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Criminal Justice (BS)

Law Enforcement Leadership Emphasis, Competency-Based

Advance your career while continuing to serve and protect with this FULLY ONLINE competency-based program.

Online Online Competency-Based

Two Years (average)

120 credit hours

No foreign language credits required

Protect Your Community, Lead with Confidence

Law enforcement needs strong leaders. Are you ready to answer the call? Earn your Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice while continuing to prevent crime, protect others and promote peace. Designed for working professionals, our competency-based program lets you study at your own pace. Our fully online curriculum is divided into seven-week terms so you can focus on what matters. The courses are self-paced, enabling you to set your own schedule and study when you are able. Whether you’re a police officer or a member of the military, we're putting you first. Discover how you can lead others toward success through our criminal justice program.

See Yourself Succeed With a Degree in Criminal Justice

Learn the Foundation

Develop strategies to promote police trust within your community. You’ll study the historical, philosophical and ethical development of policing and how that affects law enforcement today.

Flexible, personalized pace

Take credit for what you already know. Our competency-based program lets you receive credit for skills developed through work and military experience. You deserve credit. We’re ready to give it to you.

Faculty member instructing class with two class mates wearing sheriff uniform jackets.

Policing the Future

Study cutting-edge developments in law enforcement, like cryptocurrency and the problems it poses for policing. You’ll learn innovative strategies for monitoring an increasingly digitized world.

Excel in your career

Managing a policing organization takes work. We want to make this easier for you. Learn how to improve your team’s effectiveness, resolve conflict and promote wellness within the workplace.

Three professionals walking, smiling, and talking to each other.

Faculty Spotlight

I am a retired police chief with more than 27 years of experience. I am invested in the policing profession, as well as the professionalization of its members.

Jimmy Womack

Instructor and TABCJ Program Coordinator

Graduated 2014

I have always been passionate about law enforcement and criminal justice. I was a very active police officer who loved my profession. I had to retire from working patrol after being seriously injured in the line of duty. I decided to use my experience, skills and knowledge to help future criminal justice professionals reach their dreams and goals.

Amanda Willows

Instructor

Graduated 2014, Sociology

student support

Academic Advisor

Professional clothes offered to students at the Lion Wardrobe.

Student Career Preparedness

Financial Aid

You’re closer to a degree than you think.

Earn credit for what you already know through our competency-based program. Designed specifically for first responders with professional experience, this program allows you to receive course credit based on your work experience and military training. Our fully online curriculum is divided into seven-week terms so you can focus on what matters.

TCOLE or Law Enforcement Training

Earn up to 30 hours of course credit based on your TCOLE or other law enforcement training.

Military Training

Find out how you can receive a Joint Service Transcript for your military experience.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

A degree in Criminal Justice–Law Enforcement Leadership emphasis offers you the opportunity to:

Advance to management positions within law enforcement
Study the federal, state and local judicial system to promote law within your community
Identify the needs within the workplace to ensure the overall wellness of your team
Learn how to design, establish and fund a crime analysis unit

Careers

Advance your career with a degree in criminal justice. Our program prepares you for a wide range of professions at the city, county, state or federal government levels.

Career Possibilities and Current Median Salaries

Police Officers

$69,160

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

$86,280

First-line Supervisors of Law Enforcement

$96,290

First-line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

$96,290

US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2022

Alumni Profiles

No matter how many times you fall, you must always get up.

Brandan Hopkins

Police Officer at Houston ISD Police

Graduated 2023, Criminal Justice

Larry Wilkey

Justice of the Peace at Bell County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 2

Criminal Justice

What You Will Learn

You’ll take a closer look at the legal aspects of law enforcement, criminal analysis and police practices. Investigate the ethical dilemmas surrounding first responders today and how that affects law enforcement decisions. You’ll also learn practical organizational and leadership skills to promote a healthy and productive work environment.

Courses to Prepare You for Your Career

Core courses include Criminal Investigation, Police and Law Enforcement, and Correctional Systems.
Support courses include Evidence-Based Policing, Homeland Security and Critical Thinking.

