, and being a wife to my husband. The focus that I had while completing my degree, to me, is a huge accomplishment.
Retania Patterson | Online Health Care Management Program
News
Accreditation
Saint Leo University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees.
