Online Criminal Justice Degree Programs

Many accredited colleges and universities offer Criminal Justice Online Degrees. Many programs provide students with the knowledge and skills to potentially advance your criminal justice career. While an undergraduate degree is generalized, graduate study may focus on the larger context of crime, why it exists and its impact on society. Students also gain a detailed understanding of the concept of justice and how it’s applied through core courses that often include criminology, statistics, forensic, the legal system and research methodology. Online Criminal Justice graduate students may go on to a variety of potential careers in investigation, law enforcement administration, organizational security, legal studies, homeland security, terrorism and mediation, or public administration and public policy.

Why choose an Online Criminal Justice Graduate Program?

With the advances of educational technology, many Criminal Justice Graduate Schools have both traditional and online graduate programs to accommodate the needs of busy working professionals. The length of your program may vary, with online and part time programs potentially having a different style of curriculum. In many cases, online means asynchronous; courses are pre-recorded, and you use textbooks and online libraries to research. In some cases, your program may involve live-streaming video or some onsite visits to the campus, or a fieldwork component.

What Types of Online Criminal Justice Degrees are there?

When you are ready to browse graduate programs in Criminal Justice, use the program level to review options by Masters, Doctorate, or Graduate Certificates, depending on what your current educational requirements are. Also, it is helpful to think ahead; some masters programs may support PhD programs while others may not. Keep in mind that Criminal justice programs may differ in overall format as well as optional courses and electives students may choose to take.

Online Master of Arts and Master of Criminal Justice Programs

Masters degrees in Criminal Justice are generally for those who want to advance their existing position in the criminal justice field. Students may be able to choose between thesis and non-thesis options. Master of Science programs are more research-intensive than MA programs and offer students a foundation for continuing studies in a doctoral degree program. Students are usually able to earn a master’s degree in 2-3 years.

Online Criminal Justice Masters Programs are available in a variety of specializations. Some of the listings might include: Master of Science in Criminal Justice: Emergency Crisis Management, Master of Science in Public Safety Administration, MS in Criminal Justice: Legal Studies, or MPA in Criminal Justice.

Many of your career choices with this degree involve some sort of management, whether it is emergency management, crime scene or critical incident management, or the administration of organizations and functions.

What are Online Criminal Justice PhD Programs?

Online doctoral degrees are also available generally as a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Criminal Justice program. Some programs may be solely focused on the study of criminal justice and offer such areas as organizational leadership, public administration, behavioral science, or homeland security. Others may offer criminal justice as a concentration through a larger public safety or business administration Ph.D. program.

Doctoral programs often require completion of at least 60 credits of graduate study.

Online Criminal Justice Graduate Certificate Programs

Interested in an Advanced Certificate in Terrorism Studies or an online Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice? Certificate programs may boost credentials by helping to improve your communication skills, management and leadership techniques and knowledge within a specific field

Ready to Search for a Criminal Justice Online Grad Program?

Since there are a variety of potential careers within the field of criminalistics, criminology and criminal justice, it is important to research the graduate degree you are interested to see if it has the capability of bringing you towards future goals. Many students do know by the time they arrive at a masters program, what they want to specialize in. Don’t forget, you can request information from each graduate school from this site to help narrow down your choices and find the right online graduate program in criminal justice for you!

GradSchools.com offers 44 Graduate Schools with Criminal Justice Graduate Programs Online