Posted on March 27th, 2025 in Blog, Social Sciences

Criminal Justice: BA vs. BS Degree Comparison

A criminal justice degree can be a key step toward a career in law enforcement, corrections, legal studies, or public service. An educational foundation in criminal justice opens the door to a range of rewarding roles in which graduates can improve their communities through their work.

One major decision that students face is whether to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice. While both degrees provide a solid foundation in criminal justice principles, they differ in focus and coursework.

A BA versus BS in Criminal Justice comparison of similarities, differences, and career outcomes can help you determine which best aligns with your long-term goals.

Criminal Justice Degree Definitions

Criminal justice professionals maintain social order, investigate crimes, enforce laws, and ensure justice for individuals and communities. Criminal justice students study three main components of criminal justice:

Law enforcement: This system is responsible for maintaining order, preventing crime, and apprehending offenders.
Courts and legal system: This system includes the judicial process that determines guilt or innocence and ensures fair trials.
Corrections and rehabilitation: This system includes prisons, correctional facilities, and rehabilitation programs that manage offenders and help them reintegrate into society.

Both BA and BS in Criminal Justice programs cover these three core components, although they differ in their approach and focus. Generally, Bachelor of Arts programs focus more on the humanities and social science areas of a field, while Bachelor of Science programs tend to focus on the more technical and scientific aspects of a field.

What Is a BA in Criminal Justice?

A BA in Criminal Justice program incorporates criminal justice theories, general education, and electives. This degree is ideal for students who want a broad education with a diverse curriculum, including the following:

General education coursework: BA students must satisfy general education requirements in areas such as math, history, communications, science, civics, and arts and humanities.
Criminal justice coursework: BA students must complete a specified number of credit hours in criminology, constitutional law, criminal law, sociology, psychology, and other relevant topics to criminal justice.
Electives: BA students round out their education with foreign language credits, concentration courses, and other electives.

Graduates of BA in Criminal Justice programs may pursue careers in fields such as public administration, social work, corrections, and community-based roles.

What Is a BS in Criminal Justice?

A BS in Criminal Justice program may be more specialized than the BA program, allowing students to focus on specific or technical aspects of criminal justice such as pre-law or law enforcement.

The online BS in Criminal Justice program offered by Warner Pacific University is a degree completion program designed for individuals with some existing college credits. Program requirements include the following:

Core coursework: BS students must satisfy core coursework requirements in areas such as humanities, information literacy and research, and religious studies.
Major coursework: BS in Criminal Justice students must complete the major coursework curriculum, which includes classes in subjects such as criminology, the American legal system, professional ethics, race and ethnic relations, social problems and public policy, urban sociology, conflict resolution, data analysis for criminal justice, and restorative justice.

Graduates of a BS in Criminal Justice may go into roles in law enforcement, corrections, legal services, and forensic science.

BA vs. BS in Criminal Justice: Key Similarities

Although BA and BS in Criminal Justice programs represent different educational approaches, they share several key similarities:

Both programs provide a strong understanding of criminal law, corrections, policing, and legal procedures.
Both programs can allow graduates to pursue roles in law enforcement, security, legal studies, social work, and corrections.
Both programs may offer internships with police departments, law firms, or correctional facilities to provide real-world experience.
Both programs prepare students for graduate programs in criminal justice, criminology, public administration, or law.

BA vs. BS in Criminal Justice: Key Differences

While both BA and BS in Criminal Justice programs cover core criminal justice topics, they have significant differences:

A BA program features a broad curriculum using an interdisciplinary approach. BS programs focus more on the scientific and analytical aspects of criminal justice.
A BA program develops a broad skill set in writing, research, critical thinking, and basic analysis. A BS program focuses more on technical skills, including problem-solving, forensic science, and advanced analysis.
While career outcomes often overlap, the broad range of coursework in BA programs can prepare graduates for roles such as probation officer, victim advocate, and social worker. BS programs can qualify graduates for more technical or specialized roles, such as police officer, paralegal, corrections officer, forensic scientist, or criminal investigator.

Choose the Criminal Justice Degree That Aligns With Your Career Goals

A criminal justice degree is a direct path to a rewarding career in which you can make a difference. However, it’s important to weigh the benefits of a BA versus a BS in Criminal Justice when deciding which path aligns with your personal interests and long-term career goals, as well as evaluate programs that suit your schedule and learning style.

The online BS in Criminal Justice program at Warner Pacific University Online is fully remote, an ideal format for working adults who are ready to pursue a career in the legal system, policing, public service, or corrections.

WPU also offers an on-campus dual degree in social work and criminal justice, allowing you to broaden your knowledge in topics such as principles of social work, social problems and public policy, and lifespan human development.

Learn more about WPU’s programs, so you can choose the path that best supports your career goals in criminal justice.

Sources:
Britannica, “Criminology”
Bureau of Justice Statistics, Forensic Sciences
Indeed, 11 Jobs You Can Get With a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice
Indeed, “10 Criminal Justice Majors and Jobs You Can Pursue”
Indeed, The Differences Between a BA and a BS in Criminal Justice
Indeed, 28 Jobs You Can Get With a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work