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Business

Bachelor’s Degree Specialization in Criminal Justice

Use your skills to help build safer communities

Are you fascinated by the law and the strategies used to enforce it? A Bachelor’s in Technical Management with a Specialization in Criminal Justice from DeVry University may be a rewarding path for you. This online or hybrid1 degree program specialization covers the many aspects of criminal justice, such as law enforcement, juvenile justice, theory and practice of corrections, criminology, criminal law, and procedure.

Get to know our criminal justice degree specialization

When you earn your Bachelor’s in Technical Management with a Specialization in Criminal Justice at DeVry, you’ll learn about techniques used by today’s criminal justice professionals to uphold the law, promote social control and stability, and deter and reduce crime.

You’ll also discover how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are being used to support data analysis, investigation, and public safety. Our courses are taught by experienced professors with industry insight, helping prepare you to apply management practices in criminal justice work environments.

Classes start every 8 weeks

Take the first step toward a career in serving and protecting your community.

Request info
Call 866.338.7934
Minimum Completion Time2
2 years
8 months
OR
Normal Completion Time3
4 years

Accelerate on your schedule

Earn a Bachelor’s in Technical Management with a Criminal Justice Specialization in as little as 2 years and 8 months2 on a minimum schedule or follow a normal schedule and complete your program in 4 years.3

2Minimum schedule does not include breaks and assumes 3 semesters of year-round, full-time enrollment in 12-19 credit hours a semester per 12-month period.

3Normal schedule assumes 2 semesters of enrollment in 12-19 credit hours per semester per 12-month period.

  • 01 Knowledge & skills
  • 02 Career
  • 03 Catalog download
Knowledge & skills

What you’ll learn

Our Criminal Justice Specialization covers the following:

Criminal law and procedure

Study constitutional principles, types of offenses, and the law enforcement process, including search, seizure, arrest, interrogation, identification, trial, sentencing, punishment, and appeal.

Criminal investigation

Understand the theory, practice, and techniques behind criminal investigation, including problem-solving methodologies to recognize crime, suspects, and perpetrators. Examine case preparation, testimony, and the evidentiary process for investigating and reconstructing crimes.

Ethics and criminal justice

Explore typical moral dilemmas in criminal justice, including basic ethical theories, and learn to apply them to contemporary problems in law enforcement, corrections, and adjudication.

Crime scene investigation

Learn methods and procedures for accurate crime scene examination, recording, and evidence recovery. Study the processes for documentation, collection, and preservation of comprehensive physical evidence, gathering latent fingerprints, and processing trace and biological evidence.

Terrorism investigation

Examine the strategic, political, social, and religious underpinnings of terrorism. Plus, review current challenges, laws, and policies in defense of the U.S. homeland and understand preparations for and responses to terrorist attacks.

Law and government

Build your knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and political processes.

Issues in business

Understand how businesses operate in areas such as accounting, finance, marketing, and operations.

Administration and management

Study the fundamental management theories that drive organizations and programs forward. Develop skills in leadership, planning, project management, and resource management.

Public safety and security

Gain knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, and national security for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Complex problem-solving

Apply critical and analytical thinking to identify complex problems, evaluate options, and implement solutions.

Data analysis and emerging technologies

Build skills in analyzing data and using artificial intelligence tools to identify patterns and support decision-making.

Accreditation matters

Being accredited means we’ve met rigorous quality standards and are committed to giving you the education you deserve:

  • Institutionally, DeVry University is accredited by HLC, www.hlcommission.org. Our Keller Graduate School of Management is included in this accreditation.

  • Our Bachelor of Science in Technical Management with a Technical Specialty in Criminal Justice is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) acbsp.org.4 Learn more about program outcomes and student achievement.

Accreditation
Learn more about our
accreditations

Career opportunities in criminal justice

With our Criminal Justice Specialization, you may consider careers* such as:

  • Detention officer

  • Police detective

  • Police officer

  • Private investigator

  • Public safety officer

Learn about
careers in criminal justice

*Additional hours of industry-specific training may be required to obtain employment in this field. Applicants for jobs in this field may be subject to pre-employment screenings such as, but not limited to, criminal background checks and drug and/or alcohol testing. Employment in these occupations may require years of relevant experience.

Academic catalog
2025 - 2026 academic catalog
View academic catalog
Program guide
View program guide

1Program, course, and extended classroom availability vary by location. In site-based programs, students will be required to take a substantial amount of coursework online to complete their program.

2Minimum schedule does not include breaks and assumes 3 semesters of year-round, full-time enrollment in 12-19 credit hours a semester per 12-month period.

3Normal schedule assumes 2 semesters of enrollment in 12-19 credit hours per semester per 12-month period.

4Conferral and Assessment Data - Available for all of DeVry and Keller's ACBSP-accredited programs. For a full list of DeVry University's business and accounting degree programs accredited by ACBSP, please see the Accreditation page.