A bachelor's degree in criminal justice provides a basic understanding to students interested in studying criminal law. John Jay College of Criminal Justice at City University of New York has a rigorous criminal justice program. US News ranks the top criminology schools with University of Maryland at the top, then University of Albany, University of Cincinnatti, University of Missouri and Pennsylvania State University. Criminal justice prepares students with a fundamental knowledge in such areas as parole systems, enforcement and legal branches of the U.S. government.
Only colleges that offer criminal justice majors should be considered for students interested in pursuing the specialization of criminal law in law school. The content of criminal justice courses directly apply to a criminal law profession. Course topics include forensic studies, police management, corrections, criminology, criminal investigation, juvenile delinquency and the criminal justice system. This knowledge becomes a foundation for the advanced information that a student will pursue further in law school about criminal law.
To advance a criminal justice degree into a profession in criminal law, students need to gain entrance into a law school, preferably a college of law that also demonstrates a strong criminal law and procedure program. Teachers in these law programs should have experience with criminology and criminal law procedure. The American philosopher and law professor Brian Leiter suggests the top schools for criminal law and procedure to be Columbia, Harvard, University of Illinois, University of Pennsylvania and Yale University.
Criminal justice graduates, once in law school, should specialize by focusing studies on available criminal law courses, and choosing professors, when possible, who practice or have practiced criminal law. There are certification tests and standards specific to each state that lawyers must pass in order to specialize in criminal law. For example, in California, lawyers need to show that they have substantial experience in criminal proceedings, including jury trials, criminal matters such as juvenile court proceedings, hearings and appeals.