Master's in Criminal Justice Online MS Degree Programs

Protect your country and community by earning your Master's in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Advanced Counterterrorism and Homeland Security.

Our advanced counterterrorism concentration will help prepare you for an exciting career where fast and thorough analysis, decision-making and actions can have life-saving consequences. You'll learn intelligence analysis, threat assessment, advanced surveillance and counterterrorism techniques.

Students of the criminal justice master’s online with a concentration in advanced counterterrorism will gain exposure to critical, current skills and strategies applicable to areas such as policing, border patrol and homeland security. Upon completion of your criminal justice master’s online degree, you'll come away with a broad understanding of the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in these growing fields. You'll learn:

• Techniques of threat assessment, intelligence collection and analysis
• Strategic, political and organizational challenges associated with homeland security efforts
• Legal and constitutional implications of homeland security

Career outlook

The master’s in advanced counterterrorism will explore the challenges of counterterrorism and homeland security. By studying criminal justice online with SNHU, you’ll also be prepared for a wide variety of positions, including those in local and federal government, law enforcement, security and corrections. A master’s degree can be a significant advantage in career advancement and promotion to senior responsibility roles in public safety organizations.

The curriculum for this criminal justice master’s online degree provides in-depth knowledge of advanced homeland security tactics designed to help you move ahead in your career. You’ll learn from industry experts who teach the subject matter from a practical, hands-on perspective, adding relevance and credibility to your training.

Courses may include:

• Global Terrorism
• Terrorist Techniques and Counterterrorism
• Threat Assessment
• Intelligence Collection Analysis

In addition to this concentration, we also offer a full master's in cyber security degree program for those who want to take a more technical approach to defense.

The MS in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Public Safety Administration will help prepare you for career advancement in law enforcement, specifically in leadership positions that address public policy.

A public safety administration master's degree can help you understand the challenges facing society today and learn how policy decisions are made and implemented at the national, state and local levels. Courses are designed with the present and future administrator or leader in mind: All have a direct application to the challenges of managing a criminal justice agency.

The coursework in this criminal justice online program deals with forecasting and public budgeting, police and community behavior, and scenario planning. You'll learn how to navigate the complexities of the American criminal justice system.

Career outlook:

Graduates of the public safety administration master's degree program typically work for local, state and federal governments, as well as nonprofit and educational organizations.

Many jobs fall into this category, but among the related occupations most in demand are city managers and county administrators, for which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6% growth through 2031.¹ Earning a criminal justice master's degree online with SNHU could help position you for career advancement or promotion to senior responsibility roles in public safety organizations.

The curriculum for the public safety administration master’s degree combines the core of our criminal justice online program with the theories and analysis needed to take the reins in public safety. Experienced faculty will help you develop into a leader with strategic planning and management skills.

Courses may include:

• Strategic Management in Public Service
• Public Safety Administration
• Data-Driven Decision-Making in Criminal Justice

Flexible

With no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7.

Affordable

As part of our mission to make higher education more accessible, we’re committed to keeping our tuition rates low. In fact, we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation.

Prior coursework and work experience could also help you save time and money. SNHU’s transfer policy allows you to transfer up to 12 credits from your previous institution. You could also earn college credit for previous work experience.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 160,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), a regional accreditor, which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality. 

Recently, SNHU has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

• “Most Innovative” regional university honors from U.S. News & World Report each year since 2015
• A $1 million grant from Google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth
• Recognition as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium

Network

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 300,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

93.6% of online students would recommend SNHU (according to a 2022 survey with 17,000+ respondents). Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials:

• Completed free application
• Undergraduate transcripts, which we can retrieve for you by submitting a transcript request form

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms.

If you’re ready to apply, follow these simple steps to get the process going:

• Complete free graduate application
• Submit undergraduate transcripts
• Work with an admission counselor to explore financial options and walk through application process

Notes: 

• Laptop or desktop?  Whichever you choose depends on your personal preference and work style, though laptops tend to offer more flexibility. 

