For many career paths in criminal justice, a graduate degree is becoming a standard requirement. Whether you currently work in or strive to enter law enforcement, crime prevention, corrections, or criminal justice, the Master of Science in Criminal Justice graduate program at the University of Cincinnati can help you advance. You will gain research-based knowledge from an interdisciplinary perspective, drawing insights from sociology, law, public administration and criminal justice fields. The program emphasizes the role of research in policy-making and practice as well as theoretical and research skills. Graduates leave the program with a broad understanding of crime as well as different parts of the justice system.

The University of Cincinnati’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice curriculum is structured to meet four objectives:

• Provide students with the conceptual and research skills needed to undertake advanced analyses of the criminal justice system.
• Furnish law enforcement, corrections, and court practitioners with knowledge of justice administration, social science perspectives of human behavior, policy analysis, and criminal justice theory.
• Train those who will become leaders in the criminal justice system by providing the skills needed to upgrade levels of professional practice, improve supervisory standards, initiate fresh perspectives, and act as agents of social change.
• Prepare social scientists to pursue careers in university and research settings.

Careers 

Graduate training is growing in significance in the field of criminal justice. Agencies are equating professionalism with higher educational attainment. For many careers, a Master's degree in Criminal Justice is becoming the minimum qualification for employment. Former students have found the master's degree to be useful in obtaining a wide range of employment. Our alumni currently hold positions such as:

• Lieutenant in the State Police
• Police Officer
• Chief of Police
• Probation Officer
• Counselor in a Halfway House
• Research Analyst for a Federal Agency
• Drug Enforcement Agent
• Crime Reporter
• College Professor

Master's degree students in Criminal Justice will leave the program with a broad understanding of crime as well as the different parts of the justice system. Students will become adept at understanding research-based knowledge and how it applies to real-world situations. Although students follow a variety of career paths, the skills learned in the program will help them in information processing and problem-solving regardless of their chosen career.

Curriculum

Criminal Justice Master's Curriculum - Fall 2022

Criminal Justice MS Requirements
Students complete required courses (12 credit hours), a concentration (9 credit hours), a capstone (3 credit hours), and advisor approved electives (6 credit hours)
Students are required to complete the following:
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
CJ7010    Seminar in Criminal Justice    3
CJ7020    Seminar in Criminology    3
CJ7040    Applied Statistics in Criminal Justice    3
CJ7041    Basic Research Methods in Criminal Justice    3
CJ6XXX+
Faculty Advisor Approved Electives
Students are required to complete at least 6 credit hours of graduate-level coursework in Criminal Justice.    6
Capstone
Students may select a demonstration project (CJ7098 Demonstration Project) or a comprehensive exam (CJ8095 Special Topics: Comprehensive Exam Prep) to satisfy the capstone experience (3 credit hours).
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
CJ7098    Demonstration Project 1    3
CJ8095    Special Topics in Criminal Justice    3

Crime, Law and Justice Concentration
Required Courses
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
CJ7011    Seminar in Law and Social Control    3
Elective Courses
Students in the Crime, Law and Justice Concentration are required to complete 6 credit hours of electives in addition to CJ7011.
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
CJ7012    Criminal Justice Policy Analysis    3
CJ7013    Criminal Justice Management    3
CJ7060    Correctional Theory and Policy    3
CJ7080    Theory and Practice of Law Enforcement    3
CJ7085    The Criminal Offender    3
CJ8010    Seminar in Criminal Justice Theory    3
CJ8011    Seminar in Criminal Justice Process    3
CJ8012    Seminar in Legal Issues in Criminal Justice    3
CJ8013    Seminar in Juvenile Justice    3
CJ8014    Seminar in Criminal Courts    3
CJ8015    Seminar in Critical Perspectives in Criminal Justice    3
CJ8016    Seminar in Criminal Justice Program and Policy Evaluation    3
CJ8021    Biological and Individual Theories of Crime    3
CJ8070    Seminar in Race/Ethnicity and Crime    3
CJ8022    Life-Course Criminology    3
CJ8072    Seminar in White-Collar Crime    3
CJ8073    Seminar in Victimology    3
CJ8096    Special Topics in Criminology    3

Corrections Concentration
Required Courses
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
CJ8060    Seminar in Correctional Rehabilitation    3
Elective Courses
Students in the Corrections Concentration are required to complete 6 credit hours of electives in addition to CJ8060.
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
CJ7060    Correctional Theory and Policy    3
CJ8061    Applied Corrections    3
CJ8062    Seminar in Community Corrections    3
CJ8063    Seminar in Institutional Corrections    3
CJ8064    Punishment and Treatment Disparities    3
CJ8065    Clinical Populations in Corrections    3
CJ8097    Special Topics in Corrections    3

Law Enforcement/Crime Prevention Concentration
Required Courses
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
CJ7080    Theory and Practice of Law Enforcement    3
Elective Courses
Students in the Law Enforcement/Crime Prevention Concentration are required to complete 6 credit hours of electives in addition to CJ7080.
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
CJ7012    Criminal Justice Policy Analysis    3
CJ7013    Criminal Justice Management    3
CJ7050    Introduction to Crime Mapping    3
CJ7051    Advanced Crime Analysis    3
CJ7070    Theory and Practice of Crime Prevention    3
CJ7085    The Criminal Offender    3
CJ8071    Community and Environmental Criminology    3
CJ8072    Seminar in White-Collar Crime    3
CJ8073    Seminar in Victimology    3
CJ8074    Applied Crime Prevention    3
CJ8080    Policing in Context    3
CJ8081    Seminar in Police Decision-Making    3
CJ8082    Seminar on Police Effectiveness    3
CJ8098    Special Topics in Crime Prevention    3
CJ8099    Special Topics in Policing    3

Admission Requirements

Prospective students will complete the UC Graduate School online application for admission. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all required materials and support documents are successfully submitted. Incomplete applications will not be processed or reviewed.

Full-time students are generally admitted only for Fall Semester. We accept part-time students on a limited basis for both Fall and Spring Semester.

Admission Requirements include:

• A baccalaureate degree (any major) from an accredited institution
• A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
• At least two (2) letters of recommendation
• A personal statement describing relevant qualifications, goals, and program fit

International applicants must also fulfill the English proficiency requirement.

Tuition fee-2 years$60,000

Total fee-2 years$92,000