Criminal Justice
Associate Degree

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Why This Program

Northampton Community College’s Criminal Justice program is designed for your success, whether you’re a high school graduate pursuing a law enforcement career, a military veteran seeking new opportunities or a professional exploring a career change. Our in-person and online Criminal Justice associate’s degree equips you to thrive:

 

  • Flexibility: Study at our Bethlehem or Pocono campus in Pennsylvania, or learn from anywhere online.
  • Affordability: Earn a degree from one of the lowest-cost criminal justice programs in PA.
  • Transferability: Further your education in criminal justice, criminology or related disciplines at a four-year institution through NCC’s transfer agreements.
  • Housing: Choose to live on-campus for a focused, immersive learning environment.
  • Experienced Faculty: Learn from criminal justice and juvenile justice professionals who teach with the voice of experience, not just the observations of textbooks.
  • Small Class Sizes: Form relationships with peers and professors in concentrated courses with a small student-to-faculty ratio.
  • Student Services: Take advantage of NCC’s comprehensive counseling and career placement services.


What You'll Learn

Protect communities and invest in a safer future through the Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice at Northampton Community College. Here, you’ll confront challenging issues and examine detailed arguments about the law, psychology, criminal behavior, courts, social systems, ethics, patterns of human behavior and more.

You’ll apply that learning right away in hands-on, interactive simulations, internships and job shadowing placements. NCC offers one of the most affordable criminal justice programs in PA, and you can choose the program path that works best with your other commitments: study on the Bethlehem or Pocono campus, or complete your coursework online.



Program Details

Semesters: 4

Credits: 64

College Catalog: View Curriculum

Program Map: Download PDF

Locations: Bethlehem | Fully Online

Program Overview:

The Criminal Justice program incorporates a robust 64-credit curriculum. Courses include criminology, abnormal psychology, American constitutional law and criminal justice ethics. Learning from juvenile and criminal justice experts, you’ll earn the knowledge and skills you need to excel in a career in law enforcement and related fields. Alternatively, with an associate degree in Criminal Justice, you may transfer to a four-year bachelor’s degree program.


Tuition & Financial Aid

Completing an associate’s degree in Criminal Justice at Northampton Community College can drastically reduce the overall cost of your criminal justice education. Our tuition and fees are some of the most affordable in the region. On top of the low upfront costs, you can also take advantage of NCC’s substantial financial aid and scholarship opportunities—we have one of the largest community college scholarship programs in Pennsylvania!



Criminal Justice Pathways

Earn a Criminal Justice associate’s degree to build on your existing professional experience, prepare to enter the workforce or transfer to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Whatever your path, our expert faculty and highly regarded coursework will ready you for success.

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Future Career Paths

Prepare for private and public sector careers in law enforcement, security, courts, politics, business and the justice system. If you plan to work with a specific department or agency, your Academic Advisor can help you identify the courses and concentrations that will best suit your career goals. NCC also has special partnerships with a number of four-year institutions, where you can transfer to complete a bachelor’s degree in just two additional years. Criminal justice profession salaries average around $60,000 per year, and can increase with specialization. Potential career paths include:

  • CIA Agent
  • Computer Forensics Investigator
  • Correctional Treatment Specialist
  • Crime Scene Investigator
  • DEA Agent
  • Detective
  • FBI Agent
  • Fish and Game Warden
  • Forensic Science Technician
  • Fraud Investigator
  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent
  • Investigator
  • Lawyer
  • Police Officer
  • Private Detective
  • Probation Officer
  • Secret Service Agent
  • Security Guard
  • State Trooper
  • US Marshal

Student Spotlight

If you want to serve your community and make a difference this program will help you both gain and strengthen the skills needed to do so. The faculty are extremely knowledgeable and experienced. The most unique thing about the program is the vast diversity of students.

Ashley Klostermann, Alumna
Criminal Justice

Ashley Klostermann

Earn College Credits for What You Already Know

NCC recognizes that many students come to us with knowledge and expertise already in hand. Qualified high school graduates have the opportunity to earn college credits for programs completed in high school by transferring credit from their Career and Technical School through one of our established articulation agreements. Other pathways for possible prior learning credit include: military service, AP/IB exams, on-the-job training or certifications, apprenticeships or participation in a non-credit program.

student studying under a tree

Need Help Deciding?

Not sure if this is the right program for you? Take advantage of the resources we have available for students to help hone in on what path to pursue.


Connect with an Academic Advisor Contact a Career Counselor

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Next Steps

With 120+ high-quality programs at a highly affordable cost, you can build specialized skills to advance in your career path — fast. And with flexible class formats and convenient locations, it's never been easier to join us.

Northampton Community College

Northampton Community College
3835 Green Pond Road
Bethlehem PA 18020
610.861.5300

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