Abilene Christian University

Programme overview

This online Bachelor of Science examines criminal justice from practical, sociological and political angles while emphasizing ethics and leadership through a Christ-centered lens. The curriculum is built to develop communication, decision-making, analytical and problem-solving skills for service-oriented roles in policing, corrections and related fields.

What you'll study

The degree totals 120 credit hours and includes a 27-credit core, 15 credits of supplement courses in political science and sociology, and 22 credits of electives. Topics and example courses covered in the program include:

• Criminal justice system concepts — crime, control methods and laws.
• Law enforcement history and practice — policing’s role in the justice process and leadership theories for law enforcement and policy.
• Criminal law and court procedures — foundations of criminal law, arrest, search and seizure laws, and procedures of the U.S. legal and court systems.
• Victim support — strategies for aiding victims of domestic and partner violence.
• Ethics — professional ethics in criminal justice developed within a Christ-centered framework.
• Political and sociological context — U.S. political system, civil liberties and rights, and sources and patterns of criminal behavior.
• Research methods and data analysis — tools for gathering and analyzing data to study causes of crime and develop solutions.

Example coursework listed by the program includes Law Enforcement Leadership, Professionalism and Ethics in Criminal Justice, Crime and Delinquency, and Domestic Violence.

Entry requirements

The programme page lists university and major credit-hour requirements (120 total hours; 56 university hours including 9–15 Bible hours; 64 major hours with up to 22 elective hours). The site also notes a credit-by-exam pathway for TCOLE exam holders: students who submit a TCOLE exam certificate may be eligible to receive credit for three specific courses (CRMO 205, CRMO 250, CRMO 365), which the school quantifies as a tuition savings opportunity. No additional formal admission details are specified on the provided page.

Career prospects

The program prepares students for roles in policing, investigations and other criminal justice occupations by teaching policing theory and practice, legal procedures, victim assistance, ethics and data-driven problem solving. The programme page cites the Bureau of Labor Statistics prediction of 7% growth for police and detectives (text provided as shown on the source page).

Scholarships & funding angle

ACU offers a Locked-In Tuition program guaranteeing the same undergraduate tuition rate for the degree. The published cost components on the program page include $395 per credit hour and a $310 resource fee per term. Additional funding-relevant notes include a tuition discount partnership with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for TDCJ employees and the stated credit-by-exam savings (more than $3,500) for eligible TCOLE certificate holders.