Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MS)
About the Master of Criminal Justice Degree
The Master of Science in Criminal Justice at Fisher College is designed to prepare professionals for career advancement and for positions in specialized units. Our program also prepares students for doctoral programs by enhancing their academic research and professional knowledge. The Masters of Science in Criminal Justice helps students develop the necessary problem-solving skills to address contemporary and evolving problems with innovative, ethical, and evidence-based solutions.
This program is completed entirely online. This is a 30-credit program, so it can be completed in a few as 10 months. A unique quality of this program is that students do not need to have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or work experience in criminal justice to gain admission or succeed in the program. Therefore, this program is for criminal justice professionals and aspiring criminal justice professionals alike.
Learning Outcomes
After completing the Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ), students will be able to demonstrate:
- Comprehension of criminological theory, its relationship to criminal justice practices, and its ties to social, political, and economic factors
- Proficiency in research design, both quantitative and qualitative, as well as, the ability to use research design to evaluate criminal justice policies and programs
- Comprehension of ethical theories and their application to criminal justice practices, policies, programs and research, as well as, the ability to evaluate and resolve ethical issues in the field of criminal justice.
- The ability to synthesize scholarly sources to evaluate criminal justice programs and policies, recognize policy and program implications, and guide policy and program decisions.
- An understanding of leadership theories and their role in managing and leading criminal justice agencies.
- Critical thinking and problem solving skills to address contemporary problems in criminal justice using innovative, ethical, and evidence based solutions.
Program Requirements, Delivery, and Courses
*Based on continuous enrollment. Time to completion may be shorter based on eligible transfer credit or longer if course enrollment varies.
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Program Snapshot
Credits: 30
Learning Format: online
Term Length: 8-weeks
Typical Time to Completion*: 5 terms; 10 months
The Detective Mario Oliveira Scholarship
This scholarship has been created to honor his legacy and encourage the same valiant spirit to those serving in the field and pursuing graduate level education in Criminal Justice.
Police Career Incentive Pay Program
Fisher College is accredited with the Police Career Incentive Pay Program (PCIPP). Police officers can earn degrees in law enforcement and criminal justice. The PCIPP provides educational incentives for regular full-time officers in participating cities and towns through salary increases.