CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE Master of Science in Criminal Justice Online Degree Program OU ONLINE
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MS in Criminal Justice
THANK YOU
FOR CONSIDERING OU!
The criminal justice system is more complex than ever before. In the United States alone, we are seeing increasing numbers of stakeholders, community initiatives, incarceration and sentencing policy changes, along with large police reform movements. Complex issues require criminal justice leaders who have a strong foundation in policy reform. They need to be able to harness cultural differences and perspectives while constantly adapting to the ever-changing criminal justice landscape within their communities. We are proud to offer an impactful criminal justice degree that produces leaders with the ethics, decision making, and front-line leaderships skills they need to thrive in today’s criminal justice field. We are excited that you are considering our program. Thank you for choosing OU Online.
OU Online
PREPARE TO
SERVE OTHERS Prepare to change lives and help others with a master’s degree from OU Online. Our Criminal Justice program will not only help you to gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities to innovate in the criminal justice field, it will help you to develop key leadership skills for serving your community in meaningful ways.
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We seek to address
MSCJ
the complex issues
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
affecting the criminal justice systems in today’s modern world.
The Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) from OU Online is an accredited, flexible, and affordable degree program designed to help you develop the critical leadership skills necessary in today’s dynamic criminal justice field. Uniquely provided by OU Online, this program examines the complexities of criminal justice in a modern world. These types of complex issues require criminal justice leaders who have a strong foundation in policy reform and the ever-growing role of technology and data for decision-making. To successfully foster safer communities and champion policy reform, leaders will need to have skills in communication, community building, analytical thinking, problem solving, and public relations.
This kind of flexibility will enable you to work full-time while directly applying the curriculum to your career from day one. Our supportive expert faculty have designed a practical curriculum that empowers students to learn and apply the material through engaging assignments, discussions, projects, and forums. The MSCJ program will provide you with the soft skills you need to thrive as a confident leader, prepared to meet both current and future challenges within the criminal justice field. Be a part of the change and prepare to lead in criminal justice.
The MSCJ is a 33-credit program designed to be completed in 24 months. We offer several course options, so that you can specialize in the area that is most important to your career goals. Our 100% online curriculum offers learning flexibility through our best-in-class learning platform.
PROGRAM IN NUMBERS 24
33
100%
10+
MONTHS
CREDIT HOURS
ONLINE COURSE DELIVERY
ONLINE COURSES
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MS in Criminal Justice
PROGRAM FORMAT AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
The Master’s of Criminal Justice is a fully online program, with 33 credit hours, completed in as
+ A wealth of electives to meet your career goals + A choice of start dates in Fall, Spring, or Summer + 10+ courses completed in as few as 24 months + University of Oklahoma excellence in teaching, research, and service.
little as 24 months.
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Learn to understand the complex criminal justice landscape, and how to successfully navigate it, in order to bring about meaningful change.
Learn to use research methods and data analysis for practical and ethical decision-making within your criminal justice career.
Learn the latest law enforcement strategies such as police leadership, intelligence-led policing, cyber-forensics, and more.
Learn practical mediation, conflict resolution, and restorative justice models to improve efficacy within the criminal justice system.
Learn about penology policy trends, corrections in the 21st century, juvenile justice paradigms, and the collateral effects of incarceration.
Learn about drug policy, global drug trafficking, and new crime deterrence approaches by the courts, to improve public health.
MS in Criminal Justice
We offer a wealth of
MSCJ
course offerings, in order
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
to meet the unique career goals of our students.
CORE COURSES REQUIRED Introduction to Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies Students will gain an appreciation for performance standards and scholarship appropriate to graduate study and develop the skills necessary for success in academic research and writing in this intensive seminar. Interdisciplinary Foundations of Leadership An introduction to the concept of interdisciplinarity as an organizing principle for understanding and interpreting models, theories, and applications of leadership in a variety of organizational settings. Provides selected readings designed to reinforce the interdisciplinary approach to graduate studies in leadership. Criminal Justice Policy Development The backbone of activity within criminal justice consists of policies and programs that have been developed to meet dynamic social needs. In this course, you’ll learn the process of policy development from beginning to end and examine what research has shown to be effective crime control policy. Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Justice This course will enhance your understanding of criminological theory through examination of the historical, social and political context from which theories emerged.
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Ethical Decision Making in Criminal Justice You’ll combine principles from the major ethical positions charted by Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Mill, Kant and Rawls with codes of practice and current case law, while examining case vignettes and discussing the ethical components of each case. Research Methods for Criminal Justice This course will give you a basic overview of research techniques, how those techniques have demonstrated success and failure of programs in American criminal justice and what obstacles can prevent research findings from instigating change.
SAMPLE ELECTIVES Victimology and Restorative Justice This course will delve into the evolving field of victimology, including the reemergence of the victim as the rightful focus of the criminal justice system and public policy. Mediation and Conflict Resolution In this course, you’ll learn about practical strategies for resolving conflict with both internal and external customers. You’ll also complete a self-assessment of your own conflict management style as measured by the TKI Conflict Mode Instrument. Community Corrections in the 21st Century This course introduces the topics of probation, parole and other alternatives to incarceration. Emphasis is place on the role of research and program evaluation in determining policy and program effectiveness. Community Policing This course will expand on the concept of community policing by providing a history of policing. You’ll examine the effectiveness of community partnerships, researching methods of solving problems within communities and developing a strategy to implement community policing in a police department, and program evaluation in determining policy and program effectiveness. Restorative Justice Programs for Drug Offenders This course will increase your knowledge and understanding of restorative justice, a new movement within the criminal justice system that began at the turn of the century. You’ll learn about the restorative justice model and examine the way drug courts have implemented the key principles of restorative justice into beneficial programs that
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have proven successful in crime deterrence and improvement in public health. Human Trafficking This course is an in-depth study of human trafficking–both labor trafficking and sex trafficking–in select countries around the world, including the United States. Each country will be examined as both a destination and a departure point for victims. How each country responds to victims will also be studied. Correctional Leadership This course will increase your knowledge and understanding of ethical and effective leadership within the criminal justice and corrections profession. You’ll have an opportunity to identify and evaluate your own leadership style and level of competence. Special Populations in Criminal Justice Race This course examines the origins, extent and consequences of racial and ethnic overrepresentation in contemporary American criminal and juvenile justice systems. Special Populations in Criminal Justice Class You’ll examine the origins, extent and consequences of class/social inequity at all stages of the contemporary American criminal and juvenile justice systems. Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice System This course will address issues involving the high rate of individuals with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. You’ll have an opportunity to advance your own understanding of mental health issues in your professional work, as well as advocate for quality treatment and care of offenders with mental disorders.
