The purpose of the Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice is to broaden and enhance each student’s ability to understand, analyze and evaluate issues that confront the American criminal justice system. The objectives of the program’s core coursework are (a) the analysis of personnel situations in light of standard personnel processes applying major personnel laws and regulations to situations arising in criminal justice organizations; (b) demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of criminal law and procedures as evidenced by recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions; (c) critically evaluate the scholarly evidence considering the effectiveness of various crime control policies employed by the police, the courts, and the correctional system with both juvenile and adult offenders; and (d) explain situations in criminal justice and criminal behavior by applying various criminological theories; and (e) demonstrate an ability to appropriately apply various research designs and methodologies in criminal justice situations. Specific institutional objectives of the program are as follows: to prepare students to fulfill a need in American society for professional law enforcement personnel and competent criminal justice administrators by providing educational programs that develop each student’s problem solving skills in ways that prepare the student to address the issues that arise in the dynamic and evolving criminal justice field; to develop each student’s ability to synthesize and apply knowledge of the critical theories and concepts in the field of criminal justice in his/her problem solving analysis; to develop each student’s ability to identify and develop alternative solutions to problems that confront the modern criminal justice system based on his/her knowledge of current theories and concepts; to develop each student’s ability to evaluate and appropriately choose solutions to problems that confront the criminal justice system; to develop each student’s ability to effectively communicate the results of his/her analysis. to provide students who seek administrative and managerial positions in the field of criminal justice with the credentials to qualify for those positions; to provide an appropriate program of graduate study for students who are interested in research in the field of criminal justice and in advanced graduate study.

Occupations with criminal justice graduate degrees: Professor/Instructor Criminal Profiler Federal Probation Officer Criminologist Criminal Investigator