Online Master of Arts in Criminal Justice

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The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice (MACJ) provides you with the knowledge and skills to advance your criminal justice career. You will study the larger context of crime, why it exists and its impact on society, as well as gain a detailed understanding of the concept of justice and how it’s applied.

Resident tuition | Non-resident tuition
ASU Online offers start dates every 7.5 weeks.
Multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year.
Required number of credits to complete this degree.

The MA Criminal Justice allows you to learn directly from professors who are nationally-recognized scholars in their respective fields and from a prestigious group of criminal justice professionals with expertise in policing, gangs, fraud, corrections and courts. The online criminal justice program offers valuable training in research methods and statistics, program planning and management, policy analysis, and program evaluation. This 33-credit hour program includes a required capstone course, Theory and Practice in Criminal Justice, in which you will write a comprehensive research paper focusing on a criminal justice policy or practice.

The Master’s program is offered to both full-time and part-time students. Full-time students can earn the degree in as little as 18 months. Part-time students will take longer to complete the degree, but must fulfill all requirements for the degree within six years from the date of their first course. GRE test scores are not required for entry into the MACJ program. Students must meet all admissions criteria of the Graduate College, and applicants must have a 3.0 GPA or higher for unconditional admission to the MA in criminal justice program.


Program and College Achievements:

The School of Criminology & Criminal Justice is a nationally recognized leader in higher education and is highly regarded for its distinguished faculty and research productivity. Our world-class faculty is engaged in cutting edge research which prepares students for the challenges of criminal justice practice in the 21st century. Our online graduate program has been named by U.S. News and World Reports as one of the top five degrees in the nation for three years running.

Calendar

Next Start Date:

05/20/19
Most Innovative

Featured Courses

Required Core (12 credit hours)

CRJ 501 Seminar in Criminal Justice (3)

CRJ 502 Seminar in Criminology (3)

CRJ 510 Criminal Justice Planning and Program Evaluation (3)

CRJ 511 Applied Data Analysis in Criminal Justice (3)

Electives (18 credit hours)

CRJ 512 Seminar in Policing (3)

CRJ 513 Seminar on Courts and Sentencing (3)

CRJ 514 Seminar in Corrections (3)

CRJ 515 Seminar on Women and Crime (3)

CRJ 516 Seminar in Criminal Justice Organization and Management (3)

CRJ 517 Seminar on Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Justice (3)

CRJ 518 Seminar on Race/Ethnicity, Crime and Justice (3)

CRJ 519 Seminar on Victimization (3)

CRJ 520 Seminar on Violent Crime and Criminal Behavior (3)

CRJ 521 Seminar on the Nature of Crime (3)

CRJ 522 Seminar on Gangs and Crime (3)

CRJ 524 Seminar on Punishment and Society (3)

CRJ 525 Seminar on Life-Course Criminology (3)

CRJ 527 Seminar on Police Accountability (3)

CRJ 528 Seminar on Prison and Jail Administration (3)

CRJ 529 Seminar in Community Corrections (3)

CRJ 530 Seminar in Forensics (3)

CRJ 531 Seminar in Crime Mapping (3)

CRJ 532 Seminar on Sex Crimes (3)

CRJ 533 Seminar in White Collar Crime (3)

CRJ 535 Seminar in Crime and Forensic Mental Health (3)

CRJ 553 Seminar on Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction (3)

CRJ 554 Seminar on Homeland Security (3)

CRJ 555 Police and International Terrorism (3)

CRJ 556 Etiology of Martyrdom (3)

CRJ 557 Seminar in Domestic Terrorism (3)

CRJ 558 Seminar in International Terrorism (3)

CRJ 584 Internship (1-6)

CRJ 598 Special Topics in Criminal Justice (3)

Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)

Capstone Course: CRJ 505 Theory and Practice in Criminal Justice (3)

Additional Curriculum Information

Students can develop specializations in areas such as policing, corrections and management by combining required and elective coursework. Students should see the academic unit for an approved elective course list. Electives must be at the 500 level.

Faculty

The impressive faculty in the College of Public Service & Community Solutions are inspiring the next generation of public service leaders through real-world solutions to issues around child welfare, safety, city management, human trafficking and water scarcity.

Recent Faculty Highlights Include:

  • Fellow by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
  • Fellow of the American Psychological Association
  • Director inducted into the National Academy of Public Administration

Program Summary

Total Hours:

33

Related Careers

Graduates with a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice have career opportunities illustrated in the following list. Career examples include but are not limited to those shown in the following list. Advanced degrees or certifications may be required for academic or clinical positions.

  • Police Chief
  • U.S. Marshal
  • Detective
  • Police Attorney
  • Inspector
  • Secret Service Agent
  • Probation Officer
  • Corrections Officer
  • Parole Officer
  • Warden
  • Profiler
  • Intelligence Analyst
  • Operations Officer
  • Private Investigator
  • Private Security
  • Claim Appraiser
  • Victim's Advocate
  • Professor

ASU Online Story

Military Justice Paralegal, Samantha Gaxiola, wanted the very best when she decided to further her education. See why she chose ASU Online's Master of Arts in Criminal Justice.

Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the College of Public Service and Community Solutions.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in criminology or criminal justice or another closely related field from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of a student's first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

  • Graduate admission application and application fee
  • Official transcripts
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • A written statement, at least one page in length, which describes the applicant's educational and career goals and long-term professional development strategy
  • Proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information

An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must provide proof of English proficiency.

Students should see the academic unit website for application deadlines.

Affording College

Learn about the different types of financial aid and scholarship opportunities available. ASU offers a Cost Calculator, Budget Worksheet and Scholarship Search to make the college planning process easier.

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