10 Criminal Justice Programs That Accept Transfer Credits

It's very common for students to start their college career at one school and then transfer to another. Some students do this to complete their general education courses at a low-cost school, while others switch because they've changed their major.

For students looking to transfer into a criminal justice program, several options are available. Keep reading to learn more about some of the best-rated schools to transfer to for criminal justice.

Do Criminal Justice Programs Accept Transfer Credits?

Many criminal justice programs accept transfer credits. Typically, whether or not an undergraduate program accepts transfer credits will depend on the school itself, as transfer requirements for undergraduate programs are often set at an institutional level.

Criminal Justice Transfer Requirements

Criminal justice transfer requirements vary by school. Most require transfer students to have a minimum number of credits for transfer, usually at least 12. Some require that students have already taken specific courses.

Some schools offer criminal justice transfer pathways specifically for students from local community colleges. The requirements for these pathways may be slightly different than the school's general transfer requirements.

How To Transfer Criminal Justice Credits

The specific steps for transfer will depend on the institution you're applying to. Typically, you'll need to submit a transfer application along with your college transcripts. The admissions office will typically look through your transcripts to determine which courses will transfer.

List of Criminal Justice Programs That Accept Transfer Credits

Several top-ranked criminal justice programs accept transfer credits. We've highlighted some of these programs below.

1. University of Maryland

The University of Maryland (UMD) is a public research institution in College Park, MD. It offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in criminology and criminal justice (CCJS) that encompasses the study of the causes of and responses to crime.

The university accepts transfer credits, although students must complete at least 30 credits at UMD. The CCJS department does not handle transfer admissions, but does require transferring students to have completed a handful of core classes and have a minimum 2.5 GPA.

• Estimated tuition cost: $11,809 per year (in-state); $41,186 per year (out-of-state)
• Maximum transfer credits: 90 hours
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

2. Arizona State University

At Arizona State University (ASU), students can earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) on campus or online in criminology and criminal justice with an optional concentration in policing. The program accepts transfer students, and ASU does not limit the amount of transfer credits you can bring in from a four-year institution.

ASU, a public research university, is located in Tempe, AZ. Transfer students can use the MyPath2ASU tool, which creates personalized, course-by-course transfer maps for any regionally accredited community college or four-year institution.

• Estimated tuition cost: $12,223 per year (in-state); $33,139 per year (out-of-state)
• Maximum transfer credits: No maximum
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

3. University of Cincinnati

The BS in criminal justice at the University of Cincinnati (UC) is available on campus and online. It accepts transfer students who have at least a 2.0 GPA. UC is a public research university in Cincinnati, OH.

UC doesn't necessarily put a cap on transfer credits, but does require students to earn at least 30 credits at UC. It also has articulation agreements with many local schools, making the transfer process smoother.

• Estimated tuition cost: $13,976 per year (in-state); $29,310 per year (out-of-state)
• Maximum transfer credits: No maximum
• Accreditation: HLC

4. Pennsylvania State University

A BA and a BS in criminal justice are available on campus and online through the Pennsylvania State University system. It accepts transfer students with at least 18 credits and a 2.0 or 2.5 GPA, depending on the campus. Students must earn at least 36 credits at Penn State.

This public university system is headquartered in University Park, PA. It has seamless transfer options for students who want to transfer between Penn State campuses.

• Estimated tuition cost: $20,644 per year (in-state); $41,790 per year (out-of-state)
• Maximum transfer credits: No maximum
• Accreditation: MSCHE

5. University at Albany

The University at Albany (UAlbany) is a public State University of New York (SUNY) research institution in Albany, NY. It offers an in-person and online BA in criminal justice.

UAlbany accepts transfer students and guarantees admission to those who have taken specific core courses and have a minimum 3.2 GPA. Students must complete at least 30 credits at UAlbany.

• Estimated tuition cost: $10,866 per year (in-state); $31,256 per year (out-of-state)
• Maximum transfer credits: 90 hours
• Accreditation: MSCHE

6. Michigan State University

Students at Michigan State University (MSU) can earn a BA in criminal justice with an optional concentration in cyber investigations. The program offers students wide exposure to all of the major disciplines of the criminal justice system.

