Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, M.S.
In our American society, the field of criminal justice has never been more important, yet under such intense scrutiny than it is right now. Criminals are becoming more violent and more sophisticated in their tactics, but undeterred by many contemporary criminal justice approaches. Even though crime is on the rise across the country, large numbers of citizens no longer fully trust our current criminal justice system.
Due to this troubling new reality, improvements to the legal process as well as staffing are necessary and inevitable. Employers can no longer afford to fill the very best jobs with mediocre candidates. In response, CCU has developed a master’s degree program specifically designed to produce advanced criminal justice practitioners. Whereas many criminal justice master’s programs are meant to prepare graduates with research and theory-oriented skills, this program is thoroughly intended for those who wish to make their impact on society by doing.
This fully online Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree is offered through CCU’s College of Adult and Graduate Studies. It is designed to equip you with cutting-edge, but practical and timely aptitudes to further your criminal justice career. The program champions ethics and moral convictions, and the courses are delivered within a distinctively Christian framework.
- 36 credit hours
- Courses are taken one at a time and are typically completed in five-week blocks
- Designed for busy adult learners; complete in as little as 15 months of consecutive coursework, even with a full-time job
- Students can transfer up to 6 graduate-level credit hours
- Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
- Associate Degrees: Criminal Justice, A.S.
- Bachelor's Degrees: Criminal Justice, B.S.
- Master's Degrees: Public Administration, MPA
- Certificates: Criminal Justice Certificate
Christian Understanding of Justice
Informing all of CCU’s criminal justice programs is a specifically Christian understanding of justice. By this we mean that true justice is grounded in the very character of God. He is holy, just, righteous, merciful, and loving. Therefore, justice, based upon such attributes, unashamedly recognizes and upholds good and right standards of behavior, in both individual and corporate contexts.
Since Christians affirm that all humans are created in God’s image, a Christian sense of justice does not discriminate among “haves” and “have nots.” All humans deserve equal treatment under the law.It follows then that even as God judges sin but restores sinners, justice demands that mercy and love be extended appropriately toward both the offender and the offended. This most certainly does not suggest that there are no consequences for criminal behavior. This does not suggest, however, that there are no consequences for criminal behavior; only that God’s love is an indispensable ingredient for a better society.
Finally, the biblical understanding of justice should be evident in the personal and professional actions, interactions, and character of a Christian working in the criminal justice system.
Job Opportunities with a Master's in Criminal Justice
The U. S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics projects significant job opportunities in a wide variety of criminal justice professions over the next decade. In particular, the law enforcement and investigations sectors are set to add tens of thousands of new jobs.
This M.S. in Criminal Justice degree is designed to meet the needs of students with a very wide range of professional interests. It remedies the frustrating dilemma of investing in a degree that winds up being a “mismatch” with the ultimate job you wish to pursue. Rather than focusing on a single topic, such as Leadership, the courses in this program are divided into four clusters, all with a different theme. Those four categories are: (1) Ethics/decision-making/leadership; (2) Contemporary social problems & solutions; (3) Investigations; and (4) Constitutional law. Courses build on one another, without a doubt, yet provide the diversity necessary to help equip graduates to do, frankly, just about any job the criminal justice system has to offer.
The driving force in the creation of this program was to answer this simple question: What do we need more of in the criminal justice field? The answer was:
- Advanced ethically and constitutionally-minded problem-solvers...
- Who are motivated and equipped to effectively seek and act upon the truth...
- In order to promote public safety and increase community confidence in the system...
- While furthering the cause of justice in modern American society.
Criminal Justice Master's Program Benefits
- The program is specifically designed for busy adult students with work and family commitments.
- Students take one course at a time for five weeks and assignments may be completed around your schedule.
- Small class sizes encourage individualized learning and networking.
- Students have direct access to professors who are top professionals in the field.