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.
This program is offered:
Campus
Online
The associate of arts in criminal justice provides a foundation for a career or for future study in the field of criminal justice.
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 or On Campus
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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.
Criminal 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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It will help me be responsive to the latest needs and issues such as gender identity, issues of technology, abuse, and the concerns of the smartphone generation. What I like is that it will teach me how to use applied theology to discuss these issues.
Fr. Rojas
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New Associate Program Discount: New Horizons
The New Horizons Discount offers a significant savings for students who enroll in the online Associate degree, making education more affordable and accessible. This discount provides students with high-quality education and the opportunity to earn a degree that can lead to better career prospects and higher earning potential.
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
Student Stories
Saint Leo’s nursing program gave me courage to have confidence in myself and my skills. Doing the DEU program expanded my knowledge and independence in my skills. After completing the DEU program, I felt confident in every unit I went to.
Grace Lundfelt
I chose Saint Leo’s nursing program because of its dedication to building a brand new nursing program that is committed to excellence and student success. The program's emphasis on hands-on clinical experience with the DEU preceptorship model and a supportive learning environment aligns perfectly with my goals as a future nurse.
Emma Hayhurst
Our simulations were very well thought out and creative, using the most up-to-date technology, allowing us to experience certain health situations such as delivering babies and providing wound care.
Laynee Marsee Graduate of the inaugural nursing class; Graduated May 2025
I got to apply everything I learned in real time with a single preceptor. The hands-on experience made the lectures come to life and helped me build confidence in my skills. (Regarding Saint Leo Nursing Program's partnership with Advent Health Zephyrhills dedicated education)
Avae Valenti - Graduate of the inaugural nursing class; Graduated May 2025<
Being a part of a program that just is going to grow and grow as the years go by, and to be remembered as the first class is really special.
Nathanael Allen - Graduate of the inaugural nursing class; Graduated May 2025
Being part of the first Saint Leo Nursing cohort has been an incredibly unique and rewarding experience. There was something really special about growing alongside the program. We had the chance to help shape the culture and set the tone for future nursing classes. It wasn’t always easy—there were definitely growing pains—but the sense of community, support, and dedication from the faculty made a huge difference. I felt seen, heard, and truly supported, both academically and personally.
Graduate Brenna Reinhard
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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.