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Program at a Glance

Program
Bachelor
College(s)
College of Community Innovation and Education
Department(s)
Criminal Justice
4
Years
U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges - Most Innovative 2024

Explore Hands-On Solutions That Help Address Your Community’s Needs

The BA in Criminal Justice program at UCF is uniquely designed to provide you with a broad understanding of crime and society’s control mechanisms, as well as to prepare you for a professional career in criminal justice and related professions. You’ll learn how to take a broad yet specialized degree and apply it to the operations of criminal justice professions, such as law enforcement, courts, corrections, advocacy (domestic violence, human trafficking, elderly abuse), juvenile justice and cybersecurity. Along the way, mix your academic experience with practical application through internships, study abroad and experiential learning.

Earn your criminal justice degree fully online or on campus. This provides you with the convenience and flexibility to learn when, where and how you want. Upon graduation, criminal justice majors can find employment as police, correctional or probation officers, justice system administrators, crime analysts, private security administrators, superintendents, county sheriffs/deputies, program directors or elected officials. You can also go on to graduate school and get involved with academic criminal justice; or professional school, like law school, and take positions in the legal aspects of the justice system as prosecutors or defense attorneys. With experience and additional education, you have additional opportunities in supervisory, administrative, or counseling positions.

Scholar’s Track
The Scholar’s Track is for students who maintain a GPA of 3.2 or better and have met the entrance requirement of having achieved a grade of B or better in both ENC1101 and ENC1102. This track introduces exceptional students to specialized topics and provides the opportunity for select students to work closely with criminal justice professors who will mentor them in nine hours of small, seminar-style classes.

Undergraduate Certificates

Crime Scene Analyst taking photos during an investigation

Highlights

We’re ranked No. 12 in Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs by U.S. News & World Report.
Criminal justice graduates are in high-demand in many sectors, including local, county, state or federal justice agencies, private organizations and more.
There are currently more than 6,000 people working as detectives and criminal investigators throughout Florida.
The average salary for detectives and criminal investigators in Florida is $74,000.

Undergraduate Application Deadlines

Fall
May 1
Spring
November 1
Summer
March 1
Fall
July 1
Spring
November 1
Summer
March 1
Fall
March 1
Spring
September 1
Summer
January 1

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Course Overview

Criminal Profiling in Criminal Justice

Examine criminal profiling undertaken by law enforcement and prosecution authorities which consists of gathering, reviewing and analyzing evidence pertaining to violent crimes.

Learn the extent, types and explanations of serial murder, and responses of the general public, law enforcement and prosecution.

Gain a better understanding of how the criminal justice system deals with sex offenders and their offenses.

Explore human trafficking from the global, national and local criminal justice perspectives.

Discover the nature and causes of forms of domestic violence, pertaining to laws, prevention strategies and justice system response.

Criminal Justice Skills You'll Learn

  • Gain a fuller understanding of the connection between theoretical foundations and practical application of criminal justice concepts.
  • Acquire hands-on skills, insight and a richer understanding of the operations in a criminal justice agency through the completion of an internship experience.
  • Develop a deep appreciation for the importance of data and information to drive criminal justice policies and programs (intelligence-led and data-driven initiatives), such as identification of crime, prevention of crime, reduction of crime, and identification of criminal justice personnel (selection, training and promotion).

Career Opportunities

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent
  • U.S. Office of Probation
  • Crime/Intelligence Analyst
  • Private and Corporate Security
  • Domestic Violence Advocate
  • Local and State Law Enforcement

Criminal Justice News

Alumni
Crime Scene Confidential: UCF Alum Finds Her Purpose Through This First-of-its-kind Investigative TV Show
Alina Burroughs ’00 ’02MS uses forensics and raw evidence to shed new light on cases long overdue for justice.
Health & Medicine
Survivor Link National Training Program Launches at UCF
The program will support nine social work students, developing their ability to respond to domestic violence.
Community
UCF Professor’s Research Helps Inform Policy, Laws Surrounding Intimate Partner Cyber Abuse
Erica Fissel, assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice, shares her passion for helping women affected by cyber abuse in honor of Women’s History…
Research
UCF Study Will Look at COVID-19 Effects on Services that Help Prevent Reoffending
Probation and parole agencies have had to adapt to help some 6 million Americans stay on the right track and not reoffend.

University of Central Florida Colleges