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Associate in Science in
Criminal Justice

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Gain the knowledge and skills needed to enter or advance in a wide range of careers in criminal justice and social services with this online associate degree program. Course work explores the intersections between public policy, behavioral science, and criminal justice.

Apply by June 30 to start August 21

64 Credits $620/$664 per credit

Prepare Yourself for a Rewarding Career as a Criminal Justice Professional

This online Associate in Science in Criminal Justice program, offered through a partnership between Penn State World Campus and the Penn State Harrisburg School of Public Affairs, can position you for a career in the criminal justice field in a number of ways. It can provide you with the foundational knowledge needed to enter the field or, if you'­re already employed in the field, help enhance your résumé, heighten your profile, and advance your career.

Penn State's Online Associate in Criminal Justice Curriculum

The courses in this program can prepare you for a wide range of roles in the criminal justice field. You can gain a deep understanding of both the adult and juvenile justice systems; explore the intersections between public policy, behavioral science, and criminal justice; recognize the role that gender and ethnicity play in the field; and be prepared to interact in an ethical fashion with individuals from all backgrounds. Many of the courses you take in this program can also be used to satisfy graduation requirements for a Penn State Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, should you decide to continue your education and be accepted into the program.

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Financial Aid Basics
How Online Learning Works
Transferring Credits to Penn State
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Virtual Open House (Afternoon Session)
Virtual Open House (Evening Session)

The Penn State Difference

Courses in this program are taught by the same faculty who teach resident Penn State students. These are the same faculty who also teach students in our Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program, which has been certified by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Furthermore, a Penn State degree is renowned throughout the industry, giving you a recognized and respected credential to add to your résumé.

Information for Military and Veterans

Are you a member of the military, a veteran, or a military spouse? Please visit our military website for additional information regarding financial aid, transfer credits, or application instructions. 

Courses

Penn State's online Associate Degree in Criminal Justice (CRIMJ) program emphasizes social science perspectives to the study of criminal justice.

Deputy Sheriff's Training and Act 120 Program

Students with ACT 120, Pennsylvania State Police, or Municipal Police Training transcripts may receive up to 16.5 credits for the following courses:

  • CRIMJ 100: Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 credits)
  • CRIMJ 220: Courts and the Prosecution Process (3 credits)
  • CRIMJ 210: Policing in America (3 credits)
  • CAS 203: Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)
  • KINES 067: Physical Conditioning (1.5 credits) 
  • NURS 203: First Aid and CPR  (3.0 credits)  

Training from other states will be reviewed upon request.

Prescribed Courses (select 26 credits)

Prescribed courses require a grade of C or better.

  • 3
    credits

    Explanations and measurement of crime; criminal law; characteristics of criminals and victims; violent, property, white-collar, organized, and sexual crimes.

  • 3
    credits

    Overview of the criminal justice system, including legal foundations, processing and correction of offenders, extent and types of crime, victims.

  • 3
    credits

    Police organization and operations in America.

    • Prerequisite

      CRIMJ 100 or concurrent CRIMJ 100

  • 3
    credits

    Purpose and function of criminal courts in society, organization, jurisdiction and staffing; prosecution, adjudication, and sentencing of offenders.

    • Prerequisite

      CRIMJ 100

  • 3
    credits

    Punishment and treatment of sentenced offenders, correctional institution organization, staffing, inmates, and subcultures.

  • 3
    credits

    This course provides an introduction to the basic questions of ethics, the major currents in traditional ethical theory (virtue ethics, deontology, consequentialism), and more recent developments (e.g., care ethics).

  • 3–4
    credits

    Focuses on historical patterns and current status of racial, ethnic and cultural groups and issues locally, nationally, and internationally.

    • 3
      credits

      Methods of collection, presentation, and analysis of quantitative data in the social science, procedures, interpretation, and application.

      • Prerequisite

        2 units of high school algebra and CRIMJ 100 or permission of the program

    • 4
      credits

      Descriptive Statistics, frequency distributions, probability and normal distributions, statistical inference, linear regression, and correlation.