• Note:  Chromebooks (Chrome OS) and iPads (iOS) do not meet the minimum requirements for coursework at SNHU. These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device. SNHU does, however, have an affordable laptop option that it recommends: Dell Latitude 3301 with Windows 10. 

• Office 365 Pro Plus is available free of charge to all SNHU students and faculty. The Office suite will remain free while you are a student at SNHU. Upon graduation you may convert to a paid subscription if you wish. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion. Review system requirements for Microsoft 365 plans for business, education and government. 

• Antivirus software: Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers. 

A criminal justice master’s degree can prepare you to take on leadership roles in law enforcement and public safety. By earning your degree, you’ll be equipped with the critical thinking, data driven decision-making and organizational management skills necessary to succeed in an evolving law enforcement landscape.

While many criminal justice careers don’t require a college degree, law enforcement agencies are increasingly looking for college graduates when hiring. Earning a master’s degree can give you a leg up when applying for top jobs or seeking a promotion and can prepare you to adapt in an evolving field.

"So many things change constantly that it is important to prepare students for the changes that occur on a daily basis," said Dr. Jeff Czarnec, the associate dean of criminal justice and social sciences for SNHU Online and a retired police officer. "What we deal with today is different than 2 years ago, and that's different from 5 years ago. It's about preparing them to think creatively and act nimbly and prepare for the changes."

Depending on your career goals, a master’s degree concentration in advanced counterterrorism or public safety administration could help you enjoy an even wider range of opportunities.

A counterterrorism master’s degree will help you understand how to analyze foreign and domestic terrorism threats, gather, examine and interpret intelligence, and deconstruct biases and mindsets about terrorism.

With a public safety administration master’s degree, you’ll get a firm grasp on the behind-the-scenes workings of criminal justice and public policy, preparing you to guide and implement policy at local, state and federal levels.

At SNHU, tuition rates for online master’s degree programs are some of the lowest in the country.

It's important to note, though, that the actual cost of your degree will vary based on the specific courses you take, the materials required for each course and your prior educational experience. You may, for example, transfer up to 12 credits of relevant graduate coursework, saving you tuition, as well as time, to complete your program.

Many courses also include additional costs for learning resources. While SNHU’s online college degree programs aim to make use of free resources whenever possible – including e-books, websites and training videos – some courses will require textbooks.

It depends. With an online master’s degree program, you can fit your learning into your current schedule, earning a master’s degree in as few as 15 months.

We like to manage student expectations by saying that most master’s degree programs can be completed in about 2 years. That said, with 5 graduate term starts per year, you have the flexibility to move at a slower pace if you'd like. This can be especially beneficial to those earning their degree while balancing a career and family.

At the end of the day, we want to make your goals more accessible. That means giving you the flexibility to complete your program at whatever pace works best for you.

With a public safety administration master’s degree from SNHU, you’ll be ready to apply your law enforcement experience to leadership positions that address public policy.

Whether you hope to take on a leadership role at the local, state or national level, you’ll be prepared to navigate the complexities of the U.S. criminal justice system across a variety of agencies and in-demand careers.

With a job as an emergency management director, you could prepare for and lead the response to natural disasters and other emergencies for a city, county or state. Emergency management jobs are expected to grow 3% through 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.¹

You could also guide the day-to-day workings and long-term growth of a city or county as a county administrator, mayor or city manager. Management jobs like these are projected to grow 3% through 2032, according to BLS data.¹

A criminal justice master’s degree will prepare you for a variety of jobs across many industries, including law enforcement, corrections, public safety and administration.

Earning a criminal justice master’s degree can give you the critical thinking and problem solving skills you need to stand out in the evolving law enforcement, corrections and public safety fields.

