Criminal justice distance learning programs allow you to obtain an associate's or bachelor's degree from home using a computer. They are convenient ways to get an education while working full-time or when living far away from an on-site classroom. To choose the best criminal justice distance learning program, you must first decide what specific area of criminal justice you want to study. Then you need to research several different criminal justice distance learning programs from accredited institutions and find out which one is the best fit for your needs and your budget. Remember that you will need to apply to the program you choose and you may or may not be accepted, so it helps to apply to more than one program.
Keep in mind that some areas of criminal justice will require you to complete lab work. This means you may need to travel to an on-site classroom or lab at some point in your studies. Be sure to research different criminal justice distance learning programs to find out if any of them require you to travel to a specific site at any point during the curriculum, and decide if that is something you will be able to accomplish. Much of the coursework can be done online or by other types of correspondence, but it is best to be prepared should you have to travel to a site at some point.
Familiarize yourself with the classroom methods used in each criminal justice distance learning course. Many classes take place through message boards online, while others are conducted by e-mail or other means of communication. Some programs are also synchronous courses, which means you must be online at the same time as all other students. The time will be specified in the course description in most cases, so make sure your schedule will work with that particular class. Other classes can be asynchronous, which means you can work at your own pace. While this is more convenient for many students, this method does require you to be able to stay on task and understand material with less guidance. Be sure instructors are easily accessible by e-mail or through the course message boards to guide you through complex materials.
It is important to know what aspect of criminal justice you want to focus on before registering for criminal justice distance learning courses. If you are not sure, try to make an appointment by phone with an advisor who can help you decide which coursework will be best for you. The advisor will also be able to help you determine long-term educational goals and point you in the right direction as far as job opportunities once your degree program is complete.
