About this Program
Be One of the Best with Online Master’s in Criminal Justice
Serve your community, advance your career and study criminology from the best—all online and on your schedule. With our online master’s in criminal justice, complete your degree in two years, on your timeline.
Seattle University’s Online Master’s in Criminal Justice program prepares open-minded professionals to become leaders for change, rebuilding a just, humane and anti-racist criminal justice system.
In this academically rigorous program, you'll analyze crime and its impact through a diverse, socially conscious lens while examining criminology policies and operations.
As one of the best programs for criminal justice, you'll experience:
- An Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences aligned program
- Renowned faculty members
- A flexible online format
Explore Criminal Justice
Program Director Dr. Elaine Gunnison shares how our top-rated program prepares you for a rewarding career in criminal justice.
Support for Your Development
Internships for Career Preparation
While internships are not required for academic credit, there are a wide range of internship and employment opportunities in criminal justice at the local and national level. Students have had internships and volunteer experiences in city, county, state and federal agencies.
Leaders for Justice, Fairness and Equality
We prepare our graduates to advocate for reform within and beyond the criminal justice system and to lead for justice, fairness and equality. You'll engage in the course Critical Criminology, a core course in our curriculum, to learn how to deconstruct scientific thinking, language and theoretical perspectives that have perpetuated oppression and power relations of injustice.
Crime and Justice Research Center
We recognize that crime and its prevention, response and reparation are community concerns. We address those through the integration of perspectives, strategies and approaches based on evidence-based practices and collaborative engagement.
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Well-Rounded, Comprehensive Program
The Online Master's in Criminal Justice program explores both criminal justice and criminology. With this best of both worlds approach, you have the benefit of diving deeply in the study of crime.
Through classes such as, "Criminal Justice Legislation & Policy," "Investigative Criminology and Offender Profiling," "Contemporary Issues in Victimology" and more, you will become well-rounded criminal justice professionals.
The program offers core criminology classes combined with unique opportunities to specialize in one of three areas:
- Victimology: Integrate coursework specifically devoted to research, theory and issues focused on victims of crime.
- Investigative Criminology: Enhance your knowledge of the application of criminological theory to investigative practice and to develop investigative skills and expertise.
- Research and Evaluation: Study quantitative and qualitative research methods and comprehensive exposure to key areas of criminal justice research.
Designed for Your Career
Along with graduating from a program that’s well respected and highly rated, you’ll graduate with:
- Specialized experience in victimology, investigative criminology and research and evaluation.
- Connections in the field through career-launching internship opportunities.
- Strong criminology ethics, exposure to diversity of thought and the ability to think critically.
Graduates of the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice degree generally seek careers in:
- Law enforcement
- Private security
- Community and institutional corrections
- Court services
- Victim services
- Social services
- Academia
- Investigation in a range of public and private agencies
Advisory Committee: Deep Connections in Seattle and Beyond
Our Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, with more than 100 members, includes key professionals from more than 50 agencies in local, state, federal and private criminal justice agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ACLU, Microsoft Global Securities Risk Operations, Seattle Police Department, WA State Department of Corrections, the Public Defender Association and many more.
Committee members make important contributions through assisting with program development, internships and collaborative research and service initiatives, preparing for labor market demands and determining the best ways to serve your needs as a student.
Popular Careers and Career Paths
The criminal justice field offers many career opportunities. Our graduates are working in law enforcement, private security, community and institutional corrections, court services, victim services, social services, academia and/or investigation in a range of public and private agencies.
They have rewarding careers as data analysts, law enforcement officers, forensic scientists, victim advocates, criminal investigators, researchers, policymakers, advocates and teachers in community colleges and universities.
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Get in Touch
If you have any questions about the program or application, we’re here to help.
Michelle Mika
Admissions Counselor