According to BLS, some of the top criminal justice jobs¹ include:

• Police officers and detectives: Protect lives and property, investigate to gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.
• Corrections officers: Manage operations and staff at jails, prisons and other parts of the corrections system, overseeing those who are awaiting trial or serving a sentence.
• Forensic science technicians: Aid criminal investigations by collecting and analyzing evidence from crime scenes and testifying about the results in court proceedings.
• Private investigators: Conduct investigations for private citizens about legal, financial and personal matters.
• Probation officers: Assist in the rehabilitation of criminal offenders in custody or on probation or parole.

The best online college for criminal justice is one that treats you as an individual and can be tailored to help you reach your personal career goals.

At SNHU, we started offering online classes in 1995 to help active duty military students pursue their degree from anywhere. We've since taken great pride in our ability to evolve our online learning solutions to suit the needs of all learners.

Our online programs are:

• Affordable. As a university built for people, not for profit, we strive to keep our programs as affordable as possible.
• Flexible. Our graduate degrees are built to fit your busy life. Access your coursework online, on your time – and you can even finish your master's in as few as 15 months.
• Transfer-friendly. We want to make the process of earning your degree as seamless as possible. One way we do that is by accepting up to 12 credits toward your master's – so you can pick up where you left off.

We understand that a career in law enforcement often requires long hours and shift work. In order to help you succeed in the criminal justice master’s degree program, we'll help you find the right balance between work and school, and support you along the way whenever you need it.

Our faculty will also insert real-world examples and experiences into the learning process as a way to ensure you’re able to take your knowledge from the classroom to your career. At SNHU, criminal justice courses are taught by law enforcement and public safety professionals with years of hands-on experience – including many who are still actively working in the field.

Finally, a capstone project required before graduation ensures that you’ll get the chance to apply the skills and knowledge you’ve learned toward a real-life challenge impacting your organization or community.

While many may think these terms are interchangeable, there are, in fact, some important differences between criminology and criminal justice.

Criminology is the study of crime, or the "why" behind criminal behavior. As such, criminology involves the research and analysis of all aspects of deviant human behavior, from the causes of crimes to their consequences. By understanding these factors, a criminologist can then use these findings to inform policies to help mitigate crime.

Criminal profiling and forensic psychology are possible careers that fall under the category of criminology.²

Criminal justice, on the other hand, hones in on the practical applications. Criminal justice takes the "why" from criminology and explores the real-life responses to it. This may include any number of complex areas, such as local and federal policies, law enforcement, incarceration, rehabilitation and more.

There are a broad range of criminal justice careers, including police officers, investigators and detectives.²

Our online MS in Criminal Justice explores concepts relevant to both criminal justice and criminology careers – helping prepare you for the role you want.

Yes and no. There are, in fact, professionals responsible for creating criminal profiles. However, these jobs are typically called "criminal investigative analysts," not "criminal profiler."

Criminal investigative analysts use data to identify likely characteristics of a suspect in a crime. Several resources are used to compile these criminal profiles, such as the testimonies of witnesses or victims as well as forensic crime scene evidence.

According to Indeed, most criminal investigative analysts are employed by the FBI in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) and work in the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) in Quantico, VA.³ Some analysts may also work for the Bureau of Tobacco and Firearms to identify arsonists and bombers.³

While there may not be as many "criminal profilers" in real life as you see depicted on TV, there are still many fascinating career opportunities that a degree in criminal justice can prepare you for.

¹Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet at:

• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm (viewed Dec. 11, 2023)
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/emergency-management-directors.htm (viewed Dec. 11, 2023)
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/top-executives (viewed Dec. 11, 2023)
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/social-and-community-service-managers.htm (viewed Dec. 11, 2023)

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

²The Balance Careers, The Difference Between Careers in Criminology and Criminal Justice, on the internet, at https://www.thebalancecareers.com/difference-between-criminology-and-criminal-justice-3975265 (viewed Aug. 3, 2021)

³ Indeed, What Is A Criminal Profiler?, on the internet, at https://www.indeed.com/hire/c/info/what-is-a-profiler (viewed Aug. 3, 2021)