Criminal Justice Online Graduate Curriculum

A Nationally Recognized Master’s Program That’s 100% Online

Designed for working professionals in Criminal Justice and related fields, our fully online, 36-credit Master of Science in Criminal Justice prepares you to become a leader in your field. You will be part of a graduate education that is relevant to your career and convenient to your schedule.

We pride ourselves on providing degrees rooted in practical, hands-on education through class projects, teamwork, research, and discussions.

And completing your Master’s in Criminal Justice won’t interfere with your busy schedule. Our online courses are offered year-round, so you can finish your Criminal Justice graduate program in two years, without even setting foot on campus.

Our 36-credit Criminal Justice Online Master’s Program covers a core curriculum (12 credits) of modern theories and research methods relevant to Criminal Justice, as well as eight elective courses (24 credits). Courses are offered in short 6-7.5 week terms.

Core Curriculum

Students lacking an undergraduate background in criminal justice will also be required to take CJST 6610 – Administration of Justice, which will make their total credit count to be 36 credits.

  • CJST 6601 Mental Health, Law, and Criminal Justice
  • CJST 6605 Theories of Criminal Behavior
  • CJST 6611 Research Methods in Criminal Justice
  • CJST 6613 Quantitative Applications in Criminal Justice

CJ Areas of Focus

Choose from the following focus areas:

Crime Analysis

  • Crime Mapping and Analysis
  • Quantitative Applications in Criminal Justice
  • Problem Oriented Policing

Police Behavioral Studies

  • Police Behavioral Sciences
  • Police Behavioral Investigations
  • Mental Health and the Law

Leadership and Management

  • Criminal Justice Management
  • Leadership Issues in Policing
  • Principles of Public Administration

Electives

The transfer of credit from other institutions is permitted subject to the Graduate School policy on transfer credit detailed elsewhere in this catalog.

Students are also required to complete and pass the M.S. degree capstone of a Comprehensive Examination. This examination may be oral, written, or both, and is based on the core required curriculum as outlined above. Additional information about the comprehensive examination is available from the student’s advisor.

Our master’s degree students select eight elective courses (24 credits) from a broad range of criminal justice topics. Students choose eight of the approved elective courses listed below, and (with approval) may choose electives in other relevant areas in which they seek more expertise:

  • CJST 6612 Criminal Justice Management
  • CJST 6658 Leadership Issues in Policing
  • CJST 6656 Problem Oriented Policing
  • CJST 6600 Computer Crime: Legal Issues & Investigative Procedures
  • CJST 6604 Network Security, Data Protection And Telecommunications
  • FORS 6632 Advanced Investigation I
  • CJST 6651 Criminal Procedure
  • CJST 6617 Advanced Victimology
  • CJST 6618 Crime Victims’ Rights and Services
  • CJST 6637 Criminal Justice Policy

View our Course Catalog

Course Catalog

Michael Adames

“Being in the Criminal Justice Master’s program has broadened my knowledge and given me ideas on how to better my career.  I can use my experiences as a police officer while in class and can use my classes in the Criminal Justice Master’s program in order to better understand the people around me.”