Criminal Justice (BS)
Law Enforcement Leadership Emphasis, Competency-Based
Advance your career while continuing to serve and protect with this FULLY ONLINE competency-based program.
- Offered 100% Online in our Competency-Based Online format.
- Two Years (average)
- 120 credit hours
- No foreign language credits required
Protect Your Community, Lead with Confidence
Law enforcement needs strong leaders. Are you ready to answer the call? Earn your Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice while continuing to prevent crime, protect others and promote peace. Designed for working professionals, our competency-based program lets you study at your own pace. Our fully online curriculum is divided into seven-week terms so you can focus on what matters. The courses are self-paced, enabling you to set your own schedule and study when you are able. Whether you’re a police officer or a member of the military, we're putting you first. Discover how you can lead others toward success through our criminal justice program.
What is Competency-Based Education
At East Texas A&M University, Competency-Based Education (CBE) puts you in control of your learning. Instead of logging hours in a classroom, you’ll move forward by showing what you know and can do. With personalized guidance from your instructor and advisor, you set the pace—learning when and how it fits your schedule. And because CBE is fully online and built for flexibility, it’s designed to fit around your busy life, helping you earn your degree on your terms.
You’re closer to a degree than you think.
Earn credit for what you already know through our competency-based program. Designed specifically for first responders with professional experience, this program allows you to receive course credit based on your work experience and military training. Our fully online curriculum is divided into seven-week terms so you can focus on what matters.
TCOLE or Law Enforcement Training
Earn up to 30 hours of course credit based on your TCOLE or other law enforcement training.
Military Training
Find out how you can receive a Joint Service Transcript for your military experience.
What You Will Learn
You’ll take a closer look at the legal aspects of law enforcement, criminal analysis and police practices. Investigate the ethical dilemmas surrounding first responders today and how that affects law enforcement decisions. You’ll also learn practical organizational and leadership skills to promote a healthy and productive work environment.
Courses to Prepare You for Your Career
- Core courses include Criminal Investigation, Police and Law Enforcement, and Correctional Systems.
- Support courses include Evidence-Based Policing, Homeland Security and Critical Thinking.
Taking Courses
You begin each term by registering for up to two courses. When you complete all of your current courses before the end of a term, you have the opportunity to take and complete another course by the end of the term. You can accelerate an unlimited number of times in a given term. Using this method, you can shorten the time needed to complete a degree. You are not allowed to add courses during the final week of the term.
Did you miss the registration window? Don’t worry! You have two available registration opportunities each semester!
For specific dates, email our advising office at [email protected]
*A total of 36 semester credit hours must be upper-level courses.
Careers
Advance your career with a degree in criminal justice. Our program prepares you for a wide range of professions at the city, county, state or federal government levels.
Career Possibilities and Current Median Salaries
US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2022
Terms
All competency-based programs are offered in two seven-week terms per traditional semester, with a break between each term.
2025
2026
Program Costs
Earning a degree is more affordable than ever. Our competency-based programs offer quality education at an affordable price. These rates include all required course materials.
| Residency Status | Tuition Per Term |
|---|---|
In-State (Texas resident) | $1,000 |
Bordering County This includes bordering counties in Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico and Arkansas | $1,000 |
Neighboring state This includes interior counties in Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico and Arkansas) | in-state + $30/hour |
Out of state (e.g., Florida) | $2,000 |
Employee Scholarship | $300 |
- Tuition exemption limited to state residents
- Students can only receive ONE exemption (example: you cannot stack senior citizen and active-duty law enforcement exemptions.)
Admission
Your academic advisor is here to guide you through every step of the admissions process.
We’re Here to Help
Admission Requirements
To be accepted into this program, you must complete the lower-level Criminal Justice core coursework (30 hours).
If you have not yet completed the required criminal justice courses, you can fulfill them through one of these programs.
- East Texas A&M’s traditional 16-week format Criminal Justice (BACJ/BSCJ)
- Law Enforcement Training (TCOLE, CLEET, POST, Border Patrol)
- Community College criminal justice coursework
Steps to Apply
College is the next big step in your academic journey! Let’s connect! Complete a request for information to receive important updates!
