Crime Analysis Certificate Program

A one-year, online-only program consisting of 25 credit hours

As a crime analyst you may:

  • perform detailed statistical analyses of crime data,
  • prepare periodic reports on criminal activity and trends,
  • identify emerging crime patterns, and
  • communicate your findings to a variety of internal and external audiences.

In order to explore relationships and identify patterns and correlations in support of investigative efforts you may analyze a wide variety of data including arrests, convictions, known criminal associates, and other criminal intelligence data.

These data come from diverse sources, including existing agency databases, financial and telecommunications records, and the Internet.

Crime analysts must be skilled in manipulating data and creating relational databases that can accommodate a wide variety of data formats and sources.

Crime analysts may also be called upon to design and execute managerial and administrative studies forecasting personnel, budgeting, and other resource needs. They may also conduct citizen surveys of crime victimization, satisfaction with police services, and perceptions of departmental performance. They need to have broad knowledge in law enforcement operations, criminological theory, statistics, research methods, and relevant computer technology. They need good critical thinking skills, logic and reasoning ability. Finally, effective writing and presentation skills are essential for crime analysts.

There is a critical need for crime analysts. Their work enhances our ability to effectively and efficiently utilize our resources to improve public safety in our communities.

Sue Rahr, Executive Director WA State Criminal Justice Training Commission

More about the program

May be completed on a full- or part-time basis, with part-time students completing in two years.

All students enrolled in the certificate program take a series of required foundation courses (19 credits), and elective courses (6 credits) on data management and analysis, terrorism, and intelligence analysis.

NOTE: Up to 10 (of the 25) Certificate in Crime Analysis credits (with the CRJS prefix only/excluding IS 566 , IS 567 , ECON 566) will apply to the MACJ degree if a student completing the certificate program is admitted to the MACJ degree program upon completion of the certificate program. MACJ graduates and MACJ current students who wish to complete the Certificate in Crime Analysis in addition to the MACJ degree may count up to 10 credits of CRJS courses included in the MACJ degree program toward the Certificate in Crime Analysis

Gainful Employment Disclosure: More about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information is available here.

More about the program

Contact Us

Destiny Ledesma
Senior Admission Counselor
(206) 296-5960
dledesma@seattleu.edu

Jonathan Bechtol
Graduate Program Coordinator
(206) 296-2139
bechtolj@seattleu.edu

Elaine Gunnison 
Graduate Program Director
(206) 296-2430
gunnisone@seattleu.edu 

Matthew Hickman
Department Chair
(206) 296-2484
hickmanm@seattleu.edu

Information Sessions

Meet our alumni

Seattle U Criminal Justice

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Dr. Elaine Gunnison, Director of the Masters in Criminal Justice Programs at Seattle University welcomes you to the program and invites you to find out more about one of the top-rated criminal justice programs in the nation.