Featured Courses

21st Century Policing CJCB 302

This class introduces you to policing strategies as best practices designed to help agencies promote effective crime reduction while building public trust and safeguarding officer well-being. Areas of emphasis are internal processes affecting culture, policy, administrative process and training as well as external processes affecting transparency, community engagement and interactions with various populations.

Crime Analysis CJCB 308

This course introduces you to crime analysis and an understanding of its application within smaller jurisdictions. You will learn how to design, fund, establish and staff a crime analysis unit using evidence and statistical data for a smaller jurisdiction.

Critical Incident Decision Management CJCB 304

This course provides you with the knowledge, skills and best practices and procedures essential to the effective and efficient planning and direction of critical incident command, specifically police operations in crisis situations.

View Full Curriculum In The University Catalog

cropped view of policeman typing on laptop keyboard

Course Delivery and Resources

All competency-based courses are self-paced and offered online. Our program includes a “subscription system” with a minimum of two courses required per 7-week term (There are six terms throughout the year). You may add additional courses at any point and complete the courses by the end of the term.

Institute for Competency-Based Education

The College of Innovation and Design at A&M-Commerce is associated with the Institute for Competency-Based Education. Come learn how they can help you!

Terms

All competency-based programs in the College of Innovation and Design are offered in two seven-week terms per traditional semester with a break between each term.

2024

Semester	Term 1	Break	Term 2
Spring	Jan. 16 – March 1	March 4 – 15	March 18 – May 3
Summer	May 13 – June 28	July 1 – 5	July 8 – Aug. 23
Fall	Sept. 3 – Oct. 18	Oct. 21 – 25	Oct. 28 – Dec. 13

Program Cost

Earning a degree is more affordable than ever. Our competency-based programs offer quality education at an affordable price. These rates include online versions of required course materials.

Residency Status	Tuition Per Semester
In-State (TX resident)	$1,000
Bordering County. This includes: Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico Arkansas	$1,000
Neighboring state (aka interior county: Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico and Arkansas	in-state + $30/hour
Out of state (e.g., Florida)	$2,000
Active Duty Law Enforcement + Scholarship	$300
Employee Scholarship	$300

Active Duty Law Enforcement Scholarship is only available to certified Peace Officers in Texas.
Tuition exemption limited to state residents
Students can only receive ONE exemption (example: you cannot stack senior citizen and active-duty law enforcement exemptions.)

Financial Aid

Scholarships

Steps to Apply :: Competency-Based CBE

College is the next big step in your academic journey! Let’s connect! Complete a request for information to receive important updates!

Consider the field of study and degree program you want to pursue at A&M-Commerce. Take some time to review our competency-based degree programs and learn more about how competency-based education works!

Our onboarding specialists are eager to help you learn about A&M-Commerce and guide your academic journey! Once you have filled out a request for information, an onboarding specialist will contact you.

A&M-Commerce is committed to making the transfer process as smooth as possible.

To meet automatic admission requirements as a transfer student, you must have:

At least 12 transferable hours, excluding developmental coursework.
A 2.0 or higher grade point average (GPA) on all transferable coursework.

Applicants who do not meet the standards for full admission may be considered through the multi-tiered admission review process.

Automatic admission to A&M-Commerce is based on the Foundation High School Program with at least one endorsement. You are strongly recommended to complete one or more available endorsement(s) that include Algebra II or its equivalent and one science course from biology, chemistry or physics. Students applying for top 10% automatic admission must complete the foundation curriculum with a distinguished level of achievement.

Standards for full admission to A&M-Commerce are based on the required high school curriculum (Foundation Plan). Entering freshmen must have successfully completed the following courses in high school:

English Language Arts (4 credits)
Mathematics (3 credits)
Science (3 credits)
Social Studies (3 credits)
Language other than English (2 credits)

Any one of the following:

Rank in the top 30% of graduating class or
If submitting scores, use the A&M-Commerce codes 4088 (ACT) and 6188 (SAT) from encoura.org or collegeboard.org.

