- Accredited Online Program
Launch Your Career in Criminal Justice in Just 16 Weeks
Flexible. Online. Career-focused. Veteran-friendly. Start your journey in Criminal Justice with Lakewood University today.
- DEAC Accredited Program
- 100% Online
- Veteran-Friendly
- Since 1998
Ready for a Criminal Justice Career Without Years of School?
Many adults are searching for a career that offers stability, purpose, and long-term opportunity. A career where you can make a real difference in your community while building a secure future. Careers in law enforcement and public safety continue to play a vital role in society, and trained professionals are needed to help protect and serve their communities. If you are looking for a practical path into the criminal justice field, this could be your next step.
Traditional college programs can take years to complete and often require a significant financial investment before you ever enter the workforce. Not everyone has the time, flexibility, or desire to commit to a multi-year degree just to begin building a meaningful career. You deserve an option that respects both your time and your goals.
Lakewood University’s Criminal Justice Certificate Program is designed for working adults who need flexibility and affordability without sacrificing quality. Our online format allows you to study around your schedule while building the foundational knowledge needed to pursue careers in law enforcement, public safety, and other areas of the criminal justice field. Graduates are also confidently prepared to apply to a police academy if they choose to pursue a career in law enforcement. It’s a focused, career-driven pathway built for real life.
Lakewood University’s Criminal Justice Certificate Program provides career-focused training for individuals interested in law enforcement and public safety, delivered in a flexible online format designed to fit the schedules of working adults.
Why Choose Lakewood?
Everything you need to succeed in your new career path.
Career-Ready Training
Practical skills you can use immediately in the field.
Police Academy Readiness
Students will confidently be prepared for the academy.
Flexible Online Format
Learn anytime, anywhere that fits your schedule.
Designed for Adults
Support systems built for students balancing life and work.
Veteran Benefits
We proudly accept GI Bill® and other veteran education benefits.
Payment Plans
Affordable options to make your education stress-free.
Criminal Justice Career Outlook
The criminal justice field continues to play a critical role in maintaining public safety and upholding the law. Law enforcement agencies, correctional institutions, and investigative organizations seek individuals with foundational knowledge or criminal law, procedures, and ethics.
Whether you prefer federal or state agencies, corrections or probation your skills will be in high demand across the nation.
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm
Job Growth
3%
2024–2034
Yearly Openings
~49K
Annual avg
Median Salary
$77,270
BLS 2024
Settings
Diverse
Federal & state agencies, local law enforcement departments, correctional facilities
Program Snapshot
Quick facts you need to know about the program.
Duration
16 Weeks
Format
Online
Tuition
$7,400
Next Start
Monday
Eligibility
High School Diploma or Equivalent
Accreditation
DEAC Accredited
Work Hours
600 Clock Hours
Aid
Financial Options
Get the Criminal Justice Program Guide
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Gold Standard in Distance Education
DEAC accreditation signifies that the institution has met established standards for academic quality ethical practices, and student support in distance education through ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement. Accreditation helps ensure that programs provide students with relevant knowledge, practical skills, and high quality educational experience.
- Trusted by employers worldwide
- Commitment to continuous improvement
- Maintains high instructional quality
- Commitment to academic excellence
DEAC Accredited Program
Don’t settle for unaccredited programs. Your career depends on receiving an education that employers recognize and respect. Our DEAC accreditation is your guarantee of quality.
RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY
Lakewood University was recently featured on CBS for its work in providing accessible, career-driven education to working adults and veterans. National recognition reinforces our commitment to delivering accredited programs designed to prepare students for real-world success.
"My favorite part of the program is having real life scenarios and cases to study that relate to the current lesson. It helps me retain the information because it's practical application.
Chasity Jessee
Criminal Justice
What You’ll Learn
Lakewood University’s Criminal Justice program can help you on your path to a rewarding career in law enforcement or assist in upgrading your skills for career advancement.
This program can help you secure entry-level criminal justice careers such as law-enforcement, corrections, juvenile agencies, private security, or other social service agencies. More advanced positions include homeland security and forensics with additional training, testing and background checks.
No matter what your criminal justice career goals may be, let Lakewood University provide you with the real-world skills and academic support you’ll need to achieve lifetime success.
Program Outcomes:
- Identify the impact of crime on victims and society as a whole
- Formulate elements of a crime from statutes
- Describe the role of law enforcement officers, effective policing strategies, and constitutional issues that arise in policing.
- Explain the pretrial and trial process, the purpose of each stage, and the role of judges.
- Discuss the potential criminal sentencing options available for adults and juveniles, including incarcerations and probation.
- Review the conditions and purposes of prisons and jails.
- Demonstrate how technology is used to commit and investigate crime.