MSU, a public research university, is located in East Lansing, MI. It allows students to transfer up to 60 credit hours and also accepts alternative forms of credit, like credit from certain exams.

• Estimated tuition cost: $16,458 per year (in-state); $43,842 per year (out-of-state)
• Maximum transfer credits: 60 hours
• Accreditation: HLC

7. University of Missouri-St. Louis

The University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) offers an on-campus and online BS in criminology and criminal justice. UMSL is a public research university in St. Louis.

Students can transfer if they have at least 24 completed college credits and a 2.3 GPA. The criminology and criminal justice program, in particular, may grant credit for law enforcement certification.

• Estimated tuition cost: $14,112 per year (in-state); $35,112 per year (out-of-state)
• Maximum transfer credits: No maximum
• Accreditation: HLC

8. University of Nebraska at Omaha

The BS in criminology and criminal justice at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is available on campus and online. It offers concentrations in policing, victimology and victim services, and youth justice.

UNO, located in Omaha, NE, is a public research university. It accepts transfer students and also offers credit for things like military experience and standardized exams.

• Estimated tuition cost: $8,718 per year (in-state); $23,206 per year (out-of-state)
• Maximum transfer credits: 64 hours
• Accreditation: HLC

9. Temple University

Temple University is a public research institution in Philadelphia. It offers a BA in criminal justice that examines the ways in which society prevents, controls, and responds to crimes.

Students who have at least 15 college credits can transfer to Temple. The university does not limit how many credits a student can transfer, but students must earn at least 45 of their last 60 credits through Temple.

• Estimated tuition cost: $19,608.00 per year (in-state); $35,232.00 per year (out-of-state)
• Maximum transfer credits: No maximum
• Accreditation: MSCHE

10. John Jay College of Criminal Justice

At the John Jay College of Criminal Justice (John Jay), students can choose from several criminal justice-related degrees. These include:

• BA in criminal justice with a concentration in crime control and prevention
• BS in criminal justice with a concentration in institutional theory and practice
• BS in criminal justice management
• BA in international criminal justice

John Jay is a public university in the City University of New York (CUNY) system located in New York City. It typically accepts around 60 transfer credits and offers credit for standardized exams, military training, and other alternative credit sources.

• Estimated tuition cost: $7,470 per year (in-state); $15,420 per year (out-of-state)
• Maximum transfer credits: No maximum
• Accreditation: MSCHE

How We Rank Schools

To choose the criminal justice programs that accept transfer credits, we focused on:

• Accreditation: All schools listed above are regionally accredited.
• Credit-transfer policy: Every school accepts transfer students into their criminal justice programs.
• Program reputation: We focused on programs that are well-known for their criminal justice degrees.

FAQs About Criminal Justice Programs and Transfer Credits

A criminal justice transfer major can be a good option for students who want to change areas of focus, have completed an associate degree at a community college, or are returning to school after taking some time off. We've answered some frequently asked questions about these programs below.

Can I Transfer an Associate Degree Into a Criminal Justice Program?

Most schools will allow students to transfer associate degrees into a bachelor's program. In fact, many schools have articulation agreements with local colleges to make this process easier.

What Online Criminal Justice Programs Accept Transfer Credits?

Many online criminal justice programs accept transfer credits, including those at ASU, Penn State, UAlbany, UMSL, and UNO.

How Many Transfer Credits Do Criminal Justice Programs Usually Accept?

Most programs will accept somewhere between 60 and 90 credit hours. Some do not have a maximum, but require students to earn a minimum number of credits, usually around 30, at their institution.

Do Transfer Credits Affect My GPA in a Criminal Justice Program?

When you transfer schools, your GPA from your previous school generally doesn't carry over; you'll start fresh. However, your GPA may be used for admissions into the new school and to determine what credits you can transfer.

What Is the Easiest Criminal Justice Program To Transfer Into?

Many schools try to make the transfer process as simple as possible for students. The easiest transfer criminal justice programs to get into will be those that don't have specific GPA or course requirements for transfer admissions.

Explore Criminal Justice Programs

Start your journey toward a criminal justice career by exploring the criminal justice programs featured on Learn.org. Reach out to individual schools to learn more about transfer admissions and enrollment.