If you are fascinated by forensics, detecting crime and apprehending criminals, Masters in Criminal Justice Programs have a lot to offer you in terms of different degree tracks and potential career choices. Criminal Justice as an academic field, studies the system of practices and the governmental institutions that are delegated with upholding social control, deterring crime and sanctioning criminals. If your mind went to homeland security, criminal investigators, law enforcement and the judicial system you are on the right track. But there is so much more to be aware of. Crime affects more than just the perpetrator; it can also have severe consequences for the victims, families and other citizens. From criminology and criminalistics to administration and management, read on to take a look inside a Masters in Criminal Justice (MCJ) Program.
The main prerequisites you need to apply into a Masters in Criminal Justice Program are a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related major, your GRE scores, letter of recommendation and your resume. Your program may involve coursework, a thesis or research project, and an internship. Many Masters in Criminal Justice Programs are designed to teach you about the research methods and theories in advanced criminal justice and criminology needed for leadership positions in public service. But before we go forward and examine the different masters degrees in criminal justice and how to find the ‘right’ program, let’s define some terms.
FUN FACT: Employment for Forensic Science Technicians in projected to grow 27% from 2014-2024![i]
While both criminology and criminalistics are both focused around law enforcement, there are a few differences that you should understand. In fact, it may
help you to actually choose the direction for your Masters in Criminal Justice Degree.
Criminology:
Topics of interest might include: deviance, juvenile delinquency, punishment, criminological theory and social research.
FACT: Criminologists focus on the social/psychological traits of offenders to uncover behavioral patterns , and use these to identify suspects and make progress with investigations.
Criminalistics:
Topics of interest might include: crime scene investigation, drug analysis, genetics, physics and organic chemistry. You may want to see whether your program prepares you with the American board of criminalistics (ABC).
FACT: Criminalists concentrate on evidence to link offenders to crimes
Subject matter is actually a pretty important part to choosing a Masters in Criminal Justice program, because you ought to select a degree that matches the type of career you aspire to. GradSchools.com is organized so you can actually select your subject first, and then look into program formats next. There are different Masters Degrees in Criminal Justice Tracks. For instance:
Are you interested in law enforcement? If so, look through the Corrections masters degrees.
Are you interested in understanding the criminal mind? Check out Criminal Psychology Masters Programs.
Are you interested in analyzing illegal human behaviors and crime prevention methods? If so, a Masters in Criminology might be a good fit.
Are you interested in management, criminal investigation, working in a federal agency or informing public policy? If so, review Masters in Criminal Justice Programs.
If you have narrowed down the concentration area, you can then turn to whether you prefer to search for a graduate school with an on-site program, or an if online criminal justice masters degree is more realistic. There are pluses to each; on-campus programs give you a social learning environment with access to the facilities. Distance-learning, while more of an independent study format, may be more convenient for your schedule. To look for graduate schools, simply use the location tabs to find programs in your city, state or abroad. Some of the schools may have online programs although you can specify this format to yield specific results. Some programs may be partially online, or hybrid.
Good question. There are different tracks, and as we mentioned, you want to select one that is career specific. That means, if you haven't figured out your area of concentration (as per above), do a little homework in advance in order to ensure you pick the right school and the right degree.
The Master of Science option typically includes more science in the curriculum and fewer liberal arts courses. Concentrations such as forensic science, forensic psychology, criminology, cyber-crime and behavior analysis are usually offered as part of a MSCJ Program.
The MA option often includes a focus on law enforcement administration, organizational security, legal studies, homeland security, terrorism and mediation and public policy.
The focus of MPA in Criminal Justice programs is to highlight the leadership abilities students will need to excel in the field. You might find more of a security intelligence and administration, criminal statistical analysis, organizational theory, and crisis management orientation.
An MBA in Criminal Justice might focus on the management, marketing, leadership and financial aspects as they pertain to criminal justice.
Students of a master's program in criminal justice may also enroll in a dual-degree program that allows them to simultaneously study law and earn a Juris Doctor degree. If you wish to take state bar exams and become licensed, practicing lawyers, this option may be worth investigating
Some of the listings on GradSchools.com might include: MA in Criminology and Justice with Sociology MS/JD Criminal Justice/Law, MS Criminal Justice, Master of Public Administration: Criminal Justice Concentration and MA Criminal Justice. Just to show you the diversity!
From the different types of Masters Degrees in Criminal Justice, it is fair to assume that the curriculums are going to vary. There may be some overlap in foundational courses such as:
We recommend that you request information from each school.
Are you wondering: “what can I do with a Masters in Criminal Justice?”. There are a variety of potential career paths. Here are a few:
DID YOU KNOW? (FBI) agents are the federal government's principal investigators, responsible for enforcing more than 200 categories of federal statutes and conducting sensitive national security investigations[ii].
If you are ready to consider a Masters in Criminal Justice, you are able to choose from general to very career-oriented programs. Depending on what you want to do down the road, or whether you are in the process of working towards career advancement in a current role, take the next step! Check out our directory and find the program that aligns with your goals and interests!
Sources: [i] bls.gov/OOH/life-physical-and-social-science/forensic-science-technicians.htm | bls.gov/ooh/management/emergency-management-directors.htm| [ii] bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm | www.criminalistics.com/certification.html
Sponsored Listings
Sponsored Listings
Subscribe for information on earning a graduate degree
By entering my email address and clicking "Sign Up" I agree to be contacted by EducationDynamics for additional education products and services, this submission is not required to use our site. Privacy Policy.
Advertise | About | FAQs | Update Programs | Terms of Use | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Disclosure: What Determines Top/Best? | Do Not Sell My Personal Information (CA and NV residents)
© Gradschools 2020. All Rights Reserved.
The sources for school statistics and data is the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System unless otherwise noted.
Disclosure: EducationDynamics receives compensation for many of the featured schools on our websites (see “Sponsored School(s)” or “Sponsored Listings” or “Sponsored Results” or “Featured Graduate School(s)”. So what does this mean for you? Compensation may impact where the Sponsored Schools appear on our websites, including whether they appear as a match through our education matching services tool, the order in which they appear in a listing, and/or their ranking. Our websites do not provide, nor are they intended to provide, a comprehensive list of all schools (a) in the United States (b) located in a specific geographic area or (c) that offer a particular program of study. By providing information or agreeing to be contacted by a Sponsored School, you are in no way obligated to apply to or enroll with the school.
This is an offer for educational opportunities, not an offer for nor a guarantee of employment. Students should consult with a representative from the school they select to learn more about career opportunities in that field. Program outcomes vary according to each institution’s specific program curriculum. Specific School Disclosures. Financial aid may be available to those who qualify. The information on this page is for informational and research purposes only and is not an assurance of financial aid.
