Online Criminal Justice Graduate Certificate

At a Glance

Completion Time

Months

Credits Required

Tuition

$9,222-$10,974

Part-Time*

*Based on 2025–2026 Boston University tuition and fees.

Become a Recognized Expert in Criminal Justice

Available on campus and online, the Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice at Boston University’s Metropolitan College is designed to provide the foundational knowledge of criminal justice needed to face contemporary criminal justice challenges and lead reforms. This certificate combines theory, ethics, and research to prepare students to effectively manage and assess criminal justice policies and programs. Ideal candidates for this certificate would be individuals currently holding, or who seek to hold, policy-making positions in the field of criminal justice, as well as professionals whose work intersects with matters of criminal justice policy, such as social workers, mental health practitioners, journalists, and public health professionals.

Curriculum

Boston University’s Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice consists of four required online courses (16 credits).

Coursework from the Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice can be applied toward the Boston University Metropolitan College Master of Science in Criminal Justice.

Required Courses

MET CJ 570 Criminology and Crime Policy

4 credits. Fall and Spring

This course explores potential answers to complex and important questions about criminal behavior by drawing on the social science of criminology. Criminology is the interdisciplinary study of the development of law, criminal phenomena and societal responses to crime. The course has two primary focuses: 1) to explore and evaluate major explanations or theories of crime and 2) understand and evaluate the policy implications of major crime problems. Because criminology is interdisciplinary, students will examine theories that are grounded in a range of academic perspectives, including sociological, biological, political, psychological and economic explanations for crime. These theories will be centered on important public policy debates about a host of contemporary problems, including: firearm violence, high post- incarceration recidivism, opioid use disorder crisis and human trafficking. Course lectures and discussions focus on the historical development of the theories, their major assumptions and propositions, their relevance for public policy and practice. As the course progresses through each explanation for crime, students will have the opportunity to critically evaluate the validity of different explanations for crime as well as criminal justice policies and practices that they support.

Section A1, FALL 2025 Sep 2nd to Dec 10th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Thomas	Independent	T	06:00:00 PM–08:45:00 PM	MCS B33

Section O1, FALL 2025 Sep 2nd to Oct 20th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Thomas	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

MET CJ 571 Criminal Justice Administration and Ethics

4 credits. Fall and Spring

This course introduces students to the concepts of criminal justice administration and ethics. Students learn about: the management of justice system organizations, and the various debates as to how best operate the organizations making up the system. Topics covered include: organizational theory and structure, professional ethics, leadership and management styles, organizational deviance and socialization, employee motivation, and management responses to stress and burnout. The course helps students understand the characteristics of effective leadership and policy implementation in the field of criminal justice. Students also have the opportunity to analyze ethical dilemmas commonly confronted in criminal justice work.

Section A1, FALL 2025 Sep 2nd to Dec 10th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Cadigan	Independent	R	06:00:00 PM–08:45:00 PM	MCS B33

Section O1, FALL 2025 Sep 2nd to Oct 20th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Cadigan	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

MET CJ 590 Research and Evaluation Methods

4 credits. Fall and Spring

The skills used in research method have become central to many positions within criminal justice administration and related areas. Not only are professionals required to understand and critically evaluate the program and policy science in their field to make decisions, they often employ methodological skills in program and policy development, implementation, management and assessment. This course takes students through the research process from question development to administration and reporting. It emphasizes applied research situations and settings and specifically program evaluation and assessment. After examining various research design models, the course focuses on specific techniques that inform both quantitative and qualitative evaluation studies. These include sampling procedures, survey design, interview techniques, participant observation and case studies and process evaluations.

Section A1, FALL 2025 Sep 2nd to Dec 10th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Ballou	Independent	W	06:00:00 PM–08:45:00 PM	PSY B53

Section O2, FALL 2025 Oct 28th to Dec 15th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Silver	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

Plus one elective from the following list:

Elective Courses

MET CJ 511 Rehabilitation and Re-Integration

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Community re-integration following imprisonment has long been recognized as a significant challenge. Longer sentences and rapid changes have created new problems for both formerly incarcerated people and those who provide services both inside and outside the criminal justice system. This course will examine rehabilitation philosophy in theory and practice. Lectures and seminars will address such issues as: the special problems in providing rehabilitation and education in the correctional system, the effect of inmate subculture on rehabilitation, and balancing demands for custody and rehabilitation.

