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Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice focuses on developing the professional skills often necessary in leadership positions within the criminal justice field. This online master’s program addresses national and local security issues as well as effective countermeasures and subsequent changes in the U.S. criminal justice system. You will explore criminal law, juvenile and delinquent behavior, security, and terrorism in a post-9/11 world. Our criminal justice programs are among the most popular at the university, bringing you peer interactions and an expanded network of criminal justice professionals who are dedicated to safeguarding their communities and nation. This program is taught by highly credentialed and experienced instructors, many who hold key positions in government agencies or criminal justice organizations.
Degree Program Objectives
In addition to the institutional and degree level learning objectives, graduates of this program are expected to achieve these learning outcomes:
- Distinguish between the major systems of Criminal Justice and how the functions of police, prosecution, courts, and corrections interface.
- Analyze biological and psychological theories and philosophies of criminal behavior as they influence modern developments in punishment, sentencing, and corrections.
- Evaluate definitions, objectives, and issues of new or emergent criminal threats such as terrorism and how they compare and contrast with traditional criminal behavior theories.
- Assess the rule of law and changes to it as it pertains to direct and indirect influence and impact on social reactions to crime, corrections, and victims of crime.
- Critically examine landmark criminal justice cases from the Supreme Court down to local levels, and determine their cultural, social, and economic impact.
- Apply the concepts of professional and ethical behavior within the criminal justice system.
Degree at a Glance
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Core Requirements
12
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Select one of the following concentrations:
15
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Final Program Requirement
0-3
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Elective Requirements
0-3
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Total Semester Hours
30
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Degree Program Requirements
Core Requirements (12 semester hours)
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Total Semester Hours
12
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Students must choose a concentration for this degree program and may select from a General Concentration, Concentration in Business Administration, or Concentration in Emergency Management and Disaster Management.
General Concentration (15 semester hours)
A general concentration allows you to take courses across a number of areas of study within your program based on your own interests.
Objectives
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)
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Select 5 courses from the following:
15
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Total Semester Hours
15
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Concentration in Business Administration (15 semester hours)
Layers on business skills required for effective leadership and management in criminal justice organizations. Covers concepts of accounting principles, financial tools, and economic analysis for effective managerial decision making, while exploring the role of decision-making models and tools for resolving business problems.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Develop an understanding of accounting principles, financial tools and economic analysis in order to develop effective decision making skills necessary for an effective manager.
- Compare and contrast the skills to effectively utilize decision making models and tools in order to resolve complex business problems.
- Devise an understanding of the most successful methods of operating management, statistics, research, and management science.
- Synthesize the skills necessary to formulate effective leadership skills and competencies in criminal justice management.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)
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Total Semester Hours
15
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Concentration in Emergency Management and Disaster Management (15 semester hours)
Probes emergency management principles and theory, including hazard analysis, mitigation, planning, communication, response, recovery, terrorism, and the capabilities and limitations of the emergency management system. Covers effective interagency cooperation at the federal, state, and local levels.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
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Develop an understanding of emergency management principles and theory.
- Synthesize the public law, regulation, and policies that either facilitate and/or restrict emergency management.
- Devise an understanding of hazard analysis, mitigation, planning, communication, response, recovery and terrorism.
- Summarize the knowledge needed to develop interagency cooperation, what the shortfalls are within interagency efforts and what the principles are for effective inter-organizational behavior and action.
- Compare and contrast the capabilities and limitations of the emergency management system.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)
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Total Semester Hours
15
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Final Program Requirement (0-3 Semester Hours)
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Select 1 course from the following:
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Total Semester Hours
0-3
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Elective Requirements (0-3 semester hours)
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Select any graduate courses not already taken to fulfill the requirements listed above.
0-3
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Total Semester Hours
0-3
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