Degree Requirements

The M.S. in Criminal Justice program is a 36 credit program consisting of eight core courses and four electives. Students have the option of substituting a Master’s Thesis for two elective courses (6 credits). Students who choose a Concentration in Human Services are required to take four Human Services electives. Classes are available in the evenings or online.


This program is for people that want to pursue a career in criminal justice regardless of their undergraduate degree.

Master of Science in Criminal Justice (36 Credits)
DEGREE REQUIREMENTSCREDITS
Core Courses (8 at 3 credits each)24
CJ-615 - Criminology Theory3
CJ-620 - Research Methods and Data Analysis3
CJ-630 - The Supreme Court, U.S. Constitution, and Criminal Law3
CJ-640 - Prespectives on Drugs and the Criminal Justice System3
CJ-730 - Comparative Criminal Justice Systems3
CJ-740 - Leadership, Ethics, and Management in Criminal Justice3
CJ-755 - Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism3
CJ-780 - Public Policy Issues in Criminal Justice (Capstone Course)3
General Criminal Justice Elective Courses (4 at 3 credits each)12
CJ-720 - Computer Applications and Crime Mapping3
CJ-750 - Crisis Management and Disaster Preparedness3
CJ-735 - International Perspectives on the Death Penalty3
CJ-725 - Organized and Transnational Crime3
CJ-655 - Race, Class and Crime in America3
CJ-690 - Internships in Criminal Justice3
Human Services Concentration*12
Electives (4 at 3 credits each)
CJ-618 - Crime Scene Investigation3
CJ-718 - The Psychology of Criminal Behavior3
CJ-760 - Community Violence: Causes, Effects, and Solutions3
CJ-765 - Child Development, Trauma and the Criminal Justice System3
CJ-770 - Urban Poverty and the Family3
CJ-775 - Counseling Psychology and Human Services3
Optional Master's Thesis (6 credits)6
CJ-790 - Master’s Thesis6
In addition to the general requirements, all students must have completed an undergraduate course in research methods or statistics.

*Courses in Human Services can also be used as electives.
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