Section A1, FALL 2025 Sep 2nd to Dec 10th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Matesanz	Independent	T	06:00:00 PM–08:45:00 PM	SOC B63

MET CJ 520 Violence and Trauma

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Violence and Trauma examines the psychological impact of crime, terror and disasters on society and the individuals who are members of it. The class is geared toward students in the social sciences including Psychology, Urban Affairs, Criminal Justice, and Sociology. A variety of traumas will be examined (e.g., childhood abuse, domestic violence and crime, war combat, terrorism, and natural disasters). The course examines the social, cultural and political environments in which trauma, trauma research and treatment occur. This course provides an introduction and overview of the field of traumatic stress studies including the nature of trauma, responses to trauma and treatment for disorders of traumatic stress.

MET CJ 591 Applied Analytical Methods

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Evidence-based and data-driven approaches to crime problems are the industry standard among criminal justice agencies and non-governmental organizations. This course will cover a variety of statistical "tools" from three broad areas: (1) descriptive statistics, (2) inferential statistics and hypothesis testing, and (3) measures of association. Students will learn how to develop research questions, describe and draw conclusions from quantitative data, and interpret statistical research findings, and be able to present these findings to a variety of audiences in a clear and accurate way -- to be able to "tell a story" with numbers. In addition, students will develop a proficiency working with large data sets and conducting analysis with a critical lens, using the analytical software -- Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) -- commonly used in criminal justice and related fields.

Section O2, FALL 2025 Oct 28th to Dec 15th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Holt	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

MET CJ 610 Cybercrime

4 credits. Fall and Spring

This course is designed to help students understand and apply the nature of computer crime in the criminal justice field. Several theories (both micro-level and macro-level) will be presented and will be analyzed in depth and applied to computer crime cases both past and present. Students will see how major theories have been re-developed to be applied to computer crime, and by using these theories, students will both develop and explore different strategies for future law enforcement. Students will be presented with common types of fraudulent schemes, as well as several laws that have been enacted and developed specifically for computer crime. In addition, causes, victimization, legal issues, control strategies, and societal costs regarding the cybercrime problem will be explored and evaluated.

Section A1, FALL 2025 Sep 2nd to Dec 10th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Choi	Independent	M	06:00:00 PM–08:45:00 PM	CAS B20

Section O1, FALL 2025 Sep 2nd to Oct 20th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Choi	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

MET CJ 612 Crime and Intelligence Analysis

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Contemporary law enforcement agencies regularly employ crime and intelligence analysis to develop and inform effective responses to crime. This course provides an in-depth examination of crime and intelligence analysis techniques. It also explores the role of the crime and intelligence analyst within law enforcement organizations and processes, the historical evolution of this approach, key legal and policy issues, and challenges to implementation. Students have the opportunity to apply these skills to case study simulations involving an array of common crime problems and cases using real-world examples and sources of information.

Section A1, FALL 2025 Sep 2nd to Dec 10th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Cronin	Independent	M	06:00:00 PM–08:45:00 PM	CDS 264

Section O1, FALL 2025 Sep 2nd to Oct 20th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Cronin	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

MET CJ 620 Cyberterrorism and Cyber Defense

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Cyber-terrorists continuously leverage sophisticated techniques in efforts to attack the nation's critical infrastructures by damaging their functionalities and stealing highly sensitive intellectual property, private information, and valuable assets. This course is designed to explore a new explanatory angle for studying cyberterrorism issues from a cyber- intelligence perspective. Major cyberterrorism cases will be empirically analyzed and applied into a lab environment for gaining hands-on-experience and to develop defensive strategies and counter measures. This course aims to examine three main types of cyberterrorism 1) Information Attacks, 2) Infrastructure Attacks, and 3) Technology Facilitation for building both technical capability and a set of policy recommendations to counter these potential threats.

Section O2, FALL 2025 Oct 28th to Dec 15th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Choi	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

MET CJ 632 White-Collar Crime

4 credits. Fall and Spring

This course introduces students to the concept of white collar crime as an area of scientific inquiry and theory formation. It critically examines the latest scholarship on the subject by looking at white collar crime through a multiplicity of perspectives and reference points. These range from focus on the offense, offender, legal structure, organizational structure, individual, and organizational behavior, to victimization and guardianship, with special attention on the interaction between these components. The course also assesses the nature, extent, and consequences of white collar crime nationally and internationally. To enhance the understanding of white collar crime in today's Information Technology development, the course will pay special attention to roles of IT including fintech and cryptocurrency connections within white collar crime. It will also introduce rapidly emerging cybercrime issues while discussing various challenges of cybercrime investigation and limited digital forensics tools. Finally, the course examines current criminal justice system efforts at controlling white collar crime. Given the relative ineffectiveness of traditional criminal justice responses, alternative systems of control will be examined, ranging from compliance and regulations, private security, and public opinion, to prevention. Students will visit the websites of various government agencies or professional organizations to explore their functions and their current efforts to fight white collar crimes. Finally, many tangible research- based suggestions will be made regarding actions that organizations and businesses can take to reduce losses accrued due to white collar crime.

