Criminal Justice Degree Schools in Central Florida

Saint Leo University

• The Benedictine Order of the Roman Catholic Church established Saint Leo University in 1889 in the central Florida community of Saint Leo, which is 40 miles north of Tampa. The criminal justice program at the school is among the most popular courses of study with the university's more than 3,500 students, according to the "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges." The college offers a Bachelor of Arts degree program in criminal justice that features coursework in criminal law, ethics and police organization. Students have the option to major in general criminal justice or specialize in homeland security or criminalistics. All students are required to complete a comprehensive examination on the baccalaureate curriculum prior to graduation. The school encourages all criminal justice majors to complete an internship. Also offered are a Bachelor of Applied Science degree program for individuals who already have an Associate of Applied Science in criminal justice and an online criminal justice master's degree program. Approximately 93 percent of students at Saint Leo University receive some form of financial aid, explains "Barron's."

  Saint Leo University

  P.O. Box 6665

  Saint Leo, FL 33574

  800-334-5532

  saintleo.edu

Southeastern University

• Located in Lakeland, Southeastern University is a private college affiliated with the Assemblies of God Church. Home to more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students, the university grants a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. Among the courses required for the major are psychology, sociology, financial stewardship, business law, sociology of policing, juvenile criminal justice, corrections, American courts, human diversity and sociology. Students must also take six courses in religious studies. Prior to graduation, students must complete a senior seminar, which requires a research paper or project. The program also is available in an entirely online format. Around 85 percent of freshmen and 68 percent of continuing students at Southeastern benefit from financial aid, reports the "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges."

  Southeastern University

  1000 Longfellow Blvd.

  Lakeland, FL 33801

  863-667-5018

  seuniversity.edu

University of Central Florida

• Founded in 1963, the University of Central Florida is a public institution based in Orlando. The school is home to more than 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students. For undergraduates, the college offers both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in criminal justice. The primary difference between the two degree programs is that the arts program requires students to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language prior to graduation. All criminal justice majors take classes in computer science, mathematics, social sciences, research methods, the criminal justice system, corrections, police and society and persecution and adjudication. A limited number of internships are available. The college also grants Master of Science and doctorate degrees in criminal justice. Approximately 95 percent of freshmen and 79 percent of continuing students at the University of Central Florida are financial aid recipients, according to the "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges."

  University of Central Florida

  4000 Central Florida Blvd.

  Orlando, FL 32816

  407-823-3000

  ucf.edu