Bachelor of Arts (BA) in

Criminology and Criminal Justice

Online

Program Overview

Take the first step toward a fulfilling career in criminal justice with a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from The University of Alabama. Complete your degree online and broaden your career possibilities while balancing your work and other responsibilities.

Online Program Format

120 Credit Hours

$399 Tuition Per Hour

Build a Career That Can Make a Real Difference

Deepen your understanding of the legal system with an emphasis on the research and theory that are critical to investigating and preventing criminal behavior. Courses are delivered in a flexible online format and are taught by the same faculty who teach on UA’s campus.

Classes like Judicial Process, Law and Society, Terrorism and Human Trafficking will enhance your writing and communication skills while helping you grasp the structure of the criminal justice system. Armed with this degree, you can pursue careers in fields such as law enforcement, private or corporate security, corrections, legal and investigative services, or compliance and intelligence analysis.

Application Deadline	Applications accepted year round
Are test scores required?	ACT and SAT scores are not required through the Fall 2026 entry term
Scholarships and Grants Available	Discover a range of scholarships and grants to support your educational journey

Curriculum

The BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice program consists of 120 credit hours. Students complete 33 credit hours within the major and are required to earn a C- or higher in all CJ courses.

General Education and Core Curriculum Requirements

UA 101/201 First-Year Compass Course
AS 110 Arts & Sciences Freshman Compass Course
EN 103 Advanced English Composition
8 Hours of Natural Science
3 Hours of Math
6-8 Hours of World Language
3 Hours of Literature
6 Hours of Humanities/Literature/Fine Arts
3 Hours of History
6 Hours of Social Behavioral Sciences/ History
3 Hours of Writing
3 Hours of U.S. & Global Citizenship

To learn more about the core curriculum requirements, visit UA’s Core Curriculum Framework website.

Required Courses

CJ 102 Principles of Criminology & Criminal Justice
CJ 300 Survey of Criminal Theories
CJ 380 Research Methods
CJ 381 Statistics

Students cannot take CJ 100 for credit within the Criminology and Criminal Justice major. If you previously took CJ 100 at an outside institution, it will count toward the 120-credit-hour requirement to graduate. CJ 100 will not count toward the 33 required credit hours to complete the major.

Elective Courses

Students must complete 21 credit hours of CJ electives. At least 6 credit hours must be at the 400-499 level. Students must pass CJ 102 with a C- or higher prior to taking any CJ 300-499 level course. Please note that courses are subject to change.

CJ 220 Law Enforcement
CJ 223 Homeland Security
CJ 240 Juvenile Delinquency
CJ 250 Judicial Process
CJ 270 Corrections
CJ 304 Gender and Crime (writing attribute)
CJ 305 Social Inequality in the Criminal Justice System (writing attribute)
CJ 422 Terrorism
CJ 424 Hate Crimes
CJ 426 White Collar Crime
CJ 428 Human Trafficking
CJ 430 Drugs, Crime, and Policy
CJ 435 Global Perspectives on Crime and Justice
CJ 483 Law and Society (writing attribute)

Courses are offered on a rotating basis. When determining which elective courses are available for the semester, refer to the catalog through myBama or email Cheyenne Selby at crselby1@ua.edu. If you would like to see course descriptions, please visit the UA Academic Catalog for more information.

Minors

Students are required to complete a minor or a double major as part of the CCJ degree. Available minors can be found on the UA Online website.

Admission

Admission to the BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice degree program requires a completed admissions application and transcripts to be submitted from all colleges previously attended. Transfer students considering admission should review UA’s transfer information and policies.

Applicants must meet one of the following admission requirements:

If you have earned more than 24 college-level credit hours at the time of your application to the University, you will need to meet the transfer student admission requirement of a minimum 2.0 overall college GPA.
If you have earned less than 24 college-level credit hours at the time of your application to the University, you will need to meet both the 2.0 overall college GPA required for transfer students, as well as Admission Requirements for Freshmen Students. If high school graduation was more than four years ago, ACT/SAT scores are not required.

Find more information and learn about restrictions related to this degree program that may exist regarding licensure in the state in which you reside.

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