Ready to finish exploring the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois? Well, we have 10 more schools in the “Land of Lincoln” that hold regional accreditation to certify their competency in meeting curricular standards for student achievement. (See: Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Programs in Illinois (A-G) and Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Programs in Illinois (H-Q))
Criminal justice grads can work in Illinois’ public interest by impressing top 100 employers like Adjutant General, Illinois Department of Corrections, Illinois State Police, and Cook County Sheriff’s Office. Despite Chicago’s bad reputation for gun violence, Illinois is ranked America’s 26th safest state on WalletHub due to criminal justice efforts. Among the least crime-laden towns are Inverness, Gilberts, Waterloo, Western Springs, and Spring Grove. Illinois also reports projected annual job growth of 0.9 percent and a median household income of $57,574 on Forbes.
Consider getting your badge of honor for success at our final (R-Z) undergrad criminal justice colleges in Illinois.
Rasmussen College-Illinois
School of Justice Studies
Established by Walter Rasmussen in St. Paul in 1900, Rasmussen College is a popular Midwestern private, for-profit distance learning system that’s opened four Illinois campuses in Aurora, Romeoville, Rockford, and Mokena under President Trenda Boyum-Breen to support its 13,600 Moose on-site and online. Rasmussen is ranked America’s 89th best online school by OnlineDegreeReviews.org and the 13th top online pick on BestValueSchools.com. Featuring selective 77 percent admission, the School of Justice Studies confers one of the online bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois.
Accelerated Criminal Justice Leadership & Management Bachelor’s Degree
Structured with Flex Choice, Rasmussen’s Accelerated Criminal Justice Leadership & Management Bachelor’s Degree blends traditional online or on-campus Illinois courses with self-directed learning assessments for transfers to graduate in 18 months. Estimated to cost $23,140 annually full-time, the customized, 90-unit completion program emphasizes administrative skills for protective services. Adults take courses like criminal profiling and constitutional law that have an average class size of 20.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
2363 Sequoia Dr.
Aurora, IL 60506
(630) 888-3500
1400 W. Normantown Rd.
Romeoville, IL 60446
(815) 306-2600
6000 E. State St.
Rockford, IL 61108
(815) 316-4800
8650 W. Spring Lake Rd.
Mokena, IL 60448
(815) 534-3300
susan.hammerstrom@rasmussen.edu
Roosevelt University
College of Arts and Sciences
Endowed for $82.9 million, Roosevelt University is a private, nonsectarian research hub of 4,182 undergrad Lakers that’s led by President Ali Malekzadeh and noted for its Mansfield Institute for Social Justice on a 32-storey Chicago campus in the Auditorium Building. Roosevelt is ranked America’s 62nd most liberal college on Niche, 441st best value in The Economist, and 77th best online graduate school by the USNWR. Housing another of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois with 63 percent retention, the College of Arts and Sciences has placed grads at prominent schools like Leiden, Loyola, Cincinnati, DePaul, John Marshall Law, and more.
Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice (BA)
Adhering to Illinois Articulation Initiative standards, the Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice (BA) lets Roosevelt undergrads master the language of the Constitution to learn how legal decisions can better protect society while upholding individual freedoms. Currently charging annual tuition of $28,119, the 120-credit degree integrates eight-week courses in Chicago, Schaumburg, or online. Students could also intern with the Chicago Police Department, join the Criminal Justice Society, study abroad in Sydney, and receive the Founders Scholarship.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
430 South Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 281-3137
egreen09@roosevelt.edu
Saint Xavier University
College of Arts and Sciences
Affiliated with legal alums like Andrew Velasquez and Dena M. Carli, Saint Xavier University is a private, Catholic CMHE member of the Chicago Collegiate Athletic Conference that’s endowed for $10.3 million to instruct 3,949 Cougars and employ 374 full-time faculty upon its 120-acre Southwest Side campus. Given the 2013 Pride of CASE V District Award, SXU is lauded for America’s 289th safest college on Niche and Midwest’s eighth most diverse student population by the U.S. News. Also granted two Silver Trumpet Awards, the College of Arts and Sciences is headed by Dr. Greg Coutts with 80+ forward-thinking majors.
