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Join Dr. Elaine Gunnison in a recorded information session detailing the Online Master's in Criminal Justice program.
Criminal Justice is an academic discipline that enjoys a high job placement rate, and many positions in today’s competitive job market require the master’s degree and/or provide salary increases commensurate with education level.
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.
Yes! Our program is asynchronous and online, meaning that you can complete your degree on your time, from anywhere. Most students take 6-9 credits a quarter and complete the degree in two years.
If you are interested in attending a conference (either domestic or international), applications must be completed and turned in at least six weeks before dates of travel. Any student interested should request the application from the Graduate Program Coordinator and work to submit and discuss it with the Department Chair.
You are not required to select a specialization area. The advantage of not choosing a specialization is flexibility in selecting elective credits. The advantage of concentrating in a particular area is that a set of courses will be required and identified on your transcript and diploma as an official specialization. This may stand out to employers who seek expertise in a specific area (e.g., a victimology specialization may be an asset in applying for positions in victim services, research and evaluation for research analyst positions, and investigative criminology for investigative positions) or to graduate admissions and selection committee for Ph.D. programs.
Here are a few tips/factors to think about in determining whether or not to concentrate.
Choose the Online Master's in Criminal Justice with no specialization if:
Choose the Online Master's in Criminal Justice Research and Evaluation specialization if:
Choose the Online Master's in Criminal Justice with Investigative Criminology specialization if:
Choose the Online Master's in Criminal Justice with Victimology specialization if:
If you are unsure whether or not you would like to concentrate in a particular area, the best approach is to look at what your schedule will look like if you select the specialization and which courses you will be required to take. Keep in mind that you can select a specialization and/or change your mind at any time prior to your last quarter (although changing or adding a specialization area late in the program may affect your date of completion). To change or select a specialization, contact the Graduate Director and/or your faculty advisor.
All Online Master's in Criminal Justice students are required to either pass a comprehensive examination or complete a thesis. Students wishing to pursue the thesis option must obtain approval from the Graduate Director by submitting a thesis proposal and identifying a thesis chair and committee.
Here are a few tips/factors to consider when deciding which option to choose.
Choose the comprehensive exam if:
Choose the thesis if:
Students may work as a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Research Assistant (RA) for criminal justice faculty for academic credit. Both positions offer students an excellent opportunity to acquire proficiencies in pedagogical and research skills. For those students who are considering entering into academic positions or doctoral programs upon graduation, working as a TA or RA is great work experience. TAs assist the faculty member in teaching responsibilities for undergraduate criminal justice courses. Typical responsibilities of TAs include: acquiring recent research for the course, assistance in grading, classroom support, and perhaps the opportunity to make a mini-presentation in the course. RAs assist in the research of the graduate faculty member. Typical responsibilities of RAs include: conducting literature searchers, acquiring research articles, and assistance in data collection and analysis. Students who would like to work as a TA or RA must first contact the criminal justice faculty member that they are interested in working with to determine the work requirements and the needs of the faculty member. Once an agreement has been reached between the student and faculty member, the student will need to see the department chair for final approval.
Online Master's in Criminal Justice students may obtain 1-3 credits for work completed as part of an approved internship. Students must work 50 hours per credit, complete a reflection log, agency and student self-evaluation, and synthesis paper (nature and length determined in consultation with Internship Director). Students also have the option of completing an independent study project involving research, theory, or practice in criminal justice. Independent study projects are approved by Department Chair on a case-by-case basis.
Students have had internships and volunteer experiences in city, county, state, and federal agencies, including:
Students may also seek internship positions on their own and obtain approval through the Internship Director.
More information can be found on our Internships and Employment page.
The Seattle University Criminal Justice Fellowship Award provides ten incoming Master's in Criminal Justice students with scholarship awards ranging from $2,400-$3,600 per year for two years. These scholarships are awarded to incoming students based on merit and need as well as those who are working full or part-time in the criminal justice system.
The Eugene Corr Scholarship Award, "Corr Scholarship,” is named in honor of Eugene Corr, co-founder of the Seattle University Criminal Justice Department and former Assistant Police Chief of Seattle Police Department. It is awarded annually to an incoming MACJ student who is a minority and/or and plans to pursue a career in law enforcement after completing the degree. The Corr Scholarship Award is a one-time award of $2,000.
The Marion J. Helenkamp Endowed Scholarship in Criminal Justice of $500,000 will provide scholarships to Seattle University Criminal Justice students. Marion Helenkamp graduated from Seattle University in 1953 and went on to be the first-ever African American woman lieutenant in the L.A.P.D. At Ms. Helenkamp’s passing in 2015, her family donated a portion of her estate to the Seattle University Department of Criminal Justice. The Criminal Justice Department awards the approximate $25,000 annually to multiple undergraduate and graduate students with an average of $2,500 per award, based on need and merit.
The Blume Criminal Justice Scholars Program. $250,000 was generously donated by Ann and Bruce Blume to fund student scholarships as well as an endowment that will support scholars in perpetuity. The Blumes awarded the Seattle University Department of Criminal Justice this generous fund to further important research, practice, and service at the intersection of criminal justice and mental health. The Criminal Justice Department awards the Blume Criminal Justice Scholarship to two students annually -- $2,500 will go to one undergraduate and one graduate student who will also serve as student members of our department's advisory committee.
All admitted applicants are considered for Seattle University Graduate Scholarships based upon a holistic review of all information received in the application process and available funding. Awards are renewable for multi-year programs based upon satisfactory progress toward degree completion. Scholarship amounts are based upon full-time enrollment of minimally 6 quarter credits per term. Students taking less than 6 quarter credits will have their award amount pro-rated accordingly.
Endowed scholarship consideration may require additional documents and recipients may be notified after admission depending upon the selection criteria. Domestic and permanent resident applicants are strongly encouraged to complete a FAFSA to be eligible for any need-based endowed or external scholarships and/or graduate student loans.