Criminal Justice and Human Rights Master’s Degree Online
We need ethical leaders who are better prepared to work with underserved populations and tackle today’s toughest challenges within the criminal justice system. With a unique emphasis on social justice and social policy, our online master’s in criminal justice and human rights degree is designed to do just that.
Program Highlights
Degree
2 years
Delivery
Cost
Total credits
Time of entry
Fall/Spring
Master’s Degree in
Criminal Justice and Human Rights
Long-Term
Success
Whether you’re interested in advancing into a leadership role in your criminal justice career or looking to change jobs and pursue new professional opportunities that allow you to serve the public interest, the criminal justice and human rights degree program at GCU will prepare you for long-term success.
Required courses for our online master’s in criminal justice and human rights cover topics such as criminology, human rights law and policy, and research methods and design (with the option of a capstone research project). You’ll also choose from a variety of elective criminal justice course options—classes such as Victimology, Understanding Terrorism, Torture and State Violence, and many more.
Program Information
The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice and Human Rights at Georgian Court University is a 30-credit program. The curriculum emphasizes knowledge of criminal justice systems and the protection of rights; leadership and ethical decision-making; and social science research skills.
Students complete five required courses totaling 15 credits, and then an additional 15 credits, which may consist of either CJ590 Capstone: Research Project and four elective courses, or five elective courses. Maintenance of a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 is required to remain in the program. Students who earn two or more grades of a B- or below will be formally reviewed by program faculty and may be subject to academic probation or academic dismissal.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CJ501 | Theory & Practice in Criminology | 3 |
| CJ503 | Criminal Justice & Society | 3 |
| CJ505 | Human Rights Law & Policy | 3 |
| CJ510 | Research Methods | 3 |
| CJ511 | Research Design | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select either CJ590 and four of the following, or select five of the following: | 15 | |
CJ520 | Victimology | |
CJ525 | Leadership & Policy Analysis | |
CJ555 | Torture & State Violence | |
CJ556 | Understanding Terrorism | |
CJ560 | Post-Conflict Justice | |
CJ565 | Select Topic Crim. Justice Human Rights | |
CJ590 | Capstone: Research Project | |
CJ599 | Internship Criminal Justice Human Rights | |
HS501 | Intro Homeland Security: Legal Issues | |
HS515 | Computer Applications Homeland Security | |
HS520 | Preparedness, Prevention & Deterrence | |
HS530 | Intelligence: Collection, Analysis, Use | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
View the full curriculum and admission requirements.
Anna King, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Jeffries Hall (111)
nxvat@trbetvna.rqh
732-987-2487/646-7070
Melanie C. Mogavero, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice – Department Chair Criminal Justice, Anthropology, Sociology, & Human Rights
School of Arts & Sciences
Jeffries Hall (109)
zzbtnireb@trbetvna.rqh
732-987-2389
Cynthia C. Ninivaggi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Jeffries Hall (116)
pavavinttv@trbetvna.rqh
732-987-2365
Marny Requa, J.D.
Associate Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Jeffries Hall (120)
zerdhn@trbetvna.rqh
732-987-2393
Matthew Sheridan, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Jeffries Hall (116)
zfurevqna@trbetvna.rqh
732-987-2364
If you’re interested in our master’s degree in criminal justice, here are other programs at GCU you might want to explore:
Why Earn Your Criminal Justice Master’s Degree at GCU?
Concerns about human rights and social justice, particularly in the context of the criminal justice system, are taking on greater importance every day. While many graduate-level programs in this field focus primarily on law enforcement, our criminal justice and human rights degree places a greater emphasis on social justice and social policy—incorporating the Mercy core values of respect, integrity, justice, compassion, and service throughout the curriculum.
Here are more reasons to earn your Criminal Justice Master’s Degree at GCU.
Learn From Diverse Criminal Justice and Human Rights Experts
You’ll learn from experts from diverse areas of the criminal justice system, including corrections, legal and human rights law, comparative and rehabilitative justice, anthropology, and mental health to provide students with a well-rounded educational experience to advance their careers. Our accomplished faculty also have research expertise in areas such as terrorism, sexual offending, persons with disabilities in the criminal justice system, social reform, punishment, and issues related to gender and crime, gender and law, freedom of expression, and post-conflict justice. For example, one of our instructors conducted research on human rights violations on detainees held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Work Online at Your Own Pace
Offered 100% online, our criminal justice and human rights degree is designed for maximum flexibility. There are no prerequisites, and you can work at a pace that’s best for you—an ideal option for students with jobs and families.
Engage in Impactful Research
Students have the option to complete a capstone project. This offers students incredible opportunities to design a research project that addresses issues you care about—and make a real difference in the criminal justice system. One of our students collaborated on a project titled: New York City: COVID-19 Quarantine and Crime, published in the Journal of Criminal Psychology. Another evaluated the implementation and effectiveness of the New Jersey bail reform policy for a prosecutor’s office in the state.
What Can You Do With a Criminal Justice Degree?
Graduates of our master’s degree in criminal justice and human rights program gain expertise for careers in government agencies, law, social services, security, nonprofit, faith-based and international organizations, and research.
Earning your master’s in criminal justice will also help pave the way to career advancement opportunities and higher salary potential.
Master’s in Criminal Justice Jobs
What jobs can you get with a master’s in criminal justice? Here are several examples of criminal justice and human rights jobs you can pursue with this degree:
- policy specialist,
- legal advocate,
- victim advocate,
- program coordinator,
- human rights / policy researcher,
- promotion as correction officer,
- promotion as law enforcement / federal agent,
- paralegal,
- social justice specialist,
- investigator, and
- research analyst.
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