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Online Master's Degree Program in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration
The online master’s degree in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and tools that they need to advance professionally into leadership and management roles in criminal justice organizations. Completing your criminal justice master’s program online provides skills in the areas of management, organizational behavior and leadership, law and ethics, criminological theory, and public policy.
"A lot of students, especially police at the federal or local level, come back for a master's degree. While many do this to be promoted, what they learn in their degree helps them to be better officers before earning an administrative role in their organization."
- Dr. Olivia Yu, Program Coordinator
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration Degree Specializations:
In CSU-Global online graduate programs, students choose a core program and then select a specialization area, consisting of four (4) courses. Specializations allow students to take a sequence of courses in a career-relevant field. These courses will complement the program of study based on professional and personal interests.
Applied Business Management
Gain a competitive advantage and increase career prospects through this specialization with a focus on practical business and management skills in accounting, financing, strategic development, organizational change, and more.
This specialization is available to students in all graduate programs except the M.S. in Management program.
Contemporary Practices in K-12 Online Learning
Educators looking to gain advanced knowledge of online learning within K-12 instruction should consider this specialization. Focus is on the best practices and theorical knowledge on how to incorporate engaging curriculum into online environments and the specialization includes a hands-on practicum.
This specialization is only available for students in the M.S. in Teaching and Learning program.
Learn more about Contemporary Practices in K-12 Online Learning »
Fraud Management
The Fraud Management Specialization is ideal for financial specialists focused on the prevention of deceitful practices and activity through the effective management and protection of sensitive information.
This specialization is available for students in all graduate programs except the M.S. in Teaching and Learning program.
Healthcare Administration
Professionals interested in the management of healthcare facilities and departments should consider a master’s degree with a specialization in Healthcare Administration in order to acquire knowledge and best practices for effective supervision and decision making in the healthcare field.
This specialization is available to students in all graduate programs except the M.S. in Teaching and Learning and Master of Healthcare Administration and Management programs.
Human Resource Management
Students interested in furthering their career in the field of human resources should consider this specialization which provides organizational management skills with an emphasis in personnel, staff training and development, policy and procedures, and more. This specialization is designed as an HRCI certification prep course.
This specialization is available to students in all graduate programs.
Human Resource Performance
Students who aim to improve an organization’s effectiveness through human resources should consider the Human Resource Performance Specialization. Emphasis is on the successful management of organized labor employees in dynamic environments.
This specialization is available to students in all graduate programs.
Information Technology
Managers, directors, and senior executives in Information Technology can gain vital knowledge to increase an organization’s efficiency and effectiveness in the marketplace through advanced Information Technology strategies and implementation provided by this specialization.
This specialization is available to students in all graduate programs.
International Management
In today’s global marketplace, effective leadership in any industry requires special skills. Students interested in pursuing a career with multi-national strategic vision benefit from the skills and application of knowledge obtained in the International Management Specialization.
This specialization is available to students in all graduate programs except the Master of International Management program.
Online Teaching
The online learning environment provides new opportunities and challenges for teachers and students alike. Leaders in all fields of study who are interested in gaining new skills and methods for teaching online courses and professional training sessions will benefit from pursuing their master’s degree with a specialization in Online Teaching.
This specialization is only available to students in the M.S. in Management and M.S. in Organizational Leadership programs.
Organizational Leadership and Change Management
Managers, at any level or tenure, must be able to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of business. Students in this specialization gain the tools for career advancement by learning to thrive through market innovations and handle rapid organizational growth and change.
This specialization is available to students in all graduate programs.
Learn more about Organizational Leadership and Change Management »
Organizational Training and Instructional Design
Corporate trainers, program coordinators, teachers and other instructors will benefit from the knowledge gained in this specialization with emphasis on the basic principles on instructional design, program development, learner comprehension, and more.
This specialization is available to students in all graduate programs except the M.S. in Teaching and Learning program.
Learn more about Organizational Training and Instructional Design »
Project Management
This graduate level specialization in project management offers extensive leadership and skill development regarding improved organizational efficiency and performance. These courses include topic areas, practical skills, and knowledge aligned to professional certifications associated with the Project Management Institute (PMI) including the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® and the Project Management Professional (PMP)®.
This specialization is available to students in all graduate programs except the Master of Project Management program.
Strategic Innovation and Change Management
This specialization focuses on enhancing one’s ability to efficiently manage though the strategic implementation of change and evolution within a business or organization. Managers who effectively adapt to meet the needs of their environment are more likely to succeed.
