Master of Science in Criminal Justice (Online)

Program Overview

Master of Science in Criminal Justice (Online)

About the Master of Criminal Justice Degree

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice at Fisher College is designed to prepare professionals for career advancement and for positions in specialized units. Our program also prepares students for doctoral programs by enhancing their academic research and professional knowledge. The Masters of Science in Criminal Justice helps students develop the necessary problem-solving skills to address contemporary and evolving problems with innovative, ethical, and evidence-based solutions.

This program is completed entirely online. This is a 30-credit program, so it can be completed in as few as 10 months. A unique quality of this program is that students do not need to have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or work experience in criminal justice to gain admission or succeed in the program. Therefore, this program is for criminal justice professionals and aspiring criminal justice professionals alike.

Why Choose Fisher?

Fisher College’s online Master of Science in Criminal Justice program is designed for both current professionals and those new to the field, offering a flexible and accelerated path to career advancement. The 30-credit curriculum can be completed in as little as 10 months and focuses on developing ethical, evidence-based problem-solving skills to address modern criminal justice challenges. Notably, applicants do not need a background in criminal justice to enroll, making the program accessible to a diverse range of students.

Program Requirements

Learning Outcomes

After completing the Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ), students will be able to demonstrate:

• Comprehension of criminological theory, its relationship to criminal justice practices, and its ties to social, political, and economic factors
• Proficiency in research design, both quantitative and qualitative, as well as, the ability to use research design to evaluate criminal justice policies and programs
• Comprehension of ethical theories and their application to criminal justice practices, policies, programs and research, as well as, the ability to evaluate and resolve ethical issues in the field of criminal justice.
• The ability to synthesize scholarly sources to evaluate criminal justice programs and policies, recognize policy and program implications, and guide policy and program decisions.
• An understanding of leadership theories and their role in managing and leading criminal justice agencies.
• Critical thinking and problem solving skills to address contemporary problems in criminal justice using innovative, ethical, and evidence based solutions.

Program Courses

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice program consists of 10 3-credit courses for a total of 30 credits.

• CJ501 Criminal Justice Administration
• CJ510 Ethics in Criminal Justice
• CJ516 Research Methods
• CJ517 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
• CJ520 Criminological Theory
• CJ602 Correlates of Crime
• CJ603 Criminal Profiling
• CJ610 Violence in America
• CJ620 Criminal Justice Management
• CJ625 Law and Social Control

Program Snapshot

• Credits: 30
• Term Length: 8 weeks
• Learning Format: Online
• Typical Time to Completion*: 5 terms; 10 months

Additional Information

• Academic Calendar
• Tuition and Fees
• Financial Aid
• Faculty

The Detective Mario Oliveira Scholarship

This scholarship has been created to honor his legacy and encourage the same valiant spirit to those serving in the field and pursuing graduate level education in Criminal Justice.

Learn More About the Scholarship

Program Details

• Fisher College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at CCES. CCES does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, creed, religion, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid, scholarship or other programs, or athletic or other school-administered programs and activities.