Criminal Justice Certificate Online

Credit Hours

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 75% of the certificate total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Take Your First Steps Toward a Career in Public Service with a Criminal Justice Certificate Online

Our online Certificate in Criminal Justice provides foundational training in key aspects of the criminal justice system. A certificate can help you be better prepared for certification or promotion opportunities. Throughout this program, you can hone the oral and written communication skills vital to success in both professional and personal settings.

Our online Criminal Justice Certificate program is tailored to help law enforcement officers and civilians advance their careers by obtaining a credential designed to boost their résumé. As one of our criminal justice students, you can get the head start you need to go further in the field.

Your officially conferred certificate name will be Certificate in Criminal Justice.

Backed by a brick-and-mortar campus ranked as Niche.com’s #2 Best College Campus in America for 2026

Private Nonprofit University
600+ Online Degrees
No Standardized Testing for Admission
Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose Liberty’s Criminal Justice Online Certificate?

By pursuing our 100% online Criminal Justice Certificate, you can further your education while staying connected with your family and workplace responsibilities. We strive to provide you with a quality education that’s affordable and flexible. By enrolling in our certificate program, you can have access to valuable resources to further your education and training. Additionally, you can benefit from professors who have years of experience in the field and proudly teach each course from a Christian worldview.

What Will You Study with Our Criminal Justice Certificate Program Online?

Our criminal justice classes provide an overview of the criminal justice system in the United States and introduce ethical critical thinking skills and training for various public policy situations. You can use these skills to engage in research and writing that apply to a career in law enforcement. You can also learn about the administrative side of the criminal justice system, as well as substantive and procedural criminal law.

Additionally, you can focus on topics like the judicial process, corrections, and crime from a philosophical, psychological, and sociological perspective. Through the various skills studied in our criminal justice online certificate, you could take your career potential to a new level.

Potential Career Opportunities

Required Courses

Certificate Information

Certificate Completion Plan

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

To continue our mission of providing affordable education, electronic textbooks are provided for all undergraduate courses at no additional cost to you. As a full-time student, this could save you an estimated $800-2,000 per year on textbooks!

Undergraduate Full Time	$390/Credit
Undergraduate Part Time	$455/Credit
Military Undergraduate	$250/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

All Tuition & Fees

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Financial Aid Forms & Eligibility

Scholarship Opportunities

Admission Information for Liberty’s Undergraduate Certificate in Criminal Justice

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9595.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official high school transcripts or official GED test scores.*
- Students may be allowed to enroll in up to 12 credit hours with Liberty with the submission of our High School Self-Certification Form (login required – you will first need to claim your Liberty Account).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system).
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

*Official high school transcript requirement may be waived with college transcripts from an accredited college/university showing at least 12 earned credit hours with an acceptable GPA.

Note: A 1.5 or above cumulative GPA is required for admission in good standing.

Transcript Policies

High School Transcript Policy

Applicants may submit a High School Self-Certification Form in lieu of a final official high school transcript in order to enroll in up to 12 credit hours at Liberty University.

Applicants may submit a college transcript showing 12 or more credits from an accredited institution and a High School Self-Certification Form in lieu of high school transcripts.

Students must submit official high school transcripts, or official college transcripts showing at least 12 credit hours earned with an acceptable grade point average (GPA) from an accredited institution, in order to register for additional courses.

The official high school transcript, GED requirement, and High School Self-Certification Form can be waived if the applicant has earned an associate degree or higher.

Final transcripts must reflect all coursework and final grades received for grades 9-12, a graduation date, and an overall GPA. (Mailed transcripts must be in a sealed and unopened envelope.)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

Military Transfers

International Applicants

If you are an international applicant, you may be required to have your international transcripts reviewed. Information regarding the transcript evaluation process for international students can be found by visiting NACES.

Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Submit your application online or over the phone.

Start Online Application

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

Tuition discounts – $250 per credit hour for undergraduate courses
Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $565 per course)*
8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
Potential college credit for military training

*Not applicable to certificates.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

View Military Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions for Our Online Certificate in Criminal Justice

What can I do with a certificate in criminal justice?

Your Criminal Justice Certificate can help you go further in your profession and your education. This credential provides valuable knowledge and training that can be used in criminal justice, public policy, forensic science, and government positions. Additionally, you may want to take the credits you will earn and apply them towards a full criminal justice bachelor’s degree for additional education and job opportunities.

What is the best online college for criminal justice?

At Liberty University, our mission is Training Champions for Christ. That means we strive for excellence in all that we do and have become one of the best online schools for criminal justice.

Here are some of the reasons why Liberty stands out:

Our flexible, 100% online courses allow you to complete your program while dedicating time to your work, family, and community.
Our certificate is only 18 credit hours.
The faculty teaching your courses have real-life experience in law enforcement, public policy, and other areas of the criminal justice field. They are excited to share their expertise so you can grow as a student and professional.
We are dedicated to integrating all of our coursework with biblical values so you can prepare to incorporate ethics into your profession.

Can I get my criminal justice degree online?

Yes – you can absolutely complete your criminal justice program online with Liberty University. If you want to earn a criminal justice certificate without committing to a full bachelor’s degree, then this certificate is for you. You can gain the specific knowledge you need to succeed as a criminal justice professional now. If you want to pursue a full bachelor’s degree later on, the credits earned in your certificate can be used towards one of our criminal justice programs.

Are you ready to change your future?

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App Fee Waived This Week*

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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Undergraduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Enhance Your Career Potential Online

Take Your First Steps Toward a Career in Public Service with a Criminal Justice Certificate Online

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Criminal Justice Online Certificate?

What Will You Study with Our Criminal Justice Certificate Program Online?

Potential Career Opportunities

Required Courses

Certificate Information

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Liberty’s Undergraduate Certificate in Criminal Justice

Admission Requirements

Transcript Policies

Military Transfers

International Applicants

Admissions Office Contact Information

Ready to Apply?

Military

Frequently Asked Questions for Our Online Certificate in Criminal Justice

What can I do with a certificate in criminal justice?

What is the best online college for criminal justice?

Can I get my criminal justice degree online?

Are you ready to change your future?

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