      • Prerequisite

        2 units of high school algebra and placement into MATH 021 or higher

Additional Courses (select 3 credits)

Additional courses require a grade of C or better.

  • 3
    credits

    Fundamental concepts of social science research, including design, measurement, sampling, and interpretation of the study of crime, law, and justice.

    • Prerequisite

      CRIMJ 012

  • 3
    credits

    Experiential-based course covering the four main social research methods: available data, survey research, experiments, and field research.

Elective Courses (select 26 credits)

Elective courses will be chosen in consultation with an adviser.

General Education Requirements

Some General Education requirements may be satisfied by courses required for the major. Students should work with an adviser to select courses.

  • Arts (GA): 3 credits
  • Humanities (GH): 3 credits
  • Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
  • Writing and Speaking (GWS): 3 credits
  • Quantification (GQ): 3 credits
  • Any General Education course, including Integrative Studies (Inter-domain or Linked courses): 3 credits
  • United States Cultures (US), or International Cultures (IL) or combined designation (US; IL): 3 credits
    May be satisfied by designated courses that also meet other degree or General Education requirements.
  • Writing Across the Curriculum (W, M, X, Y): 3 credits
    May be satisfied by designated courses that also meet other degree or General Education requirements.

Course Availability

If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.

Costs and Financial Aid

Undergraduate Tuition

Undergraduate tuition is calculated based on the number of credits for which you register and the number of total credits you have accrued at or transferred to Penn State. Tuition is due shortly after each semester begins and rates are assessed every semester of enrollment.

2022–23 Academic Year Rates
How many credits do you plan to take per semester? If you have 59 or fewer credits If you have 60 or more credits
11 or fewer $620 per credit $664 per credit
12 or more $7,527 per semester $8,125 per semester

Financial Aid and Military Benefits

Some students may qualify for financial aid. Take the time to research financial aid, scholarships, and payment options as you prepare to apply. Military service members, veterans, and their spouses or dependents should explore these potential military education benefits and financial aid opportunities, as well.

How to Apply

Applying

Begin the undergraduate application

Deadlines and Important Dates

Your degree application, including receipt of all transcripts, must be received by the following deadlines to be considered complete.

  • Fall Deadline:  Apply by June 30 to start August 21
  • Spring Deadline:  Apply by October 31 to start January 8
  • Summer Deadline:  Apply by March 15, 2024, to start May 13, 2024

New students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA by March 1. Please visit the Office of Student Aid website for more information about applying for financial aid and recommended deadlines.

Admission Requirements 

To apply for this program, you must be a high school graduate or have completed your GED.

What You Need

Applications are submitted electronically and include a nonrefundable application fee. You will need to upload the following items as part of your application:

High school transcripts or GED transcript. First-year applicants are required to submit Self-Reported Academic Records (SRAR). Official high school transcripts will only be required at the time a student accepts an offer of admission to Penn State.

Official college or university transcripts, if you attended another institution, and/or official military transcripts (if applicable). All college or university transcripts are required regardless of the length of time that has passed, the grades earned, or the accreditation of the institutions attended. Acceptance of transfer credit toward your degree is subject to final approval by the academic department. For detailed information, see the Transfer Students page.

Transcripts not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation. Please send your transcripts by mail or electronically through Parchment, eScrip-Safe, or the National Student Clearinghouse directly to Penn State from the college/university where course work was attempted.

Submit official documents by mail to:

Undergraduate Admissions Office
The Pennsylvania State University
201 Shields Building
University Park PA 16802

English Proficiency. The language of instruction at Penn State is English. With some exceptions, international applicants must take and submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Minimum test scores and exceptions are found in the English Language Proficiency section on the Undergraduate Admissions International Requirements page. Visit the TOEFL website for testing information. Penn State's institutional code is 2660.

Start Your Application

Former Penn State students may not need to complete the admissions application. Please visit our Returning Students page for instructions.