This specialization is available to students in all graduate programs.
Learn more about Strategic Innovation and Change Management »
This accredited online Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration graduate program is designed to provide students with the advanced knowledge needed to excel in the criminal justice field. Students develop the ability to apply best practices and appropriate theoretical constructs to problem solving. Consisting of eight 3-credit courses, students gain a practical understanding to the theory, structure, and requirements of this growing industry.
As a student in the Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration master’s program, you will:
- Evaluate the roles, functions, and influences of an effective manager on a criminal justice organization’s culture.
- Understand and apply tools in evidence based corrections and law enforcement operations decision making.
- Gain an advanced understanding of the ethical issues facing criminal justice organizations and personnel.
- Compare and contrast theories, understanding how the relationship between them and practice lead to focused and flexible work teams.
- Analyze the policy and political implications of criminal justice administration and leadership.
- Understand the role of community in criminal justice practice and gain skill to capitalize on program and policy enhancement through community collaboration.
- Outline the issues associated with diversity and inclusiveness in criminal justice practice.
- Develop, refine, and use communication skills to accomplish goals and objectives.
- Understand the value of personal and professional development, community service, and life-long learning.
- Evaluate the security issues relating to information assurance systems and technology.
- Conduct a critical analysis of problems, research, solution alternatives, and the environment in the development and execution of strategy.
The online master’s degree program in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration is one of the accredited 100% online degree programs provided by CSU-Global Campus focused on professional development and career-relevant skills. With affordable online tuition rates, the CSU-Global Tuition Guarantee, financial options, and streamlined admissions earning your degree from a regionally accredited public university has never been simplifier.
Core criminal justice courses are listed in the suggested order of completion:
RES501 Fundamentals of Research and Writing: Students accepted into this program with an undergraduate GPA below 3.00 may be required to take RES501 as an additional requirement. This course helps students entering graduate level programs develop awareness of current and effective research and writing practices.
ORG502 Effective Organizations – Theory and Practice: Gain a contemporary understanding of managing operational and strategic issues in public and private organizations facing accelerated social, economic, and technological changes. This course will examine organizational theory, strategic thinking and management, theories of decision making, leadership, organizational culture, and change management in a post-industrial society.
CRJ500 Criminological Theory: Understand theories and principles of crime and deviance from a criminological perspective.
CRJ530 Ethics, Justice, and Social Control: Explore the theory, practice, and application of ethics to the field of criminal justice and understand the role ethics has in law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
CRJ540 Criminal Justice Policy Development and Analysis: This course explores the process of policy making in the justice system, including an examination of the ways policy decisions impact criminal justice organizations.
CRJ550 Leadership, Administration and Management of Criminal Justice Organizations: Students will expand their knowledge of organizational behavior and link those theories to the management of justice organizations with various sizes and purposes and all levels of government.
CRJ560 Communities and the Administration of Justice: Understand the role communities play in the administration of justice and the responsibility of criminal justice organizations to involve communities in justice planning.
CRJ570 Applied Research for Criminal Justice Professionals: Develop practical understanding and experience in applying research tools and techniques most commonly used by criminal justice organizations to understand and contextualize criminal behavior.
CRJ580 Criminal Justice Capstone Experience: Understand and integrate the components of criminal justice policy, administration, and management.
Dr. Olivia Yu
Program Coordinator for Master of Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration
Dr. Olivia Yu has expansively theory and methodology training and her areas of research interest are white-collar crime, comparative criminal justice/social control and quantitative research methods. Her research and publication topics range from issues with official crime statistics to the relationship between business ethics and corporate crime to predatory mortgage lending. With more than 20 years of higher education instruction experience, Dr. Yu has taught courses in sociology, criminology/criminal justice, and English, as well as served as the chairperson and graduate director in the Criminal Justice Department at the Utica College of Syracuse University, New York and at the University of Texas – San Antonio respectively.
Dr. Yu received her Ph.D. in Sociology from University at Buffalo, New York and her bachelor’s degree was in English-English Literature.
What Dr. Yu says about the Master of Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration degree:
"After 9/11, there are many more fields and sub-fields in criminal justice. Students have more chances to get into the field in different kind of investigation, including IT area and forensic accounting, so it's a very broad field. Students don't just get jobs in the public sector, lot of private sector and security jobs are available as well."
