Online Colleges for Criminal Investigation Degrees: How to Choose

A student's career goals and the length of the degree program must be considered when choosing an online criminal investigation degree program. Elements of criminal investigation are often included in undergraduate and graduate degrees in criminal justice and criminology, which can be found online.

How to Select an Online Criminal Investigation College

Program Levels and Time Requirements

Online schools offer associate, bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice and criminology. An associate's degree program requires fewer credit hours than a bachelor's degree, but a master's degree, which really focuses in on a student's area of interest, requires fewer credit hours than an associate degree. Of course, master's degree programs feature more advanced coursework and have greater admissions requirements than associate's degree programs.

Career Goals and Education Requirements

Applicants should consider their career goals, and the education requirements for those careers. If they wish to work in law enforcement, security or a crime lab, an associate or bachelor's degree might be appropriate. For those who want to teach about criminal investigations and criminal justice in post-secondary schools, a master's degree is often required.

Tuition and Associated Costs

Many programs charge students a fee for each credit hour completed while others charge a flat fee. In some cases, the fee includes course materials and textbooks. Depending on the school, students may be required to obtain computer equipment or media, including a Web camera or CD-ROM discs. Schools will set their tuition requirements before or at the time registration. Students may not learn of required materials until they obtain a syllabus for each class they wish to complete.

List of Common Online Criminal Investigation Programs

Online Associate of Art in Criminal Justice

Applicants can expect to complete anywhere from 60-96 or more credits as they work toward the associate's degree in criminal justice. Upon completion of this program, graduates may find entry-level careers in law enforcement, as investigators or crime scene technicians. These programs take approximately 2 years to complete, and during that time, some of the skills that students learn include documentation and classification of fingerprints.

Online Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice

If applicants do not have credits from a community college or associate degree program, they can expect to earn a bachelor's degree in four years. Bachelor's degree programs in criminal justice allow students to concentrate their studies in specific areas, including criminal investigation. For those who specialize in criminal investigation, required course work includes learning about patterns from blood stains and analysis, properties of blood and blood-borne pathogens. Students also learn about collection and preservation of evidence.

Online Master's Degree in Criminal Justice

An online master's degree in criminal justice prepares students for a career teaching in a college or university setting, or as a probation or corrections officers. A master's degree in criminal justice requires that students complete at least 36 credit hours, taking theoretical and technological courses. Students take courses in criminology, computer programs and statistics.