If this is your first time applying to Penn State, you'll need to complete the following steps:

  1. Review the application instructions before beginning.
  2. Complete the online application and submit all official documents.
  3. Pay the application fee.

Checking Your Status

You can check the status of your application by using the same login information established for the online application form and choosing "MyPennState — Check Application Status." Your decision letter (confirming your acceptance or denial) will be mailed four to six weeks after receipt of all application materials. An admissions counselor will contact you if additional information is required.

Technical Requirements 

Review the technical requirements for this degree program.

Ready to Learn More?

Get the resources you need to make informed decisions about your education. Request information on this program and other programs of interest by completing this form.

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Ready to take the next step toward your Penn State associate degree?

Apply by June 30 to start August 21. How to Apply
A woman in a suit holding documents outside of a court building

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities in criminal justice professions are projected to grow through the year 2026. You can use the knowledge gained from this program and the support of Penn State career resources to pursue careers in a variety of fields, depending on your goals.

Job Titles Related to This Degree

As a successful graduate of this program, you should possess skills and knowledge that qualify you to serve both public and private interests in criminal justice fields, like:

  • Correctional Supervisor
  • Law Enforcement Officer
  • Loss Prevention Officer
  • Security Officer

Employment Outlook for Occupational Fields Related to This Degree

Estimates of employment growth and total employment are provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and are subject to change. While these occupations are often pursued by graduates with this degree, individual outcomes may vary depending on a variety of factors. Penn State World Campus cannot guarantee employment in a given occupation.

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers

3.1%
employment growth (10 years)
665,380
total employment

Private Detectives and Investigators

5.6%
employment growth (10 years)
28,860
total employment

Bailiffs

-3.8%
employment growth (10 years)
16,420
total employment

First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers

-5.9%
employment growth (10 years)
54,470
total employment

Career Services to Set You Up for Success

Student having a virtual meeting on a laptop with a career counselor

From the day you're accepted as a student, you can access resources and tools provided by Penn State World Campus Career Services to further your career. These resources are beneficial whether you're searching for a job or advancing in an established career.

  • Opportunities to connect with employers
  • Career counselor/coach support
  • Occupation and salary information
  • Internships
  • Graduate school resources 

Contact Us

To learn more about the Associate in Science in Criminal Justice, offered in partnership with Penn State Harrisburg School of Public Affairs, please contact:

World Campus Admissions Counselors
Phone: 814-863-5386
Email: [email protected]

Faculty

  • Eileen M. Ahlin

    • Ph.D., Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, College Park
    • M.A., Sociology, George Mason University
    • B.A., Administration of Justice and Sociology, Penn State

    Dr. Eileen M. Ahlin is an associate professor of criminal justice in the School of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg. She joined the faculty in 2013 after 15 years with a private corporation, where she conducted criminal justice research at the federal, state, and local levels. Her teaching and research interests include violence, neighborhood effects, corrections, research methods, and criminological theory.

  • Shaun L. Gabbidon

    • Ph.D. Criminology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
    • M.S. Criminal Justice, University of Baltimore
    • B.S. Governmental Administration with focus in Criminal Justice, Christopher Newport University

    Dr. Shaun Gabbidon is the author of more than 100 scholarly publications. The recipient of numerous awards, Dr. Gabbidon was awarded the 2015 Julius Debro Award for outstanding service and the 2016 Outstanding Teaching Award, both from the Division on People of Color and Crime of the American Society of Criminology. He teaches course in the areas of race, ethnicity, and crime; research methods; and private security administration.

  • Jennifer Gibbs

    • Ph.D., Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, College Park
    • Certificate, University Teaching and Learning, University of Maryland, College Park
    • M.S., Criminal Justice Administration, Niagara University
    • B.A., Psychology, Keuka College

    Dr. Jennifer Gibbs' research interests focus on policing topics, including violence against police, public attitudes toward police, diversity in recruitment and retention, and terrorism. Her work on social distance and attitudes toward police, co-authored with Dr. Jonathan Lee, received recognition in the 2016 Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence. At Penn State World Campus, Dr. Gibbs typically teaches courses on policing (CRIMJ 210: Policing in America; CRIMJ 408: Police Administration) and ethics (CRIMJ 465: Ethics in Criminal Justice).

