Online Criminal Justice Associate Degree

Credit Hours

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 75% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Fight for Freedom and Justice with Our Online Associates Degree in Criminal Justice

If you’re troubled by the injustices in the world and feel led to be part of the solution, partner with us! Conferring Liberty University’s online Associate of Arts (AA) in Criminal Justice could help you join the criminal justice system and fight for what’s right.

There are a variety of ways to get involved in the criminal justice system, and you can help make a difference in the lives of those hurt by crime with a criminal justice AA degree from Liberty. The criminal justice system is composed of three broad areas:

Law enforcement – You can identify and investigate a crime, find evidence, and then use it to determine motives and the sequence of events in a crime. Throughout the process, you will work to protect the rights of crime victims.
The court system – You can examine the evidence to determine guilt or innocence and then issue a sentence if the party is guilty.
The correction system – You can learn about the punishment and rehabilitation of the guilty party.

With our online law enforcement degree that focuses on criminal justice, you will be empowered to begin your journey towards protecting the weak and defending justice. Earn an associate in criminal justice, and become a Champion for Christ who fights for the oppressed and defends freedom throughout your career!

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600+ Online Degrees
No Standardized Testing for Admission
Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose Liberty’s Online Associates in Criminal Justice?

At Liberty, your success is our success, which is why we have worked hard to create one of the best online associate criminal justice degrees available. Through this program, you can learn the complexities of the criminal justice field. This degree program can help prepare you to pursue a more specific direction for your career – in the workforce or higher education.

Our Helms School of Government faculty members were chosen with you in mind. They have experience as private practice partners, police officers, lawyers, certified public accountants, certified mediators, and more.

Liberty’s online criminal justice associate degree is set apart from other programs. As part of our mission to Train Champions for Christ, our professors teach their courses from a Christian perspective.

What Will You Study in Our Associates in Criminal Justice?

Liberty University’s 100% online associate degree in criminal justice can provide you with a strong foundation of both knowledge and skills. This can prepare you for careers within a wide variety of criminal justice-related fields. You can acquire knowledge to help you successfully lead and manage in criminal justice fields for future promotional opportunities and certifications.

In our associate in criminal justice degree program, you can:

Be introduced to the American criminal justice system.
Become familiar with the criminal correctional system in the United States.
Examine theories regarding the nature and cause of criminal behavior and society’s response.
Perform research in the social sciences using both traditional and online venues.
Review the legal elements that apply to criminal law, procedure, and evidence.
Study the functioning of courts, judges, lawyers, and law enforcement agencies.

Potential Career Opportunities

Our associate in criminal justice can prepare you to pursue further education or enter any of the numerous career options available in criminal justice. Some criminal justice careers with an associate’s degree include:

Administration
Casework
Corrections
Homeland defense
Juvenile justice
Private/corporate security
Probation and parole
Social services
State and local police and sheriff
Victim advocacy

Specific positions include a corrections officer, a probation officer, a youth detention counselor, a security officer, and even a crime scene or criminal investigator. Some top-paying jobs with an associate degree in criminal justice are police officer, private detective, and bailiff.

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

To continue our mission of providing affordable education, electronic textbooks are provided for all undergraduate courses at no additional cost to you. As a full-time student, this could save you an estimated $800-2,000 per year on textbooks!

Undergraduate Full Time	$390/Credit
Undergraduate Part Time	$455/Credit
Military Undergraduate	$250/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Admission Information for Our AA in Criminal Justice

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9595.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official high school transcripts or official GED test scores.*
- Students may be allowed to enroll in up to 12 credit hours with Liberty with the submission of our High School Self-Certification Form (login required – you will first need to claim your Liberty Account).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system).
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

*Official high school transcript requirement may be waived with college transcripts from an accredited college/university showing at least 12 earned credit hours with an acceptable GPA.

Note: A 2.0 or above cumulative GPA is required for admission in good standing.

Transcript Policies

High School Transcript Policy

Applicants may submit a High School Self-Certification Form in lieu of a final official high school transcript in order to enroll in up to 12 credit hours at Liberty University.

Applicants may submit a college transcript showing 12 or more credits from an accredited institution and a High School Self-Certification Form in lieu of high school transcripts.

Students must submit official high school transcripts, or official college transcripts showing at least 12 credit hours earned with an acceptable grade point average (GPA) from an accredited institution, in order to register for additional courses.

The official high school transcript, GED requirement, and High School Self-Certification Form can be waived if the applicant has earned an associate degree or higher.

Final transcripts must reflect all coursework and final grades received for grades 9-12, a graduation date, and an overall GPA. (Mailed transcripts must be in a sealed and unopened envelope.)

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
Cumulative GPA
A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Military Transfers

International Applicants

If you are an international applicant, you may be required to have your international transcripts reviewed. Information regarding the transcript evaluation process for international students can be found by visiting NACES.

Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Submit your application online or over the phone.

Start Online Application

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

Tuition discounts – $250 per credit hour for undergraduate courses
Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $565 per course)*
8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
Potential college credit for military training

*Not applicable to certificates.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

View Military Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions for Our Online Criminal Justice Associate Degree

How does the online format benefit students?

Our online criminal justice associate degree is especially designed for professionals who are aspiring, current, or prior law enforcement officials. These learners often have busy schedules that do not permit them to attend residential courses. Flexibility is vital for our students, particularly those who are first responders.

Our online associate criminal justice program empowers you to complete your degree from the comfort of home. This allows you to remain active in your job, family, and community without worrying about taking courses on campus. As a student, you will still be able to focus on your family and career while completing your criminal justice online program on your own schedule.

Can I turn my associate’s degree into a bachelor’s?

Though you cannot “turn” your associate degree in criminal justice into a bachelor’s, you can transfer each of your criminal justice associate degree’s credits into our bachelor’s degree in criminal justice – saving you time and money. Beginning your criminal justice studies with an associate degree is also an excellent way to determine if criminal justice is the right field for you – and if it is, a bachelor’s degree is the next step in your educational journey!

Are you ready to change your future?

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App Fee Waived This Week*

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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Online Criminal Justice Associate Degree Explore Criminology

Fight for Freedom and Justice with Our Online Associates Degree in Criminal Justice

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Online Associates in Criminal Justice?

What Will You Study in Our Associates in Criminal Justice?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Our AA in Criminal Justice

Admission Requirements

Transcript Policies

Military Transfers

International Applicants

Admissions Office Contact Information

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Frequently Asked Questions for Our Online Criminal Justice Associate Degree

How does the online format benefit students?

Can I turn my associate’s degree into a bachelor’s?

Are you ready to change your future?

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