Criminal Justice MS

The criminal justice MS is designed to meet the needs of working professionals in the field seeking to advance their careers. Courses in the master’s program are fully online, with small virtual class sizes that make it easy to connect with professors and classmates and develop a graduate network. For maximum flexibility, this program can be completed on a part-time basis. Learn more about the online experience. 

Students in the criminal justice graduate program can choose from six tracks:

• General Track: Choose six electives from across the tracks in addition to the four core courses.
• Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging: Learn to develop partnerships, facilitate inclusive conversations, create change within an institution and understand methods for researching, implementing and evaluating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Become fluent in the languages of social identity, the impact of social context and group dynamics and the psychological and neuropsychological constructs that result in implicit bias, discrimination and marginalization.
• Forensic Behavioral Health: Take courses on addiction, mental health and youth culture and deviance and learn how to manage these issues. 
• Federal Law Enforcement: Dig into topics such as forensic financial analysis, white-collar crime and federal justice.
• Intelligence and Crime Analysis: Explore the intelligence area of criminal justice at a variety of levels, including intelligence policy and process.
• Homeland Security: Classes on terrorism threats and strategy, risk assessment and the sociology of disaster are covered in this track.

This unique 42-credit Master of Science in Criminal Justice/Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate program meets BCBA requirements and prepares students to use a behavioral analytic approach to intervention when working with individuals who struggle with addiction, self-harm, thoughts of suicide and mental health disorders within the criminal justice system. It provides the necessary skills to support neurodivergent people (e.g. those with autism) with navigating the juvenile and criminal justice systems. It also provides the skills for criminal justice officials to avoid criminalizing neurodivergent people and those with mental illness. 

In this online criminal justice program, you’ll enhance your foundational knowledge, develop written and oral communication skills and expand your critical thinking, reasoning and research abilities. Our faculty are criminal justice practitioners and scholars who take an active role in mentoring their students.

Through Saint Joseph’s University's 4+1 program, current undergraduate students who are completing a B.S. in criminal justice can also start earning credits towards the MS, allowing them to earn a master’s degree in criminal justice in just five years. Students interested in this option must apply to the graduate program in their junior year and be conditionally accepted before they complete their bachelor's degree.

View required courses for this program in the academic catalog. Please contact us if you have any questions about the program curriculum.

Affordable tuition options start at $845 per credit.*

*This rate applies to all students accepted by Saint Joseph's University after June 1, 2023. Tuition and fee rates for students accepted prior to June 1, 2023 differ. Pricing does not include room and board, health insurance or any professional, clinical or transportation fees. Visit our Tuition & Fees page or contact us for more information.

Financial aid may be available to you to help offset the cost of your degree. Explore your options on our Financial Aid page.

Discount Eligibility

Have you completed a year or more of service with a recognized service organization? You may be eligible for our mission discount.  

Alumni of Saint Joseph's are eligible to receive 10% off the cost of this program through our alumni discount.

Check with your employer to see if they are an Edcor or a Bright Horizons EdAssist member, which may entitle you to a discount on graduate programs. 

Note: discounts cannot be combined.

SJU is a Yellow Ribbon School that accepts GI education benefits. Our Office of Veterans Service can help you access and understand your benefits.

Graduate assistantships are offered on a limited basis. Please contact the program director for availability.

To be considered for admission you must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution and have earned an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

• Apply online.
• Submit official college transcripts from all colleges attended.
• Submit a personal statement.
• Submit resume.
• Submit two letters of recommendation.

Visit our Graduate Admission Information page to learn more about admission requirements, key deadlines, additional requirements for international students and how to submit your application.

Graduate applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. New students may enroll in courses during the fall, spring and summer semesters. 

Start terms: 

• Fall: August
• Spring: January
• Summer: May

If you’re applying as an international student, you must provide proof of English Language Proficiency and Certification of Finances along with your application. Check the graduate admission page for more information about the application process and additional requirements for international students.

In addition to a student support coordinator, we have a variety of other tools and resources that make it easy for you to get technical assistance, chart your course and focus your career search. Check out our online learning resources.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, police and detectives earn a median salary of $66,020 per year. Salaries may vary depending on the role in the criminal justice field.

Although skills may vary based on your career in the criminal justice industry, there are common skills graduates of this degree will need to be successful.

Soft Skills in Criminal Justice:

• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving 
• Effective and Ethical Decision-Making 
• Leadership 
• Communication 
• Public Speaking 
• Active Listening and Learning 
• Observation 
• Integrity and Empathy 

Technical Skills in Criminal Justice:

• Research 
• Interviewing and Interrogation
• Computer Literacy 
• Report Writing