Week 1: Criminal Justice Today & Causes of Crime
This lesson will give the students the groundwork to move through the reminder of the course by giving them the most basic criminal justice skills such as explaining the major issues in criminal justice today, identifying and listing different types of crime, outlining the 3 levels in law enforcement, and the basic elements of the corrections system.
It will also give them in-depth information on the various criminal justice models including the conflict and consensus model, the “wedding cake” model, the due process and crime control models, and the medical model of addiction and the criminal model of addiction.
Lesson 1 will discuss the very important connection between offenders and victims. This lesson will also explain several theories including why classical criminology is based on choice theory, the three major theories of social structure with their respective explanations of crime, contrast positivism with classical criminology, the chronic offender theory, and finally how life course criminology differs from all the other theories.
Week 2: The Crime Picture
Lesson 2 deals with crime trends and data including the way that the FBI reports crime data and the two ways they are reported, learning about the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) and the differences between Part 1 and Part II offenses, the shortcomings of the UCR for crime measurement, why issues of race and ethnicity tend to be overstated, the factors criminologist use to explain trends in the crime rate, and the differences between National Crime Victimization Survey and self-reported surveys.
This lesson also deals with the differences between mala in se and mala prohibita along with the main goals of criminal and civil law.
Finally, the lesson will discuss why there is a peak in the number of incarcerated women.
Week 3: Inside Criminal Law
Lesson 3 teaches students the four written sources of American criminal law as well as the two basic functions of criminal law and how the doctrine of strict liability applies.
Students will also be able to differentiate between substantive and procedural law and explain the most important excuses for criminal defenses.
It will teach the importance of due process and stare decisis as well as the elements needed to establish mens rea.
Week 4: Law Enforcement Today
Lesson 4 will identify the basic duties of the police, FBI, private security, and additional law enforcement agencies under the US Department of Homeland Security.
Students will learn how the modern policing system was affected by patronage and intelligence-led policing as well as the results of the Wickersham Commission.
Students will be able to differentiate between the police academy and field training as recruit learning tools and the challenges women face hoping to make a career in the law-enforcement field.
Week 5: Problems & Solutions
Lesson 5 discusses the purposes of police patrol, why police officers are allowed discretionary power and ethical dilemmas they deal with, when they are justified in utilizing deadly force, as well as learning about police corruption.
They will be able to identify why some investigation strategies are considered aggressive as well as the use of DNA fingerprinting.
Students will learn about community polling and problem-oriented policing as well as how police respond more effectively to 911 calls using differential response strategies.
Week 6: Police & the Constitution/ The Rules of Law Enforcement
Lesson 6 outlines for the students the four sources of probable cause, four elements needed prior to arrest, probable cause, exclusionary rule and its exceptions and the three basic types of police identification.
It will teach students four categories of items that can be seized during a search, the plain view doctrine, and why searches can be made without a warrant.
Students will also learn to recite the Miranda warning, learn when the Miranda warning is unnecessary, and the differences between a stop and a frisk (using the importance of Terry v. Ohio).
Week 7: Courts & the Quest for Justice
Lesson 7 will teach students about the court system including the four functions of the courts, the differences between trial and appellate courts, the federal court system, levels of the state court system, and how a case is brought to the Supreme Court.
Students will also learn about the courtroom including the actions of a judge prior to the trial, the different members of the courtroom work group, and the differences between judges at the state and federal levels.
Finally, they will be able to define jurisdiction and the difference between geographic and subject-matter jurisdiction.
Week 8: Pre-trial Procedures
Lesson 8 discusses all of the pre-trial persons and procedures including: the names and powers of public prosecutors (including screening cases) as well as their contrast between elected official and crime fighters; the responsibilities of defense attorneys; and three types of defense allocation programs.
Students will learn how judges decide on setting bail, the requirements of potential jurors, possible defenses, and the protections allotted to criminal defendants.
Students will be able to list the steps of a criminal jury trial, what “taking the Fifth” means, differences between testimony and evidence, differences between lay witnesses and expert witnesses, and the differences between direct and circumstantial evidence.
Students will also learn about the steps to an appeal, how both the defense and prosecutors can plea bargain, and how a criminal defendant may be tried for a second time for the same crime.
Week 9: The Criminal Trial
This lesson will teach pre-trial procedures in the American adversarial system with special examination of the role of prosecutors and defense attorneys in the trial process.
This includes study of detention, bail, probable cause, grand juries, and plea bargaining
Week 10: Punishment & Sentencing
Lesson 10 will discuss the six forms of punishment, the reasoning for sentencing criminals, indeterminate and determinate sentencing, and why sentencing reform has occurred.