  • Daniel Howard

    • Ph.D., Sociology, University of Delaware
    • M.S., Criminal Justice, New Mexico State University
    • B.S., Sociology, The College of Wooster

    Dr. Daniel Howard joined the faculty at Penn State Harrisburg in 2012 after earning his Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Delaware. His research interests include correctional programming, treatment policy, and evaluation methodology. He teaches corrections classes for Harrisburg and World Campus programs and graduate seminars in criminal justice policy and administration. Dr. Howard's work has appeared in Justice Quarterly, Policing: An International Journal, Criminal Justice Policy Review, and Journal of Crime and Justice, as well as the Pennsylvania bar association magazine.

  • Don Hummer

    • Ph.D., Social Science-Criminal Justice, Michigan State University
    • M.S., Criminal Justice, Shippensburg University
    • B.S., Sociology/Anthropology, Elizabethtown College

    Dr. Don Hummer is co-author/editor of The Culture of Prison Violence, Handbook of Police Administration, and the forthcoming The Technology Revolution in Criminal Justice. His work, focused primarily on offender treatment and control, has appeared in peer-reviewed outlets such as Aggression and Violent Behavior, Probation Journal, Law & Policy, and The Prison Journal.

  • Philip Kavanaugh

    Ph.D., Sociology, University of Delaware

    Philip Kavanaugh is an associate professor of criminal justice. His latest work examines how harm reduction strategies to address the U.S. opioid crisis exist within and adapt to the broader war on drugs. His primary teaching duties are in the areas of drug policy and criminological theory.

  • Jonathan Lee

    • Ph.D., Criminology, Sam Houston State University
    • M.A., Criminal Justice, Penn State
    • B.A., Economics, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

    Dr. Jonathan Lee is an associate professor of criminal justice at Penn State Harrisburg's School of Public Affairs. He specializes in quantitative research on sociology and psychology of deviance, police-public relations, and police decision-making. He is associate editor of International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, a consultant to Dauphin County DA's Office and police agencies, and principal investigator of criminal justice projects funded by U.S. Department of Justice.

  • Siyu Liu

    • Ph.D., Criminal Justice, University at Albany (SUNY)
    • M.A., Criminal Justice, University at Albany (SUNY)
    • B.A., Biomedical English, Peking University Health Science Center
    • B.S., Psychology, Peking University

    Dr. Siyu Liu specializes in quantitative research on the topic of criminal desistance, police legitimacy and the Forth Amendment process, and the death penalty in China. Dr. Liu is an active member of the Association of Chinese Criminology and Criminal Justice based in the U.S. and has been presenting her research projects in more than eight prestigious universities in China.

  • Jennifer L. Schally

    • Ph.D., Sociology, University of Tennessee
    • M.A., Community Psychology and Social Change, Penn State
    • B.S., Sociology, Penn State

    Dr. Jennifer L. Schally joined the faculty at Penn State Harrisburg in 2014 after earning her Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Tennessee. Her research interests are mainly in green criminology and crimes by the powerful, including harms to nonhuman animals. She regularly teaches courses in criminology and race and crime. Dr. Schally’s work has appeared in the Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, the American Journal of Community Psychology, and the Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Her book, Legitimizing Corporate Harm: The Discourse of Agribusiness, was published by Palgrave in 2018.

  • Emily R. Strohacker

    Ph.D., Sociology, University of Central Florida

    Dr. Emily Strohacker joined the School of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg in August 2017 as an assistant professor of criminal justice. Her areas of research interest include criminology, deviance, and victimology, specifically in the areas of cyber victimization and sexual victimization. She regularly teaches courses in victimology, research methods, and criminology. Her published works have appeared in Crime & Delinquency, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, and Police Quarterly.

Ready to take the next step toward your Penn State associate degree?

Apply by June 30 to start August 21. How to Apply

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