Two bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Alaska can open diverse careers keeping law and order in the “Last Frontier.”
Positioned just 55 miles across the Bering Strait from Russia, Alaska is the United States’ largest state but home to under 750,000 people. From the Arctic Circle to the Aleutian Islands, Alaska is known for its serene wilderness, yet bear attacks aren’t the biggest danger. Violent crime has risen in the past three decades for a homicide rate of 8.0 per 100,000 Alaskans. In 2014, Alaska’s law enforcement agencies reported 25,018 crimes primarily in Anchorage, Kotzebue, Kodiak, Wasilla, and Fairbanks.
The BLS shows that Alaska employs 7,860 people in protective services occupations for a mean annual wage of $58,090. Whether you’re interested in corrections, forensics, or police science, these criminal justice degrees in Alaska could be for you.
University of Alaska Anchorage
Justice Center
Attracting over 16,500 Seawolves at an average age of 24, the University of Alaska Anchorage is a public, co-educational research institution endowed for $50.15 million upon a 387-acre urban campus along Cook Inlet. Named America’s 124th “Most Conservative College” on Niche, UAA is ranked the 73rd best Western college and 23rd top public university by the U.S. News. Unlocking a median early-career salary of $42,028, the College of Health’s Justice Center offers one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Alaska and an A.A.S. in Paralegal Studies.
Bachelor of Arts in Justice
Retaining 72 percent of freshmen, UAA’s Bachelor of Arts in Justice is a face-to-face, interdisciplinary program focused on the knowledge needed to analyze, follow, and improve legal procedures. The 120-credit curriculum maps courses from public policy analysis to juvenile delinquency before the integrative capstone and Justice Exit Exam. Majors could pursue Justice Honors, attend the Law Enforcement Career Fair, study abroad in Germany, intern with the Alaska Department of Law, and join Alpha Phi Sigma. Anchorage also partners with Willamette and the University of Washington for accelerated law school admission.
Accreditation
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Contact
Consortium Library, Room 213
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 786-1810
uaa_justice@uaa.alaska.edu
University of Alaska Fairbanks
College of Liberal Arts
Noted for alumni like Senator Bob Bartlett and former Governor Jay S. Hammond, the University of Alaska Fairbanks is a public, sea-grant RU/H institution led by Chancellor Dana Thomas that’s educating over 9,000 undergrads just 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Graded “B” for value as America’s 450th “Most Diverse College” on Niche, UAF is ranked the 133rd best public college and 169th top research university nationwide by Forbes magazine. The College of Liberal Arts is also acclaimed by the U.S. News for having the 132nd best bachelor’s and 35th best criminal justice graduate degrees online.
B.A. Degree in Justice
Currently charging $202 to $244 per credit, the B.A. Degree in Justice at UAF explores the theoretical models, structure, and administration of the legal system. Of the two bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Alaska, this 120-credit option is the most flexible with on-site, online, and hybrid courses spanning from addictive processes to correctional rehabilitation. Juniors and seniors may secure internships at placements like the Fairbanks Police Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Region, or Alaska State Troopers.
Accreditation
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Contact
Gruening Building, Room 501
P.O. Box 756425
Fairbanks, AK 99775
(907) 474-5500
lsbrown@alaska.edu
Studying criminal justice may prepare you for chasing down notorious Alaska criminals like James Dale Ritchie and Robert Hansen. According to the BLS, the protective services occupations projected to grow by 4 percent through 2024 often involve on-the-job training instead of college degrees. However, adults over age 25 with a bachelor’s earn 62 percent more on average. Consider these bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Alaska to advance into legal careers, such as court services director, probation officer, detective, warden, and FBI agent.
See also: Top 10 Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Degree Programs