Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice

Our online Master of Science in Criminal Justice program approaches the study of crime and criminal justice from an interdisciplinary perspective, drawing insights from sociology, criminology, psychology, and law.

Our MS in Criminal Justice program prepares students to be leaders in the criminal justice field through experience-based learning, best practice approaches, and field collaborations. The program is designed for criminal justice professionals seeking to advance their careers to the next level. This MS in Criminal Justice program delivers a comprehensive understanding of how conceptual and theoretical frameworks apply to real-world situations in a wide range of criminal justice career paths.

What is Criminal Justice?

The University of Cincinnati’s online criminal justice master’s program is designed to achieve several core objectives:

• Provide students with the conceptual and research skills needed to undertake advanced analyses of crime and the criminal justice system
• Furnish law enforcement, corrections, and court practitioners with knowledge of justice administration, social science perspectives of human behavior, policy analysis, and criminal justice theory
• Train those who will become leaders in the criminal justice system by providing the skills needed to upgrade levels of professional practice, improve standards, initiate fresh perspectives, and act as agents of change
• Prepare social scientists to pursue careers in university and research settings
• Equip graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue advanced leadership roles in a range of law enforcement and criminal justice disciplines

Program Highlights

• Graduate in as few as two years of dedicated part-time study or one year of full-time study
• Eleven total courses (33 semester hours) taught 100% online
• Six enrollment periods each year: 2 fall, 2 spring, 2 summer
• Curriculum combines cutting-edge theory with real-world application

Concentrations

UC’s online Master’s in Criminal Justice degree program offers three distinct concentrations so you can pursue a general track or focus your degree in an area of criminal justice that is most relevant to you. Our innovative courses are constantly updated to teach students the immediately relevant information that is most important today.

• Analysis of Criminal Behavior
• Law Enforcement & Crime Prevention
• Corrections and Offender Rehabilitation

The comprehensive 11-course curriculum is designed to help you understand the conceptual and theoretical frameworks that inform the study of crime and criminal justice, assess problems through a rigorous research approach, and conduct high-level policy analysis. The program will also help you to stay ahead of current trends in the areas of corrections, policing, and criminology. Many graduates of our online Master’s in Criminal Justice degree program pursue careers in research and university settings or assume leadership roles in the criminal justice system.

Curriculum at a Glance

• Seminar in Criminal Justice
• Seminar in Criminology
• Demonstration Project 1
• Basic Research Methods in Criminal Justice
• Applied Statistics in Criminal Justice
• Correctional Theory and Policy
• Seminar in Correctional Rehabilitation
• Seminar in Community Corrections
• Seminar on Police Effectiveness
• Advanced Crime Analysis
• Theory and Practice of Crime Prevention
• Theory and Practice of Law Enforcement
• Applied Crime Prevention
• Introduction to Crime Mapping
• Computer Criminology: Cybercrime and Digital Security
• Terrorism and Homeland Security
• Seminar on White-Collar Crime
• Biosocial Factors in Serial Offending
• Seminar in Juvenile Justice

• Our online Master’s in Criminal Justice program is ranked 9th best in the country for 2023 and the School of Criminal Justice is consistently ranked among the top 15 Best Criminal Justice Schools by U.S. News & World Report.
• This online MS in Criminal Justice program also ranks as the 8th best for veterans by the same publisher.

Are you someone who values community, laws, and serving others? If so, a master’s degree in criminal justice may be the right fit for you.

From police executive to FBI special agent to a criminal justice policy analyst or professor, earning your Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree opens the door to a wide variety of different job opportunities stretching across a multitude of fields. The best part about completing our online Master’s in Criminal Justice program is having the ability to uphold your values by serving others throughout your career.

Careers

Past graduates have found our online criminal justice master’s program to be extremely valuable in obtaining a wide range of employment within the criminal justice system. Some of our alumni are currently employed in such positions and agencies as:

• State Police Lieutenant
• City Police Officer
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Homeland Security Officer
• Chief of Police
• Probation Officer
• U.S. Marshal
• Customs and Board Protection (CBP)
• Secret Service
• Research Analyst for a Federal Agency
• Drug Enforcement Agent (DEA)
• Adjunct Professor
• Specialized Instructor
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Department of Justice (DOJ)
• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Private Investigator

Criminal Justice Salaries

Because of the significant challenges inherent in many law enforcement careers, as well as the vital importance of this field to the fabric of our society, many criminal justice and law enforcement disciplines tend to be well-compensated in terms of salary and benefits; with some employers offering pay increases to those who earn an advanced degree. In addition, a master’s degree in criminal justice also gives you a competitive edge when applying for a wide variety of senior staff and leadership roles.