Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ)
Offered on campus or online, the Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) program is designed for those who want to enter or advance in the field of criminal justice, or who seek a deeper understanding of crime and justice for application in related fields. A Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Boston University’s Metropolitan College will give you a competitive edge, whether you plan to enhance your career, teach, apply to law school, or pursue a doctorate. Ever-evolving and often misunderstood, crime and justice issues are complex and important areas of public policy. In your coursework, you will analyze criminal behavior, apply principles of leadership in organizational settings, learn theories of social control, and gain an informed perspective of law enforcement, the judicial system, and corrections. Students in the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program have the option of choosing a concentration in Crime Analysis, Cybercrime Investigation & Cybersecurity, or Strategic Management.
Learning Outcomes
Students who complete the Master of Science in Criminal Justice will be able to demonstrate:
- Advanced knowledge of and ability to evaluate criminological and criminal justice theories and their implications for public policy and practice.
- Proficiency in research design and quantitative and qualitative analysis related to evaluation of criminal justice practices, programs, and policies, and to the etiology of crime in applied settings.
- Competence sufficient to evaluate and resolve the ethical issues in criminal justice practice and implement, manage, and lead organizational changes to prevent or respond effectively to them.
- An ability to synthesize, evaluate, recognize implications, and communicate effectively using scholarly sources of information connected to crime theory and policy.
- An understanding of leadership theories and skills as they pertain to managing and leading criminal justice organizations.
Additionally, students concentrating in Crime Analysis will be able to:
- Understand the wide variety of data sources available for crime and intelligence analysis, including data collection methods, uses, strengths, and limitations.
- Prepare different sources of data for analysis (e.g., data reorganization, matching) for use in analysis processes.
- Conduct analysis using a variety of different techniques, including mapping and spatial analysis and other advanced techniques.
- Incorporate analyses into effective written and oral reports that are useful to investigation, strategy, and policy decisions within law enforcement organizations.
- Comprehend the ethical and legal rules and values that govern crime analysis within law enforcement organizations operating in democratic society.
- Inform effective data-driven or intelligence-led investigations, strategies, and policies based on awareness of the contemporary law enforcement and security approaches.
Additionally, students concentrating in Cybercrime Investigation & Cybersecurity will be able to:
- Understand various criminological perspectives, including cybercriminals’ mindset and the motivational factors that contribute to the committing of illegal activities.
- Evaluate enforcement and sanctioning issues particular to the nature of cybercrime and identify specific problems with the use of new technology in international jurisdiction.
- Formulate criminological strategies for the prevention of cybercrime.
- Comprehend issues around the legal admissibility of digital evidence and recognize various cybercrime environment issues in the course of a cybercrime investigation.
- Exhibit comprehensive knowledge of cybercrime-focused digital forensics and develop the ability to apply digital forensic knowledge to cybercrime cases.
- Use state-of-the-art digital forensic tools of the industry with an adequate degree of proficiency and gain essential preparation for the Digital Forensic Examiner certification exams.
- Understand the process of conducting computer crime investigation and indicating security characteristics, threats, and responses via security measure assessment from technology; policy and practice; and education, training, and awareness dimensions.
- Practice risk management—identification, quantification, response, and control—and disaster recovery procedures and countermeasures for the business enterprise.
Additionally, students concentrating in Strategic Management will be able to demonstrate:
- Familiarity with organizational structures of the criminal justice system along with the classical and contemporary theories of organization, planning, and change.
- The ability to learn and apply planning skills related to criminal justice policymaking and program design.
- Knowledge of policy monitoring and program evaluation techniques.
- Proficient comprehension of quantitative and qualitative practices that enhance organizational decisionmaking, evaluation, and accountability.
- An understanding of the nature of public emergency management and preparedness across public and private jurisdictions.
Admissions Information
For current admissions information, please visit the Metropolitan College website.
Additional Information
A maximum of two criminal justice courses (8 credits) taken at Metropolitan College prior to acceptance into the degree program may be applied toward the degree with prior approval of the department chair. The courses must be graduate level, with a grade of B (3.0) or higher.
The minimum passing grade for a course in the graduate program is C, but a grade average of B (3.0) must be maintained to satisfy degree requirements.
Degree Requirements
A total of eight courses (32 credits) is required, as follows:
Required Core Courses (four courses/16 credits)
- MET CJ 570 Criminology and Crime Policy
- MET CJ 571 Criminal Justice Administration and Ethics
- MET CJ 590 Research and Evaluation Methods
- MET CJ 591 Applied Analytical Methods
Electives (four courses/16 credits)
With the advice of the department chair, students who are not choosing a concentration will select four courses from the following list. Other graduate-level courses may be selected upon approval of the department chair.
- MET CJ 511 Rehabilitation and Re-Integration
- MET CJ 512 Sexual Violence
- MET CJ 520 Violence and Trauma
- MET CJ 531 Youth Crime Problems
- MET CJ 610 Cybercrime
- MET CJ 612 Crime and Intelligence Analysis
- MET CJ 620 Cyberterrorism and Cyber Defense
- MET CJ 625 Victimology
- MET CJ 632 White-Collar Crime
- MET CJ 640 Criminal Justice Management and Accountability Analytics
- MET CJ 650 Terrorism
- MET CJ 660 Gender and Justice
- MET CJ 710 Applied Digital Forensic Investigation
- MET CJ 711 Criminal Justice Policy and Planning
- MET CJ 720 Trauma and Crisis Intervention
- MET CJ 725 Forensic Behavior Analysis
- MET CJ 750 Policing in a Democratic Society
- MET CJ 775 Seminar in the Law and Criminal Procedure
- MET CJ 801 Special Project in Criminal Justice
- MET UA 507 Law and Justice in the City
