We Meet You Where You Are
The College of Criminal Justice
The SHSU College of Criminal Justice meets you where you are. Earn your degree at the main SHSU campus in Huntsville, TX or online. We offer over 25 degree and certificate programs in the criminal justice field including, criminal justice and criminology, forensic science, homeland security studies and victim services.
Our online course options also include Premium Distance Learning (PDL) courses. Offered in 5-week terms, PDL courses are designed to help students focus on one course in a shorter amount of time, allowing students the option to take multiple courses in the same time as a normal 15-week semester. No textbooks are required for these courses.
- Law Enforcement Officers entering a Field Training Officer program are eligible for a 12-hour internship.
- Law Enforcement Officers who have completed a Field Training Officer program are eligible for a 12-hour professional career internship (in your current job)
- Law Enforcement Officers who have completed a Texas Peace Officer academy are eligible for “after the fact” credit for these SHSU CJ courses:
- CRIJ 2361 – Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
- CRIJ 2364 – Fundamentals of Criminal Law
- CRIJ 4385 – Criminal Justice and Social Diversity
Our newest program was specifically designed for Texas Peace Officers or others in the criminal justice profession, the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science with a concentration in Criminal Justice. The program allows for block transfer of up to 33 hours of professional training by completing an Associate of Applied Arts and Science from a community college or providing a portfolio based on training hours documented on an officer’s Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Personal Status Report (PSR) or similar documentation from other criminal justice professionals. Qualifying Texas peace officers pay no tuition for courses in criminal justice, victim studies, or homeland security qualify for the Texas Peace Officer Exemption. Those interested should proceed to the Apply Now link and complete the Apply Texas Application. When asked for the college, this program is in the College of Science Engineering Technology (COSET), so select COSET instead of the College of Criminal Justice. The program you are applying for is the BAAS with a concentration in Criminal Justice. Once your application is complete, someone will reach out for the next steps.
Key highlights from our BAAS program include: ✅ 33 hours of professional training counted towards the degree ✅ Peace officer exemption ✅ Convenient five-week online courses tailored for working professionals
For questions or more information, please get in touch with cjacademics@shsu.edu, or call 936-294-1632