Penology You’ll gain a broad knowledge of the key issues and emerging themes in scholarship on penology and corrections. Specific attention will be devoted to the United States and the significant correctional issues it faces. Collateral Effects of Incarceration This course addresses how incarceration affects families and communities. The indirect costs associated with incarceration, the psychological harm to offenders stemming from life in prison and the stress correctional employees face in one of the most difficult work environments in America will be studied. You’ll have an opportunity to develop personal prevention strategies and improvement strategies for your workplace.
violence in America, as well as current issues related to these subjects, will be explored. Studies in Police Leadership This course will explore the dynamics of leadership within the law enforcement context. You’ll be required to step out of the passive learner role and take on primary responsibility for defining, researching and reflecting on what it means to be a police leader as emphasis is placed on personal relevance and self-refection. Life Course Criminology The life-course paradigm has emerged as a potentially powerful tool for understanding criminal behavior. This course will give you an in-depth look at the life-course paradigm and its application to criminal justice policy.
Substance Abuse and Crime in the U.S. The criminal justice system is significantly impacted by substance abuse and drug crimes. This course will provide you with an in-depth examination of substance abuse history and trends in the United States, as well as in Oklahoma.
Crime Analysis In this course, you’ll learn about crime analysis and the use of the data gained to intelligently prevent and/or interdict crime. Topics include criminal analysis strategies, geographic information systems and the use of intelligence analysis and crime mapping.
Global Drug Trafficking This course offers a historical view of United States drug policy and examines how to implement drug policy on a state and local level. You’ll study the global nature of drug supply and demand, the effect of the Columbian connection for cocaine and the emergence and violent thriving of the Mexican drug cartels.
Cyber-Forensics Cyber forensics is the process of extracting information and data from computer storage media and guaranteeing its accuracy and reliability. In this course, you’ll learn how to find, collect and preserve data, as well as present it in a manner acceptable in a court of law.
Gangs in the United States This course covers gang formation, risk factors for joining gangs and the effectiveness of different types of gang prevention and intervention. The historical backgrounds of gangs, drugs and
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*Please note that course offerings are subject to change.
HOW TO APPLY WHAT TO SUBMIT
Let’s make progress together. Apply to OU Online today!
ONLINE APPLICATION Submit a complete OU Online Application. To apply to the online Master’s of Criminal Justice program, students must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university (or the international equivalent). Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are reviewed individually by the admissions committee.
CURRENT RESUME Include documentation of your professional experience. An updated resume or C.V. may be submitted within your online application or separately.
TRANSCRIPTS The Office of Graduate Admissions prefers electronic transcripts to be submitted directly to gradadm@ou.edu. If your undergraduate institution does not provide electronic transcripts, please have them mailed to the University of Oklahoma, Office of Graduate Admissions, 731 Elm Avenue, Room 318, Norman, OK 73019.
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY International students must demonstrate proficiency in the English language.
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PERSONAL STATEMENT A 1–2-page essay detailing your interest in the MSCJ and how you anticipate applying the degree to your career upon graduation. Your statement may be submitted within your online application or separately.
Applicants are not required to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or submit letters of recommendation.
AFFORDABILITY TUITION & FINANCE
Make a living while serving others. Invest in your future.
A SMART INVESTMENT A graduate degree from OU Online is a smart investment. The demand for conscientious criminal justice professionals who know how to lead, while addressing the complexities of today’s communities, is rising. According to the the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 53,000 new jobs for police officers and detectives will become available by 2026. These strong numbers, which translates to 7% growth in the field, extend across criminal justice-oriented professions.
FINANCIAL AID Financial aid is available for students who qualify. The University of Oklahoma’s Financial Aid office assists students by providing information about scholarship and financial aid opportunities. For more information, students can contact OU Online Financial Aid at onlineaid@ou.edu or visit us at ou.edu/online/finaid. Students can also view OU’s Financial Aid Guide or visit the federal government’s financial aid website for more info.
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TYPICAL COSTS Typical costs for the MSCJ program include:
+ $22,605 tuition ($685/credit hour for 33 hours) + $350 non-refundable tuition deposit + Reserves spot in upcoming class + Counts toward first semester tuition
+ Books and other course materials may carry additional costs
*Program rate is pending approval by Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.” Oklahoma residents applying for the Spring 2022 semester will receive a one-semester partial tuition waiver.
Enact change in your community by learning to lead in criminal justice with OU Online.
The University of Oklahoma is accredited by the Higher
OU ONLINE College of Professional and Continuing Studies 1700 Asp Avenue Norman, OK 73072 online@ou.edu
Learning Commission (HLC). The commission is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The Higher Learning Commission can be reached by writing to 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL, 60604 or by calling 1-800-621-7440. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution: www.ou.edu/eoo.