Valdosta State University is home to one of the best criminal justice programs in the nation, according to OnlineU.
 
To determine its rankings, OnlineU analyzed data from United States-based institutions of higher education offering at least one law or criminal justice degree online. The top 25 colleges and universities — chosen for their commitment to providing high quality, rigorous academics at an affordable tuition rate — made the final cut.
 
VSU came in at No. 13 on the 2016 Best Value Online Colleges for Criminal Justice Degrees list and No. 16 on the 2016 Best Value Online Colleges for Law and Criminal Justice Degrees list.
 
“Achieving a national ranking of this nature underscores VSU's foresight in awarding a Strategic Focus Grant, which was submitted by the criminal justice faculty. Funding was provided to develop and to begin offering the online major in criminal justice in 2012,” shared Dr. Darrell Ross, head of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice. “Moreover, the recognition highlights the commitment of VSU by offering affordable online education, the value of offering rigorous online education in criminal justice, and the dedication of the criminal justice program faculty in delivering high quality online course work. These factors have combined to grow the program by over 75 percent within four years. We are extremely pleased that the criminal justice program has achieved this recognition and delighted that VSU has been recognized for continuing to provide affordable online education in criminal justice.”
 
The Criminal Justice Program at Valdosta State University is dedicated to helping students develop an understanding and appreciation of the structure and function of the criminal justice system as it applies to adults and juveniles; federal, state, and local criminal laws and procedures; and the relationship of these to the Constitution of the United States. Undergraduate students are able to study both the theoretical and practical aspects of the criminal justice system, crime control, and the administration of justice while pursing either a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts. Graduate students are provided innovative opportunities to learn and conduct original research in a criminal justice setting, as well as in the community, while pursuing a Master of Science. Upon graduation, both undergraduate and graduate students are prepared for the workforce as a criminal justice practitioner.