Purpose

The purpose of the Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree is to offer Criminal Justice professionals an advanced degree which focuses on both the Criminal Justice context and professional administration therein. The online context will allow these professionals to advance their careers by completing the degree while still working fulltime. Additionally, those students who seek a terminal degree in Criminal Justice or Public Administration will find this Master’s degree to be a helpful stepping stone.

Program Specific Admission Requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements, specific requirements for admission to the Master of Science in Criminal Justice (M.S.) are as follows:

1. Earned baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (e.g., SACSCOC, TRACS, ABHE, etc.).
2. An undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above (on a 4.00 scale).
3. TOEFL Scores for students who speak English as a second language (score of 600 paper-based test; 250 computer-based test, 80 internet-based test)

Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement may be admitted on Academic Caution status. Applicants who hold a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.00 to 2.99 on a 4.00 scale may be eligible for admission on Academic Caution.

Transfer of Credit

Students may transfer up to 18 hours of graduate-level credit from an accredited institution. In order to transfer credit, students must have earned the minimum grade of B-, and courses must have been completed within 10 years of the start date of the student’s program at Liberty University. Credits from a prior degree on the same academic level earned through Liberty University are considered transfer credits.

Public safety professionals who graduate from a national or regional command college and who have received graduate credit from a regionally accredited sponsoring university, and who have not previously used such credit for a degree, may transfer up to 12 hours of graduate credit associated with the command college to the Master of Science in Criminal Justice as Experiential Learning credit.

Program Learning Outcomes

The student will be able to:

• Synthesize best practices and knowledge of Criminal Justice organization literature.
• Integrate solid Christian Worldview principles into ethical and legal decision making in a criminal justice context.
• Apply solutions to leadership challenges in the justice organization context.
• Evaluate theoretical and applied research in the context of Criminal Justice Organizations.

Delivery Format: Online Only

 

• Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Counter-terrorism
• Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher
• Domestic and International Terrorism
• Forensic Science Technician
• Intelligence Analyst
• Transportation Security