Yes. The “Master of Science” will be granted by the University of Louisville and represented as such on the diploma.
The online Master of Science (MS) in Criminal Justice degree is designed for professionals within the legal system who want to advance their career or strengthen their knowledge.
Advance your criminal justice career with an online master's in criminal justice from the University of Louisville (UofL). This forward-thinking program, offered through the College of Arts & Sciences, emphasizes ethics, responsibility, and social dynamics in the criminal justice system. Learn from award-winning faculty with extensive expertise in all facets of criminal justice, including justice administration, theories of crime and delinquency, legal issues, as well as advanced statistics and research methods. Strengthen your knowledge and skills to take the next step in your career.
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Complete your degree on your own time through fully online and accelerated classes
Learn MoreEarn your degree in 12 courses: 5 core, 6 electives and 1 professional research paper.
Learn MoreAccelerated 8-week courses, help you balance your education, career and personal life.
"Getting a master’s degree in criminal justice helps you elevate yourself in whatever trajectory that you’re in. Learning the leadership skills, and the legal parameters and ethical parameters within criminal justice, certainly will put you ahead of those who don’t have that."
Unlike many graduate programs, the online criminal justice master's at UofL does not require GRE test scores for admission. We believe that relevant work experience, community involvement, strong letters of recommendation and a clear professional goal statement are more important than standardized test performance alone.
By evaluating applicants based on their demonstrated passion, commitment to the criminal justice field and interpersonal skills, we aim to build a diverse cohort poised to drive positive change in the justice system. Our holistic admissions approach assembles students eager to strengthen their knowledge and skills in ethics, administration, legal issues and research methods.
The expertise you’ll develop as a student in the criminal justice master’s program will enable you to become an advocate of justice. You’ll develop a deeper understanding of ethics, history, personnel management, corrections, cybercrime, juvenile justice, international terrorism and more. Specific expertise gained from the program includes:
Some of the career opportunities available to master's in criminal justice graduates are:
Relevantly, the 2019-2029 occupational outlook for police officers and detectives is expected to grow 5% nationwide, which is faster than the average national occupation growth rate and have a median annual salary of $67,290 (bls.gov). The occupational outlook for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists within the same timeframe is expected to grow 4% nationwide, which is as fast as the national average and has a median annual salary of $55,690 (bls.gov).
Priority Deadline* | Term | Start Date |
---|---|---|
July 1 | Fall I | August |
September 1 | Fall II | October |
December 1 | Spring I | January |
February 1 | Spring II | March |
April 1 | Summer | May/June |
Note: We admit students on a rolling basis. The preferred deadlines help you complete the application process on time, be notified of acceptance and enroll before the term begins. We review applications as they become complete, and admit students for a specific term up to the day classes start. We recommend you work on and submit your complete application well in advance of the preferred deadline, as obtaining transcripts and other materials may take more time.
For more information on the admission and application process, please contact our Online Learning Enrollment Counselor at 800.871.8635 or by email at online@louisville.edu.
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To be considered for admission, applicants must have:
Required application packet materials include:
*Your Application Portal:
Once you have started the graduate application, you can check the status and review any additional checklist to-do items. Log in to your application using the email address you used to apply for admission and your password. Your checklist items may include additional materials or documentation that facilitate a smooth admissions process. You will also have access to important contact information and next steps after an admissions decision is made.
For students who began their studies at another institution but wish to complete their degree at the University of Louisville, we allow the transfer of credit of up to six hours, or roughly two courses, from an accredited university.*
*See the Graduate School Transfer of Credit Policy for more information.
The online Master of Science in Criminal Justice is a 36 credit hour program that requires 15 credit hours in core criminal justice courses, 18 credit hours in electives and one professional research paper (worth 3 credit hours), offered 100% online. Courses are delivered asynchronously, in 8-week terms.
Courses | Credit Hours |
---|---|
CJ 621 The Criminal Justice System | 3 |
CJ 625 Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice Management | 3 |
CJ 643 Theories of Crime and Delinquency | 3 |
CJ 649 Applied Statistics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
CJ 650 Research Methods | 3 |
Total Core Credits Required | 15 |
CJ 699 Thesis | 3 |
Courses [choose 6] | Credit Hours |
---|---|
CJ 500 Crime and Criminal Justice in the Cinema | 3 |
CJ 505 International Terrorism | 3 |
CJ 507 Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design | 3 |
CJ 509 Crime Analysis | 3 |
CJ 510 Managing Conflict, Change and Justice | 3 |
CJ 516 Juvenile Justice Issues | 3 |
CJ 517 Gangs in America | 3 |
CJ 519 Domestic and Family Violence | 3 |
CJ 520 Capital Punishment | 3 |
CJ 521 White Collar Crime | 3 |
CJ 522 Serial and Mass Murder | 3 |
CJ 523 Race and Gender Issues in Criminal Justice | 3 |
CJ 530 Introduction to Homeland Security | 3 |
CJ 531 Covert Operations in Policing | 3 |
CJ 576 Managing Organization Performance | 3 |
CJ 578 Criminal Justice Leadership | 3 |
CJ 580 International Service Learning: Criminal Justice Seminar | 3 |
CJ 596 Seminar in Criminal Justice | 3 |
CJ 597 Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
CJ 602 Criminal Justice History | 3 |
CJ 605 Police and Society | 3 |
CJ 606 Personnel Management in Criminal Justice System | 3 |
CJ 607 Seminar in Law and Justice | 3 |
CJ 609 Economic Analysis of Crime | 3 |
CJ 610 Theoretical Foundation of Corrections | 3 |
CJ 611 Critical Issues in Corrections | 3 |
CJ 612 Criminal Justice Administration: Police | 3 |
CJ 613 Advanced Comparative Criminal Justice | 3 |
CJ 614 Seminar in Policing | 3 |
CJ 626 Emergency Management | 3 |
CJ 627 Computer and Cyber Crime | 3 |
CJ 630 Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience | 3 |
CJ 644 Seminar in Juvenile Justice | 3 |
CJ 652 Constitutional Issues in Criminal Justice | 3 |
CJ 653 Communities and Crime | 3 |
CJ 655 International Perspectives on Violence | 3 |
CJ 656 Crime Mapping | 3 |
CJ 665 Special Topics in Justice and Criminology | 3 |
CJ 670 Directed Studies/Readings | 3 |
CJ 690 Practicum | 1-6 |
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Lambda Alpha Epsilon and Alpha Phi Sigma stream all of their meetings as well as their lunch and learns. Visit our website to learn of any additional new ways that you, as an online student, can be connected with our on-campus students and faculty.
The Department of Criminal Justice faculty actively engage in community service. These partnerships provide opportunities for internships and networking that enhance the student experience.
Our faculty has been awarded research grants totaling more than 4.5 million dollars. Granting agencies include:
The faculty are active members in the following professional organizations:
Yes. The “Master of Science” will be granted by the University of Louisville and represented as such on the diploma.
Yes, the University of Louisville is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC).
This program offers 5 starts per year: 2 in Fall, 2 in Spring and 1 in Summer.
Yes, TA is currently available for active-duty military at the rate of $250 per credit hour (subject to change without prior notice).
Our master's degree in criminal justice is 36 hours and can be completed in a little as three intensive semesters with year-round courses and 8-week terms.
The main fields within criminal justice include law enforcement, courts/law, corrections, victim advocacy, homeland security, legal studies and forensic science
A master's in criminal justice from UofL requires completion of 36 graduate-level credit hours. You can check out our Courses tab for more info.