Criminal Justice
MS
Why study Criminal Justice?
Why pursue a Master of Science in Criminal Justice online?
The online Master’s program in Criminal Justice involves a comprehensive 10 course curriculum. This curriculum is designed for Criminal Justice professionals seeking to advance their career to the next level. This program was created for graduate students to aid them in identifying current trends in corrections, policing, criminology, and law enforcement administration.
The University of Cincinnati’s online Master’s in Criminal Justice program is ranked 13th best in the country, and our School of Criminal Justice is consistently ranked among the top 15 Best Criminal Justice Schools by U.S. News & World Report.
Our program offers four distinct concentrations so that you can focus your master's degree in an area of criminal justice that is most relevant to you:
Administration and Leadership
The Administration and Leadership concentration is specifically designed to support individuals who serve in leadership roles or wish to be elevated to those roles. The program offers a series of courses related to data driven criminal justice policy, effective organizational management, and offers elective options related to leadership and grant writing, among others.
Analysis of Criminal Behavior
The Analysis of Criminal Behavior concentration focuses on the various types of criminal offenders and methods of criminal offending. Designed for students who want to deepen their understanding of the bio-social factors that differentiate serious criminal offenders from other people, this concentration also provides students with an in-depth grasp of specialized forms of criminal behavior.
Corrections and Offender Rehabilitation
The Corrections and Offender Rehabilitation concentration is ideal for individuals looking to start or enhance their career in corrections and make a positive change in the lives of convicted men and women, and adjudicated juveniles. The program offers a series of courses that focus primarily on rehabilitating and treating criminal offenders; the comprehensive curriculum covers the theoretical and philosophical frameworks of corrections, as well as the theory and practice of community corrections and latest developments in offender rehabilitation. The material within this concentration also addresses the pressing matter of dealing with special populations such as youths, the addicted, and the mentally ill.
Law Enforcement & Crime Prevention
The Law Enforcement & Crime Prevention concentration is specifically designed to supply individuals with a strengthened knowledge of the intricacies and fundamentals of law enforcement and crime prevention. The curriculum provides students access to a diverse set of core courses dealing with basic theories and practices, while additional elective courses give students the opportunity to focus on other topics of interest, such as applied crime prevention and police effectiveness.
Admission Requirements
Admission into the University of Cincinnati’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice online program is selective and based on meeting the requirements outlined below. A background in criminal justice is not required for this program.
- Bachelor’s Degree (in any field of study) from an accredited university
- An overall 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) or higher from all previous undergraduate coursework. An overall 2.75 GPA will be considered for acceptance with at least one of the following:
- Five years of criminal justice work experience (does not include social
work) - Nine hours of graduate coursework with a 3.0 GPA or higher from an accredited college or university
- A minimum combined score of 300 on the verbal and quantitative parts of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), taken within five years of your application.
- Five years of criminal justice work experience (does not include social
- At least two professional or academic letters of recommendation from individuals you have known for a minimum of one year
Master’s degree students in criminal justice will leave the program with a broad understanding of crime as well as the different parts of the justice system. Students should become adept at understanding research-based knowledge and how it might apply to real-world situations. Although students follow a variety of career paths. The skills learned in the program will help students in information processing and problem solving regardless of the path that they use.
Graduates of this program will be prepared for the careers listed below. All opportunities may not be listed.
The information provided is sourced from a third party, Lightcast. Their product, called Career Coach, combines extensive labor market data from Lightcast and the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics. It provides insights on industry, occupation, compensation, and projected growth for each profession. Economic and workforce information is available for various geographic regions. Some careers may require additional training or education.For all advising questions, please contact Luahna Winningham Carter.
- Ten total courses (30 semester hours): Graduate in as few as two years of dedicated part-time study or one year of full-time study
- Take only one course at a time in the part-time program (two courses in the full-time program)
- Access courses and assignments any time, 24 hours a day, from any computer in the world
- Curriculum that combines cutting-edge theory with real-world application
- Three enrollment periods each year: fall, spring, and summer
- Receive the same degree on-campus students receive
- All courses taught by full-time University of Cincinnati faculty from the School of Criminal Justice
Explore unique opportunities, faculty, and resources available in Criminal Justice
Application Deadlines
Applications are accepted continuously throughout the year, with three deadlines depending on the term in which you wish to begin enrollment:
- Fall Semester - August 1
- Spring Semester - December 6
- Summer Semester - April 28
Contact Information
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Program Code: 18MAS-CJ-MS-.CJ-DL