Police officers often study criminal justice before embarking on their careers in uniform.
The academic field of criminal justice involves the study of the laws designed to curb criminal behavior and the inner workings of the criminal mind. Degrees in criminal justice are offered at all levels, from the associate degree through the doctorate, by various colleges and universities nationwide. In Oklahoma, several schools offer criminal justice studies programs.
Rogers State University
Rogers State University, located in Claremore, the hometown of Will Rogers, offers an associate of arts degree in the criminal justice field. The school offers two different program concentrations: studies in legal and justice studies, or the collegiate officer track. The collegiate officer track is designed for students who are planning to enter the police force and provides studies in police skills along with traditional academic coursework. The school also offers an academic minor for those who go on to pursue a bachelor's degree at the university. Courses of study include areas such as criminal procedures, criminalistics and community relations.
Northeastern State University
Northeastern State University, located in Tahlequah and Broken Arrow, offers a bachelor of science in criminal justice with one of three emphases: basic criminal justice studies, paralegal studies and homeland security. The homeland security option can be pursued partially online or at the Broken Arrow campus, while the other two options are offered on both campuses. The criminal justice track emphasizes four major areas of study: the police system, security, juvenile justice and the corrections system.
University of Oklahoma
The state's flagship university, the University of Oklahoma, offers a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice through its College of Liberal Studies. The program is offered in an online format that allows students to complete their coursework at time and place convenient to their own schedule. The degree requires the completion of 120 credit hours. The criminal justice component requires the completion of 39 hours in the criminal justice field. Required courses include studies in Statistics in Criminal Justice, Introduction to Forensic Science, Deviance and Social Control, Drugs and Society, Theories of Criminal Behavior and Comparative Justice Systems.
University of Central Oklahoma
The University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond offers both bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice. At the bachelor's degree level, students can pursue a bachelor of arts with an emphasis in general criminal justice studies or one with an emphasis in police studies. At the graduate level, students can pursue a master of arts degree with an emphasis in criminal justice management and administration. The bachelor's degree programs require 124 credit hours with 51 to 59 hours in the criminal justice field. The master's degree requires a total of 36 credit hours to complete.
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