Criminal Justice Administration

The Bachelor of Science degree program in Criminal Justice Administration will prepare students to meet the growing demand for college-educated criminal justice practitioners in the public or private sector. This academically rigorous program is designed to provide graduates with a comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system, relevant bodies of law, and specialty subject matter consistent with each student’s unique career ambitions. With due appreciation for the individual interests of program graduates, this degree program allows students to select choice classes most consistently aligned with their personal interests and professional goals. This eclectic approach enables students to design a customized educational experience. Empowered with the ability to either focus or diversify choice classes, students enjoy the opportunity to either generalize or specialize their studies.

Program learning objectives.

• Analyze and apply key management concepts, appropriate professional manner, and ethical conduct to all aspects of the federal, state, local, or tribal agencies within the criminal justice system.
• Demonstrate written, interpersonal communication, organizational, and technological skills that apply to problem-solving ability in the work environment.
• Demonstrate the appropriate human resource and employment practices and correlate these concepts with the learned criminal justice techniques applicable to diversified work environments.
• Develop, organize, and manage various projects concentrating on crime prevention, asset protection, loss avoidance, investigative strategies, offender rehabilitation, and crisis management.
• Demonstrate competence in devising policies and procedures for the director of a criminal justice organization or the director of security in a large organization.
• Exhibit knowledge of relevant bodies of criminal and civil law, crime prevention strategies, critical incident response protocols, police-community relations, and professional ethics.

To be considered for admission into a degree or professional certificate program, students must be a high school graduate or have received a General Equivalency Diploma (GED), Pennsylvania Home School Diploma or other recognized equivalency diploma. High School Students applying with an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher may be considered for regular admission. Students applying with a GPA below a 2.0 in high school or from another college or university, if accepted, will be admitted conditionally. Please submit an application for admission and a copy of high school and/or college transcript(s). Some applicants may be required to attend a personal interview with the Admissions Office.

An admission essay may be deemed optional for all applicants whose GPA meets or exceeds the minimum for acceptance into the desired program. For certificates and degrees in the Schools of Humanities and Business, the minimum GPA for acceptance is 2.0. For most Health Sciences certificates and degrees, unless otherwise specified, the minimum GPA is 2.2.

In order to be successful in an online environment, students must have consistent and reliable access to a computer and reliable internet connection. Students are permitted to enroll in completely online degree programs during the program's scheduled enrollment availability.

Admission Requirements.

A personal and professional background investigation is a required component of virtually all federal, state, and local agencies offering internships or employment to graduates of Criminal Justice degree programs.

Only those persons who can pass a governmental background investigation and would otherwise be eligible for a governmental security clearance should consider enrolling in a Criminal Justice or Criminal Justice Administration degree program.

Individuals who enter these degree programs with a disqualifying personal or professional history or for those who engage in a disqualifying activity while attending Central Penn may be precluded from obtaining an internship or employment in the career field after graduation.

Online courses follow the College's year-round schedule of quarterly, 11-week terms. Students need reliable access to the internet and a computer capable of running current software; access to speakers, a microphone, webcam, printer, and scanner may be necessary for online courses.

This program has Spring and Fall starts. Upcoming start dates: April 12, 2027, October 11, 2027.

Tuition and fees. Undergraduate tuition is $525 per credit for all majors. A Student/Technology Fee of $510 per term (5 or more credits) or $315 (4 or fewer credits) is required. A one-time $150 graduation fee applies.

Books and other expenses. Variable expenses per term (estimates): textbooks $350–$450; course material fees approximately $50–$150 per course; personal $150–$250; transportation $150–$300.

Financial aid. Central Penn College processes grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study through federal, state, private, and institutional sources to help eligible students meet some of those costs, including the Federal Pell Grant, PA State Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Work-Study and Federal Direct Stafford Loans. To apply for all federal and state financial aid programs, students must complete the FAFSA; Central Penn’s Federal School Code for FAFSA is 004890. To receive financial aid a student must be enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program and be enrolled on at least a half-time basis (4 credits).

Payment options. Tuition and expenses are paid each term approximately three weeks before the term starts. Central Penn has a short-term three-month payment plan through CASHNet that divides the balance of the tuition owed by three payments; there is a $35 non-refundable application fee paid with the first payment. An Employer Reimbursement Tuition Agreement Plan lets students who receive tuition reimbursement from their employer defer payment until the specified dates.

Military benefits. Military benefits accepted include the Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapters 30 and 1606), Veterans Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31), the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) and Yellow Ribbon Program, Dependents’ Education Assistance (Chapter 35) and Tuition Assistance.

Net price calculator. Use Central Penn’s Net Price Calculator at https://npc.collegeboard.org/app/centralpenn for an early estimate of your total annual cost.

Careers you can pursue. Police Officer, Secret Service, Forensic Science, Fish & Game Warden, Fraud Investigator, Customs Agent, State Trooper, IRS Investigator, FBI Agent, Crime Scene Investigator, Correctional Officer, CIA Agent.

Graduate outcomes. 81.8% of Criminal Justice (B.S.) graduates (11 graduates contacted) were employed in their field or continuing their education (One-Year Graduate Follow-up Report for graduates July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025, published July 1, 2026).

College-wide outcome. 89.2% of Central Penn graduates were employed in their chosen field or continuing their education within one year of graduation (graduates July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025; One-Year Graduate Follow-up Report published July 1, 2026).