Consider the field of study and degree program you want to pursue at East Texas A&M. Take some time to review our competency-based degree programs and learn more about how competency-based education works!
Our onboarding specialists are eager to help you learn about East Texas A&M and guide your academic journey! Once you have filled out a request for information, an onboarding specialist will contact you.
East Texas A&M is committed to making the transfer process as smooth as possible.
To meet automatic admission requirements as a transfer student, you must have:
- At least 12 transferable hours, excluding developmental coursework.
- A 2.0 or higher grade point average (GPA) on all transferable coursework.
Applicants who do not meet the standards for full admission may be considered through the multi-tiered admission review process.
Automatic admission to East Texas A&M is based on the Foundation High School Program with at least one endorsement. You are strongly recommended to complete one or more available endorsement(s) that include Algebra II or its equivalent and one science course from biology, chemistry or physics. Students applying for top 10% automatic admission must complete the foundation curriculum with a distinguished level of achievement.
Standards for full admission to East Texas A&M are based on the required high school curriculum (Foundation Plan). Entering freshmen must have successfully completed the following courses in high school:
- English Language Arts (4 credits)
- Mathematics (3 credits)
- Science (3 credits)
- Social Studies (3 credits)
- Language other than English (2 credits)
Any one of the following:
- Rank in the top 30% of graduating class or
- If submitting scores, use the East Texas A&M codes 4088 (ACT) and 6188 (SAT) from encoura.org or collegeboard.org.
Study and take as many competency-based courses as you like for just $1000 per term. Because these programs are fully online, you can plan your study schedule around the rest of your day to complete the coursework.
- Nursing (RN-to-BSN) applicants: use the undergraduate application.
- Alternative Teacher Certification applicants: use the graduate ApplyTexas application.
You may also apply for any of our programs through ApplyTexas.
Send your school transcript via our secure document upload or request that your official high school transcript and transcripts for any college credit you have completed be sent to [email protected].
If your institution is unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: College of Innovation and Design
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011We will need official/original documents.
ACT or SAT scores are optional for admission. If submitting scores, use the East Texas A&M codes 4088 (ACT) and 6188 (SAT) from encoura.org or collegeboard.org.
Your myLEO username is your CWID and your default password is your date of birth beginning with the three-letter abbreviated month (MonDDYYYY). You may refer to our guide for first-time login instructions.
- Username: CWID
- Password: Date of Birth (MonDDYYYY)
- Within myLeo, check out the APPS tab for LeoMail, LeoPay and D2L Brightspace, where you will access your online classes, and more.
- Check out the Student Resources tab for student information, including Undergrad DegreeWorks, your interactive degree audit, class schedules, financial aid status and awards, and more.
When you sign in to myLEO, the Financial Agreement will pop up. You’ll need to read over the agreement, select the checkbox and select “Continue.”
If you missed it or accidentally closed the window, you can get the agreement to pop up again by following these steps.
- Sign in to myLEO.
- Go to the Student Resources Tab.
- Scroll to Student Information,
- Click on Registration Menu. If you have not already completed the Financial Responsibility, it will appear here.
If you are not a self-pay student, you may qualify for financial aid to help pay for your classes.
Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.
You do not have to complete the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) if you have met one of the following:
- Met minimum college readiness standard on the SAT or ACT
- Obtained the minimum required score(s) on the statewide high school STAAR EOCs Algebra II and English III exams (these are optional for high schools)
- Met a veteran or active military waiver (must meet specific requirements for each category)
- Received exemption based on earning a prior degree
- Received a transfer exemption (declaration by another institution)
- Completed prior college-level coursework
Students are responsible for providing proof of exemption and will be considered assessment required until documentation is provided of state exemption. For more information, please contact the Testing Center at [email protected].
To access your Undergrad DegreeWorks online degree plan:
- Log into myLEO.
- Select the Student Resources tab from the home screen.
- Scroll to Student Information
- Select Undergrad DegreeWorks.
finding my community
Jimmy Womack
Amanda Willows
Brandan Hopkins
Larry Wilkey
Contact Us
- College of Innovation and Design
- 903.886.5878
- [email protected]
- P.O. Box 3011
- Commerce, TX 75429-3011