Criminal Justice Administration MA
The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration is specifically designed for working professionals in the Criminal Justice System and related fields. The foundation of the program is a Leadership Certificate that will provide students with core knowledge and skills to be effective leaders at any organizational level. Upon completion of the Leadership Certificate, students can then choose from the remaining certificate and elective courses geared toward their professional area of expertise to complete requirements for the master’s degree.
To complete the M.A. in Criminal Justice Administration, students must complete the Criminal Justice Leadership certificate (12 credits), and 18 additional credits of electives to reach 30 credits in total. A comprehensive exam is required.
The program is offered in a fully online format.
The foundation of the program is a Criminal Justice Leadership Certificate that will provide students with core knowledge and skills to be effective leaders at any organizational level.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher learning. In addition to the standard University graduate admissions requirements, the department requires:
- Students must have a minimum of 3 years of full-time work experience in Criminal Justice or a related field, or currently serve in a verifiable leadership role/position within a criminal justice agency with no less than 2 years of CJ experience.
- A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale. Applicants may also be considered for conditional admission if they have a 2.70 to 2.99 GPA and/or commensurate work experience.
- Resume
Master's Degree (30 Credits)
Leadership Certificate Core (3 Credits)
| CJ 571 | Applied Research and Data Interpretation | 3 |
Leadership Certificate Electives (9 Credits)
| CJ 573 | Managing Criminal Justice Employees | 3 |
| CJ 575 | Developing Criminal Justice Organizations | 3 |
| CJ 574 | Effective Criminal Justice Leadership | 3 |
| CJ 580 | Criminal Justice Policy Implementation and Effectiveness | 3 |
Choose from the courses listed above
Electives (18 Credits)
Upon completion of the Leadership Certificate, students can choose from elective courses geared toward their professional area of expertise. The electives can be used to earn additional certificates, but certificate completion is optional.
Advanced Detective Certificate
| CRM 480 | Death Investigations | 3 |
| CJ 581 | Sexual Assault Investigation | 3 |
| CJ 582 | Police Involved Shootings & Crime Scene Investigations | 3 |
| CJ 583 | Interview & Interrogation | 3 |
| CJ 584 | Expectation of Privacy | 3 |
| CJ 585 | Financial Crime Investigation | 3 |
Select 12 credits from the courses listed above to earn the Advanced Detective Certificate. These courses will also count as electives for the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration.
Victim’s Advocacy Certificate
| CJ 531 | Women and Criminal Behavior | 3 |
| CJ 532 | Domestic Violence | 3 |
| CJ 537 | Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| CJ 538 | Victimization & The Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| CJ 541 | Hate Crimes: Prevention & Advocacy | 3 |
| CJ 578 | Special Topics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
Select 12 credits from the courses listed above to earn the Victim’s Advocacy Certificate. These courses will also count as electives for the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration.
Forensic Counseling Certificate
| CJ 530 | Offender Profiles | 3 |
| CJ 535 | Forensic Counseling | 3 |
| CJ 539 | Delinquency: Causation and Intervention | 3 |
| CJ 560 | Sexual Offending | 3 |
| CJ 561 | Risk Assessment | 3 |
| CJ 578 | Special Topics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
Select 12 credits from the courses listed above to earn the Forensic Counseling Certificate. These courses will also count as electives for the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration.
Total Credit Hours: 30