Criminal Justice Major
Generating a 20-year net ROI of $195,000 on PayScale, SXU’s Criminal Justice Major awards a Bachelor of Arts as one of the liberal arts-based bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois where undergrads learn to make sound, ethical legal judgments. The 36-credit major builds on core courses like social inequality and jurisprudence before active, face-to-face criminal law discussions. Students could also minor in Social Work, intern with the Cook County Juvenile Justice Division, take the Honors Program, and register for the Pre-Law Association.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Warde Academic Center L-315
3700 West 103rd St.
Chicago, IL 60655
(773) 298-3554
saca@sxu.edu
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
College of Liberal Arts
Renowned for its Saluki Patrol team since 1959, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is the two-site system’s flagship public, coeducational research center that’s charging an average net price of $15,595 for its 10,896 undergrads to study upon 1,133 acres surrounding Morris Library in Jackson County. SIU-Carbondale is ranked America’s 224th best public college on Forbes, 138th best Greek life school on Niche, and 175th top university by the CWUR. The College of Liberal Arts awards another of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois with 93 percent placement at agencies like Belleville Police Department and Florida Department of Corrections.
B.A. in Criminology & Criminal Justice
Chaired by Dr. Matthew Giblin, the B.A. in Criminology & Criminal Justice at Carbondale brings together PhD-level faculty from Cincinnati, Indiana, George Mason, Carleton, and others to inspire future public safety officers at a 15:1 ratio. The 42-credit major can be completed on-campus or online with upper-division courses from criminological theory to policing systems. Undergrads could also declare the Forensic Science Minor, join Alpha Phi Sigma, tour Williamson County Jail, achieve the Nine Angels Scholarship, and venture to Belize.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Faner Hall 4325
1263 Lincoln Dr.
Carbondale, IL 62901
(618) 453-6377
mgiblin@siu.edu
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
College of Arts and Sciences
Boasting over 98,000 alumni, including William L. Enyart, Gary Schroen, and Andy Manar, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville is a public, coeducational master’s institution of the Ohio Valley Conference that’s endowed for $16.4 million with a 2,660-acre Illinois-Missouri border campus near St. Louis. SIUE is ranked America’s 215th best college location on Niche, 199th top public university in Forbes, and 525th best value by MONEY. The College of Arts and Sciences presently bills $20,974 total each year during one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois.
Criminal Justice Studies (BA, BS)
Mandating a 2.5 GPA, Edwardsville’s Criminal Justice Studies (BA, BS) is chaired by Dr. Tricia Oberweis with multidisciplinary staff to teach undergrads the fundamental functions of law enforcement offices to improve responses to juvenile or adult offenders. The 120-credit, eight-semester plan injects courses from data analysis to American government before the supervised senior internship. Other opportunities include volunteering at Holy Angels Shelter, joining Criminal Justice Club, undertaking NSF-funded research, or minoring in Peace and International Studies.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
1210 John Mason Peck Hall
Campus Box 1455
Edwardsville, IL 62026
(618) 650-3292
toberwe@siue.edu
Trinity Christian College
Criminal Justice Department
Established on Navajo Hills Golf Course in 1956, Trinity Christian College is a private, nonprofit Reformed Protestant CCCU member that’s endowed for $10.9 million to award 70+ majors to 1,193 Trolls upon its 130-acre Cook County campus with an optional Chicago Semester. Trinity is ranked America’s 144th safest college on Niche and 80th top baccalaureate university in Washington Monthly. The Criminal Justice Department provides the 256th best Midwestern value at $28,200 per year for learning the biblical, political, and social bases of law.
B.S. Criminal Justice
Applying a biblically restorative perspective, Trinity’s B.S. Criminal Justice is chaired by Dr. Dennis Connelly as one of the on-campus and online bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois where the legal principles of justly ordered societies are emphasized. Requiring a minor, the 120-credit curriculum has 77 percent admission into its sequence of courses like incarceration, sociology, and multicultural counseling. Students can also take missions trips to Ecuador, intern with the FBI, earn the Jennie Huizenga Memorial Scholarship, and join the Social Justice Chapter.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
6601 West College Dr.
Palos Heights, IL 60463
(708) 293-4564
dennis.connelly@trnty.edu
University of Illinois-Chicago
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Located on 244 acres in the Taylor Street neighborhood just a 10-minute walk from Downtown, the University of Illinois-Chicago was consolidated in 1982 as the Windy City’s largest public, state-funded RU/VH research center with 29,048 Flames and 2,367 academic staff. UIC is ranked America’s eighth best standout college on Niche and 65th top university in Washington Monthly. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences delivers nearly 1,000 courses, including one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois with guaranteed graduate admission.