Study and take as many competency-based courses as you like each term for as low as $750. Because these programs are fully online, you can plan your study schedule around the rest of your day to complete the coursework.

Apply

Nursing (RN-to-BSN) applicants: use the undergraduate application.
Alternative Teacher Certification applicants: use the graduate ApplyTexas application.

You may also apply for any of our programs through ApplyTexas.

Send your school transcript via our secure document upload or request that your official high school transcript and transcripts for any college credit you have completed be sent to [email protected].

If your institution is unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:

Texas A&M University-Commerce
Attn: College of Innovation and Design
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011

We will need official/original documents.

ACT or SAT scores are optional for admission. If submitting scores, use the A&M-Commerce codes 4088 (ACT) and 6188 (SAT) from encoura.org or collegeboard.org.

Your myLEO username is your CWID and your default password is your date of birth beginning with the three-letter abbreviated month (MonDDYYYY). You may refer to our guide for first-time login instructions.

Username: CWID
Password: Date of Birth (MonDDYYYY)

Within myLeo, check out the APPS tab for LeoMail, LeoPay and D2L Brightspace, where you will access your online classes, and more.
Check out the Student Resources tab for student information, including Undergrad DegreeWorks, your interactive degree audit, class schedules, financial aid status and awards, and more.

When you sign in to myLEO, the Financial Agreement will pop up. You’ll need to read over the agreement, select the checkbox and select “Continue.”

If you missed it or accidentally closed the window, you can get the agreement to pop up again by following these steps.

Sign in to myLEO.
Go to the Student Resources Tab.
Scroll to Student Information,
Click on Registration Menu. If you have not already completed the Financial Responsibility, it will appear here.

If you are not a self-pay student, you may qualify for financial aid to help pay for your classes.

Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.

You do not have to complete the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) if you have met one of the following:

Met minimum college readiness standard on the SAT or ACT
Obtained the minimum required score(s) on the statewide high school STAAR EOCs Algebra II and English III exams (these are optional for high schools)
Met a veteran or active military waiver (must meet specific requirements for each category)
Received exemption based on earning a prior degree
Received a transfer exemption (declaration by another institution)
Completed prior college-level coursework

Students are responsible for providing proof of exemption and will be considered assessment required until documentation is provided of state exemption. For more information, please contact the Testing Center at [email protected].

To access your Undergrad DegreeWorks online degree plan:

Log into myLEO.
Select the Student Resources tab from the home screen.
Scroll to Student Information
Select Undergrad DegreeWorks.

Program Requirements

To be accepted into this program, you must fulfill these requirements

Complete your prior Criminal Justice coursework (30 hours)
- If you have not yet completed the required criminal justice courses, you can fulfill them through
  - a community college (suggested)
  - A&M-Commerce’s traditional 16-week format
Complete CJCB 100: Orientation before you begin coursework.

To earn this degree, you must fulfill these requirements

Complete the Criminal Justice Applied Major courses at A&M-Commerce (27 hours)
- You can only complete these courses at A&M-Commerce.
- Transfer credits will not be accepted.
- PLA Portfolio review is not available for these courses.

Complete Support Courses (21 hours)
- You must complete 9 hours at the 300 or 400 level from A&M-Commerce.

What is Competency-Based Education?

What is Competency-Based Education

Competency-Based Education (CBE) posits that learning is best measured by students demonstrating what they know and can do rather than by the number of hours spent in a classroom. CBE is student-driven and self-paced, guided by individualized feedback from an instructor and advisor. CBE is also flexible, and offered fully online, so it works around the busy personal and professional lives of adult learners and working professionals.

Student Journey map

Learn More About CBE at A&M-Commerce

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours should I take?

Students initially register for six hours (two courses per-term). You have the opportunity to accelerate into another course with the expectation that you will complete the coursework by the end of the term. You may continue to add courses, one at a time, through the 5th Friday of the term.