Program Overview

Criminal Justice - Master of Criminal Justice (Online)

The Master of Criminal Justice (Online) program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the field of criminal justice. The program offers two degree options: Thesis and Focused Coursework.

Thesis Option (33 Credits)

The Thesis option requires students to complete a thesis project under the guidance of a faculty committee. The thesis proposal must be approved by the committee, and the final examination includes a defense of the completed thesis. The minimum coursework requirements for the Thesis option are:

• Required Courses: 15 credits
  • CJUS 511: Nature of Crime (3 credits)
  • CJUS 514: Advanced Race, Crime, and Justice (3 credits)
  • CJUS 525: Issues in Ethics, Law, and Criminal Justice (3 credits)
  • CJUS 501: Research Methods in Criminal Justice (3 credits)
  • CJUS 541: Seminar in Criminal Justice Policy Analysis and Planning (3 credits)
• Master's Thesis Credits: 6 credits
  • CJUS 599: Master's Thesis
• General Electives: 12 credits
  • Students may select 12 credits from general electives, with a minimum of 3 credits from the Department of Criminal Justice.

Focused Coursework Option (36 Credits)

The Focused Coursework option requires students to pass a written comprehensive examination following completion of the required courses. The minimum coursework requirements for the Focused Coursework option are:

• Required Courses: 15 credits
  • CJUS 511: Nature of Crime (3 credits)
  • CJUS 514: Advanced Race, Crime, and Justice (3 credits)
  • CJUS 525: Issues in Ethics, Law, and Criminal Justice (3 credits)
  • CJUS 501: Research Methods in Criminal Justice (3 credits)
  • CJUS 541: Seminar in Criminal Justice Policy Analysis and Planning (3 credits)
• Criminal Justice Electives: 12 credits
  • Students may select 12 credits from electives offered by the Department of Criminal Justice.
• General Electives/Minor: 9 credits
  • Students may select 9 credits of electives, with a minimum of 3 credits from the Department of Criminal Justice.

Minimum Grade Requirement

Students must earn a minimum B- grade in all required core courses, excluding elective credits. This applies to both options: Thesis and Focused Coursework, as well as to both programs: On-Campus (traditional) and Online.

A minor is optional and may result in more than 33 total credits for the Thesis option or more than 36 total credits for the Focused Coursework option.