AA in Criminal Justice from University of Phoenix

How Can I Get This Degree? The University of Phoenix's Axia College offers students an associate of arts degree in criminal justice. This criminal justice degree focuses on the criminal court system, the juvenile justice system, policing practices, and corrections. This degree requires the successful completion of 60 credit hours. General education courses in humanities, mathematics, science, communications, social sciences, and liberal arts, total 33 credit hours of the program. Additionally, the remaining 27 credit hours consists of 18 credit hours of criminal justice specific courses including fundamentals of policing, and introduction courses to the criminal court system, corrections, juvenile justice, and security. The remaining 9 credit hours are composed of courses in disciplinary studies, which can be satisfied with other coursework not already being applied to general education or other course requirements. The tuition rate for this program is $365 per credit hour and the university offers financial aid and funding assistance to students who meet the eligibility requirements. What Can I Do With This Degree? A degree with a concentration in criminal justice can satisfy a number of local, state, or federal employment opportunities. Graduates with an associate criminal justice degrees from University of Phoenix's Axia College will be able to recognize and differentiate the functions of criminal justice systems within their communities. Many students who graduate with this degree go on to work in jobs such as a sheriff or police officer, legal secretaries or administrative assistants, or corrections officers. According to Payscale, sheriff's and police officers earn a median annual salary of $40,875, legal secretaries earn a median annual salary of $33,000, and administrative assistants earn $32,350 annually. Additionally, corrections officers earn a median annual salary of $41,240. Criminal justice jobs are also expected to increase by at least 20% in the next few years, opening a number of jobs for criminal justice degree graduates.