Overview

Graduate Program (M.S. Degree)

A Master’s degree is a mark of distinction and can help job applicants stand out from the rest of the crowd. In some places of employment, an advanced degree is required for promotion, and/or may count toward years of work experience. A Master’s degree can also be used as a stepping stone toward a Ph.D.

The M.S. degree in Criminal Justice is a social science degree. As such, students are trained in the areas of criminological theory, criminal justice policy, law and social control, research methodology and data analysis. The goal of the program is to produce graduates who can think broadly and critically about issues related to crime and the criminal justice system, and to be informed consumers as well as producers of scientific research. These skills can serve students well in many areas of the criminal justice workforce, and/or in their future endeavors in Ph.D. programs. (Note that our program does not provide local, state or federal law enforcement training, nor does it provide training in crime scene investigation.)