Find your perfect justice services programs abroad
Find justice services programs you love that match your needs and aspirations, where you stand a high chance of acceptance.
Justice Services degrees abroad
A degree in criminal justice is designed to give you an understanding of crime and the criminal justice system. Most programs have a multi-discipline approach covering subjects like criminology, sociology, psychology, social policy and law.
New technologies and changing societal issues have meant that crime has evolved. As a criminal justice student, you’ll study the causes of crime, criminal behavior and how to combat crime. This knowledge will set you up for a career safeguarding the public, supporting victims, protecting the vulnerable, and helping to rehabilitate offenders.
Studying criminal justice abroad means you’ll get to see how different societies and systems approach crime. You can study criminal justice in a number of countries around the world, including the UK, US, Canada and Australia.
Justice Services program structure
You can study criminal justice at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. As an undergraduate you can study a BSc or BA over three of four years, depending on the program and university. The two programs are usually very similar, but the BA may focus more on social subjects and the BSc could include more science-based modules.
Many universities offer criminal justice degree programs that are combined with another subject, like criminology, law or policing. In the US, you will usually study criminal justice as a major subject alongside other minor concentrations and general studies.
As a graduate, you can study a master’s degree in criminal justice over one or two years, and after this you can choose to study for a doctorate in the form of a PhD or MPhil. Postgraduate programs are often offered in specialist areas of criminal justice and usually focus on research.
Teaching on a criminal justice program will usually be made up of lectures, seminars and workshops, but will also include field trips and the chance to spend time in placements. Most programs will be made up of core modules you have to take, and several electives you can choose to tailor your degree. Some of the most common modules include:
- Crime and society
- Criminology and social policy
- Ethics and diversity in the justice system
- The legal system
- Police powers and the law
- Contemporary debates in criminology
- Youth justice
- Research skills and project

Types of justice services degrees
Best countries to study justice services
Best universities to study justice services
Justice Services study abroad programs
What are the top justice services undergraduate programs abroad?
Arizona State University (in partnership with Kaplan International)Social Justice and Human Rights (West Valley Campus) - BA
- 4 years
- Full-time
- On campus
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Subject area
- Justice Services, Human Rights
- Location
- Phoenix, USA
- Next available start date
- January 2026 +1 more
- Annual tuition fee
- 35,430USD
- Admission requirements
- Am I eligible?
California State University, East BayHistory: Social Justice and Citizenships - BA
- 4 years
- Full-time
- On campus
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Subject area
- History, Justice Services
- Location
- San Francisco, USA
- Next available start date
- January 2026 +1 more
- Annual tuition fee
- 18,605USD
- Admission requirements
- Am I eligible?
California State University, Monterey BaySocial Justice to Ethnic & Gender Studies - BA
- 4 years
- Full-time
- On campus
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Subject area
- Justice Services, Critical Ethnic Studies, Gender Studies
- Location
- Seaside, USA
- Next available start date
- August 2025 +2 more
- Annual tuition fee
- 20,379USD
- Admission requirements
- Am I eligible?
Centennial CollegeCommunity and Justice Services - OCDip
- 2 years
- Full-time
- On campus
- Program type
- Undergraduate diploma
- Subject area
- Justice Services, Community Studies
- Location
- Toronto, Canada
- Next available start date
- September 2025 +1 more
- Annual tuition fee
- 18,315CAD
- Admission requirements
- Am I eligible?
College of the CanyonsSocial Justice (for Transfer) - AA-T
- 2 years
- Full-time
- On campus
- Program type
- Associate
- Subject area
- Justice Services
- Location
- Santa Clarita, USA
- Next available start date
- August 2025 +3 more
- Annual tuition fee
- 10,962USD
- Admission requirements
- Am I eligible?
See all undergraduate degrees in justice services abroad
What are the top justice services postgraduate programs abroad?
- Program type
- Master's
- Subject area
- Justice Services, Indigenous Rights, Native-American Studies
- Location
- Phoenix, USA
- Next available start date
- August 2025 +2 more
- Annual tuition fee
- 38,526USD
- Admission requirements
- Am I eligible?
Lakehead UniversitySocial Justice Studies - MA
- 2 years
- Full-time
- On campus
- Program type
- Master's
- Subject area
- Justice Services
- Location
- Thunder Bay, Canada
- Next available start date
- January 2026 +1 more
- Annual tuition fee
- 23,000CAD
- Admission requirements
- Am I eligible?
Mount Saint Vincent UniversityEducational Foundations: Value, Bias and Social Justice - MA/MEd
- 2 years
- Full-time
- On campus
- Program type
- Master's
- Subject area
- Justice Services, Education
- Location
- Halifax, Canada
- Next available start date
- January 2026
- Annual tuition fee
- 14,343CAD
- Admission requirements
- Am I eligible?
University of Colorado DenverSocial Science: Social Justice - MSocSc
- 2 years
- Full-time
- On campus
- Program type
- Master's
- Subject area
- Justice Services, Social Science
- Location
- Denver, USA
- Next available start date
- August 2025 +2 more
- Annual tuition fee
- 19,109USD
- Admission requirements
- Am I eligible?
University of NicosiaLaw: Human Rights and Social Justice - LLM
- 18 months
- Full-time
- On campus
- Program type
- Master's
- Subject area
- Justice Services, Law, Human Rights
- Location
- Nicosia, Cyprus
- Next available start date
- September 2025 +2 more
- Annual tuition fee
- 13,860EUR
- Admission requirements
- Am I eligible?
See all postgraduate degrees in justice services abroad
Future justice services careers
After graduation, you will have the skills necessary to pursue a career in the criminal justice sector. Graduates often find work in probation, prisons, policing or social work - here are some of the most common roles criminal justice students go into:
- Community support officer
- Probation officer
- Prison officer
- Social worker
- Support worker
- Police officer
For some roles, including becoming a police officer, you may need to do additional qualifications or testing before you can apply. If you know what career you want, make sure you choose a program that will give you the skills and qualifications you’ll need.