Students will learn why there is a difference between the sentence imposed and time served, and who has input in sentencing (as well as pros and cons of victim impact statements).
Finally, students will learn about death penalty sentencing as well as the main issues in the death penalty debate.
Week 11: Probation & Community Corrections
Lesson 10 will educate the students on alternative arrangements that combine probation with incarceration as well as the need for community-based correction programs.
Students will learn the conditions of probation, why probation may be revoked, why probation may be denied and why the job of a probation officer has become more dangerous.
Finally, they will learn the different sentencing options besides imprisonments and probation, intensive supervision probation, and the different levels of home monitoring.
Week 12: Prison & Jails
During Lesson 11, students will learn about the models, types of prisons and prison systems and what may have causes the prison population to grow dramatically over the decades (and the consequences of high incarceration rates).
Students will be able to explain about prison governance and the formal prison management system as well as why private prisons can be run more cheaply than public ones.
Finally, students will learn the differences between jails and prisons and how jails are administered.
Week 13: The Prison Experience and Prisoner Reentry
This lesson will focus on prisons and jails and study overcrowding, private prisons, mentally ill inmates, and ethical issues of these topics.
Prison organization and management structures vary and are examined along with inmate population trends to provide learners with more details of the American Criminal Justice System’s evolution.
Week 14: The Juvenile System
Lesson 14 will teach students the four major differences between the juvenile and adult courts, the most important Supreme Court case dealing juvenile justice, the four stages of juvenile pretrial procedure, and the four categories of residential treatment programs for juvenile offenders.
Students will know the child-saving movement as well as the parens patriae doctrine.
Finally, they will learn about the one variable that matches high juvenile crime rates.
Week 15: Today's Challenges
A comprehensive description of the journey taken by juveniles from first contact with police to trial and punishment occurs in this lesson.
Theories are scrutinized to understand juvenile delinquency and what steps can be taken to prevent it.
Week 16: Final Exams & Projects
This lesson looks at three important issues: (1) privacy in the age of terrorism, (2) cybercrime, and (3) white-collar crime.
Anti-terrorism legislation, the constitutionality of government mass surveillance techniques, and issues of internet speech add to the study of the above issues which asks learners to exercise ethical judgment about white-collar crimes and punishment.
Also, this lesson reviews the basics of the criminal justice system and examines what some professionals and scholars suggest what is needed in the future.
You’re Not Doing This Alone
We provide the structure and support you need to cross the finish line.
Instructor Support
Expert faculty available for questions and guidance.
Success Coach
Dedicated coaches to help you stay on track and motivated.
Online Student Portal
24/7 access to all course materials and resources.
Career Guidance
Resume building, interview prep, and job search assistance.
Veteran Services
Specialized support for our military and veteran community.
Payment Options
Flexible monthly plans to fit any budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this program accredited?
Yes. Lakewood University is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). Accreditation means the program meets nationally recognized standards for quality, curriculum, and student preparation. Choosing an accredited program helps protect your time and investment.
Can I use VA benefits?
Eligible students may use approved VA education benefits for this program. Lakewood University is committed to supporting veterans and military families through the enrollment process. Our admissions team can help you determine your eligibility and guide you step by step.
Are payment plans available?
Yes. We offer flexible payment options to make the program more accessible. In addition to approved financing partners, students may choose structured payment plans based on eligibility. Our admissions team can review available options and help you select the best fit for your situation.
How long does it take?
The program can be completed in 16 weeks, depending on your pace and schedule. Because the format is online and flexible, many students are able to complete their training while continuing to work or manage other responsibilities.
Will I be able to complete it while working?
The program is delivered in a flexible online format designed to accommodate working adults. While you can complete coursework around your weekly schedule, there are structured weekly deadlines to help you stay on track. All coursework must be completed by your assigned program end date, ensuring steady progress toward graduation and certification readiness.
What happens after graduation?
Students in the Criminal Justice Certificate Program at Lakewood University gain the foundational knowledge and practical understanding needed to pursue careers within the criminal justice field. The program is designed to prepare students with the core concepts, procedures, and professional expectations found in modern law enforcement and public safety environments.
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are confidently prepared to apply to a police academy if they choose to pursue a career in law enforcement.
The certificate also provides a strong foundation for individuals interested in exploring other criminal justice career paths, including corrections, public safety, security, and related fields.
Support from Lakewood University does not end at graduation. Students receive lifetime access to career services, including resume guidance, job search assistance, and professional development resources to help them continue growing and advancing in their careers.
Start Your Career in Criminal Justice Today
Join thousands of successful graduates who have transformed their lives with Lakewood University. Your new career is just 16 weeks away!
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GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. VA education benefits eligibility varies by individual and program. Lakewood University does not guarantee benefit approval.