BA with a Major in Criminology, Law, and Justice
Unlocking a median early-career salary of $53,700 on Payscale, Chicago’s BA with a Major in Criminology, Law and Justice uses an 18:1 student-faculty ratio to study the various forces that shape policies for responding to illegal behaviors. Directed by Dr. Peter Ibarra, the 33-credit major offers Departmental Distinction with a minimum 3.5 GPA in courses like court procedure. Undergrads can also intern with the US Marshals Service, investigate in the Center for Research in Law, and join the Criminal Justice Society.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Behavioral Sciences Building 4056B
1007 West Harrison St.
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 413-2475
pibarra@uic.edu
University of Illinois-Springfield
College of Public Affairs and Administration
Led by President Timothy L. Killeen in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, the University of Illinois-Springfield is a public, land-grant liberal arts COPLAC member that’s serving 3,437 undergrad Prairie Stars from freshman to senior year on its 746 acres adjacent to the historic Thomas Strawbridge homestead. UIS is ranked America’s 34th best college for international students on College Factual and the Midwest’s 64th top university by the U.S. News. The College of Public Affairs and Administration delivers one of the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois as the 156th best CJ school nationally on Niche.
Major in Criminal Justice
Chaired by Dr. Jay Gilliam with fellow PhD-level faculty from DePaul, UIC, Valparaiso, Southern Illinois, and more, the Major in Criminal Justice costs an average annual net price of $12,308 for studying the best practices to respond to and prevent crime. The 41-credit B.A. major includes an Applied Study Term at placements like Logan Correctional Facility and Sangamon County Adult Probation. Students might also join Alpha Phi Sigma, minor in Liberty Studies, attend the ECCE Speaker Series, and volunteer in Gambia.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Public Affairs Center 384
1 University Plaza
Springfield, IL 62703
(217) 206-6301
crj@uis.edu
University of St. Francis
College of Arts & Sciences
Given a $289,000 U.S. Department of Justice Grant in September 2017, the University of St. Francis is a private, coeducational Catholic institution devoted to “Respect, Service, Integrity, Compassion” that’s enrolling 1,714 undergrad Saints upon its 22 acres in Illinois’ third-largest city on the Des Plaines River. USF is ranked America’s 20th best private master’s university for student success by Eduventures and 263rd top value in The Economist. Also declared the country’s 71st best college for criminal justice on Niche, the College of Arts & Sciences houses 22 departments with 95 percent job placement.
Criminal & Social Justice Major (B.A.)
Priced at $29,950 per year, the USF Criminal & Social Justice Major (B.A.) stands out among bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois for applying holistic Franciscan values to effectively and ethically keep peace in diverse communities. Organized by Dr. David Veenstra, the 51-credit major reserves nine credits for concentrations in Forensics, Social Work, Psychology, Politics and Law, Law Enforcement Leadership, or Languages and Cultural Diversity. Undergrads also complete a senior capstone practicum, join Mock Trial, and engage with the Criminal Justice & Pre-Law Society.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
500 Wilcox St.
Joliet, IL 60435
(815) 740-3603
dveenstra@stfrancis.edu
Western Illinois University
College of Education and Human Services
Noted for producing government officials like Norine Hammond, Vincent R. Stewart, and Darwin Gale Schisler, Western Illinois University is a public, coeducational teaching school with a $41.4 million endowment to instruct 7,827 undergrad Leathernecks on its 64-building Macomb campus. WIU is ranked America’s 214th top public college by Forbes and 483rd best university overall in Times Higher Education. The College of Education and Human Services maintains a 15:1 student-faculty ratio in the 23rd best criminal justice department nationally according to Niche.
Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration
Available in Macomb or Moline, WIU’s Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration finishes up the bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois for undergrads to develop the legal expertise and skills for public safety leadership. Chaired by Jill Myers, JD, the 45-credit major covers courses like homeland security with one 15-week agency internship. Students could also pledge Alpha Phi Sigma, join Investigators Club, take the Integrated BS/MA track, attend the LEJA Career Fair, and travel to Costa Rica.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Horrabin Hall 91
1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455
(309) 298-1438
leja@wiu.edu
The Illinois Labor Education Program found that 51.8 percent of the Prairie State’s state and local government employees had bachelor’s degrees. Although college isn’t requisite for certain jobs like corrections officer, police officer, loss prevention specialist, border patrol agent, or nonprofit organization advocate, a baccalaureate can boost your marketability. Criminal justice degrees offer unlimited career advancement, open doors to the LSAT for law school, and sharpen multidisciplinary skills for future career changes. Niche estimates that 64,554 U.S. students major in criminal justice yearly, so join the pack at these bachelor’s in criminal justice degree programs in Illinois.
