Criminal Justice: Graduate Program

Master of Science Degree Program in Criminal Justice

Our Master's in Criminal Justice program is designed for college graduates with a strong interest in criminal justice and the ambition to enhance their management skills.

This program helps students:

  • Learn about the history of the American criminal justice system
  • Explore the causes of crime and delinquency and the effectiveness of rehabilitation efforts
  • Examine contemporary criminal justice policies
  • Create financial statements, utilize management information systems, manage personnel, and interpret administrative law

An undergraduate major in criminal justice is not required. However, students without prior undergraduate coursework in criminology (a course in deviance or juvenile delinquency can be substituted) will be required to take such a course before enrolling in the graduate course in criminology. Successful completion of an undergraduate course in statistics or social research is also required before enrolling in the graduate research methods course.

Form to Request Discount for Full-Time Employment Verification for the MS Criminal Justice Industry Tuition

Curriculum (10 courses)

You can find descriptions of the courses listed below in the Graduate Catalog.

Required Courses: 12 Credits (4 courses)

CJ 503 Criminal Justice Administration 3 credits
CJ 507 Criminal Justice Research 3 credits
CJ 522 Criminology 3 credits
CJ 595 Thesis 3 credits 
Or CJ 597 Criminal Justice Management Project / Internship 3 credits

Elective Courses: 18 Credits (Choose 6 courses)*

CJ 505 Financial Management 3 credits
CJ 524 Sex, Drugs, & Crime 3 credits
CJ 526 Race, Ethnicity & Criminal Justice 3 credits
CJ 528 Youth Offenders 3 credits
CJ 530 Criminal Justice Policies 3 credits
CJ 533 Crime over the Life Course 3 credits
CJ 534 Comparative Criminal Justice Policy 3 credits
CJ 540 The Constitution & Criminal Justice Policy 3 credits
CJ 544 Staff Supervision in Criminal Justice 3 credits
CJ 560 Urban Crime Patterns 3 credits
CJ 573 Physical and Sexual Abuse of Children 3 credits
CJ 576 Corrections 3 credits
CJ 578 Community Corrections 3 credits
CJ 598 Special Topics in Criminal Justice 3 credits
 
*Students may also elect up to 3 graduate courses in Business, Psychology, Public Administration, and/or Social Work with the approval of their advisor.