Sacred Heart University

Program Information

Degree Offered

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice

Format: Campus

Program Description:

The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program will provide students with a comprehensive knowledge of all components of the criminal justice system. This program is open to recipients of undergraduate degrees in criminal justice as well as individuals who have developed a career interest in criminal justice after completing an undergraduate degree in another discipline.

This Master of Arts in Criminal Justice provides individuals with bachelor's degrees in criminal justice or other disciplines with the knowledge needed to obtain advanced professional positions in the field. It also enables individuals already employed in the field of criminal justice to advance further in their careers.
Our alumni currently hold positions as correction officers, higher education emergency management consultants, probation officers, private investigators and police officers.

Two areas of concentration are available: Criminal Justice Management and National Security.

Thirty (30) credits are required to graduate from the MA in Criminal Justice program. Courses are offered in both day and evening time slots, and part-time students are welcome. Students must complete eighteen required credits of the core curriculum plus an additional twelve credits of any elective courses. Students may also choose the twelve credits for a concentration in national security or criminal justice management. Upon completion of the required thirty credits, students desiring to pursue an advanced career in criminal justice must successfully complete a comprehensive examination.
Students desiring to continue their education towards a Ph.D. should pursue the three credit thesis option rather than the comprehensive examination. The thesis course may be used to satisfy three of the twelve elective credits required.

Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC)

Eligibility Requirements:

The CJ program welcomes applicants from any undergraduate academic major. For those without an undergraduate degree in CJ or related field, prerequisite courses in Criminal Justice and Constitutional Law may be required.

Successful candidates will have a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale). The GRE is not required for admission.

# of Credits Required:

30

International Student Requirements:

Students holding an undergraduate degree from outside the United States must have their academic credentials verified and evaluated by an independent evaluation service. Sacred Heart University accepts course-by-course evaluations from World Education Service (WES). You can review their procedure and complete the necessary application process on the WES website. All international graduate applicants for whom English is not their native language are required to submit an official test score report from one of the following exams: TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB, Pearson PTE or iTEP exam. The following minimum scores are accepted: TOEFL PBT: 570 TOEFL iBT: 90 IELTS: 6.5 MELAB: 80 PTE: 62 iTEP: 5

Tuition & Financial Aid

Cost Per Credit Hour:

655 USD

Financial Aid Offered: Yes

Classification: Master's Colleges & Universities I

Institution Sector: Private not-for-profit

Locale: Large Suburb

Size & Settings: 5,000 - 9,999