MET CJ 711 Planning and Implementation

4 credits. Fall and Spring

This course will introduce you to the concepts of criminal justice policy, planning and implementation. You will be introduced to major theories of planning and implementation and apply them to criminal justice organizational settings. Additionally, you will learn the techniques for analyzing problems, developing programs and policies resulting from problem analysis, along with program and policy monitoring and evaluation.

Section O2, FALL 2025 Oct 28th to Dec 15th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Cronin	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

MET CJ 720 Trauma and Crisis Intervention

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Trauma and Crisis Intervention examines the psychological impact of trauma on individuals and society. This course will address the important role trauma plays in criminal justice settings, providing a practical understanding of trauma and trauma informed care. This understanding will serve to benefit practitioners in this field. The course will cover key issues in trauma and crisis intervention, addressing both theory and practice. The course examines the social, cultural and political environments in which trauma, trauma research and treatment occur. This course provides an introduction and overview of the field of traumatic stress studies including the nature of trauma, responses to trauma and treatment for disorders of traumatic stress. A variety of traumas will be examined (childhood abuse and neglect, ongoing and complex trauma, interpersonal trauma, international trauma, etc.) In addition, trauma will be explored in a variety of contexts. Students will gain an understanding of the impact of trauma and crisis intervention both within the United States as well as globally. The capacity to foster resilience in survivors as well as the importance of self-care in reducing vicarious trauma will be stressed. This course is designed to provide an understanding of trauma and crisis response for students who may work in a variety of criminal justice settings. The course will be geared toward and benefit both mental health practitioners as well as those working in law enforcement and correctional settings. The field of criminal justice more generally is clearly moving toward recognition of the importance of trauma informed care and services. The course will address trauma theory and practice in a practical way. The course will be interactive in nature and derive course work and material from real world examples.

Section O2, FALL 2025 Oct 28th to Dec 15th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Rousseau	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

MET CJ 750 Policing in a Democratic Society

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Police agencies play a critical role in a democratic society. While seeking to maintain order, enforce the law and deliver services effectively, police agencies are held accountable to a wide-variety of values by a number of powerful stakeholders. Police leaders, managers, and other personnel must understand the complexities of the police role in society, the political and legal constraints placed on them in addition to being experts in effective, evidence-based approaches to dealing with crime problems in the community. By applying theory, policy, and evaluation literature to the cutting-edge practices in the field, this course provides students with an advanced understanding in the field of police leadership, management, strategy, and accountability within a democratic society. 4 cr.

Requirements

Visit the BU MET Website for Admission Details.

Dates & Deadlines

View BU MET’s academic calendar for online programs, including important dates and deadlines.

Application Requirements

Learn about application requirements for BU MET graduate degree and certificate programs.

How You Benefit from a
Boston University Education

A BU credential can help lay the foundation for career advancement and personal success.

Benefit from a 15:1 student-to-instructor ratio
Coursework employs case studies, simulations using real data, and hands-on problem solving to develop practical skills you can immediately apply on the job.
Collaborate with faculty who have subject-matter expertise, research-based insight, and extensive field experience in law enforcement, corrections, cybercrime investigation and digital forensics, research and policy, forensic mental health, the judicial system, strategic management, and many other areas.
BU MET has offered criminal justice education since 1973, introducing its Master’s degree in criminal justice in 1980, which became BU’s first fully online program in 2002.
Current members of the American Jail Association (AJA) are eligible for a Graduate Application fee waiver ($25 for applications to the graduate certificate program).

US citizens and permanent residents are automatically considered for Merit Scholarships during the application process and nominated based on eligibility.

#6

Ranked in the nation

#4

America’s Top Online Colleges

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 the 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.

Advance Your Career in Criminal Justice

Housed in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at MET, Boston University’s criminal justice programs prepare you to tackle contemporary challenges in the field, providing training in critical specialization areas and emphasizing practical, insightful, and adaptable knowledge that can be immediately applied on the job while informing your career growth for years to come.

Online or on campus, BU MET students of criminal justice come from all walks of life and comprise an intricate network of organizations. Whether you are pursuing or enhancing a criminal justice career, planning for a doctoral program, or considering a future in teaching, BU’s criminal justice programs will give you the foundation to navigate difficult issues, improve your practice, and open new possibilities for your future.

Take Advantage of Career Resources at BU MET

You will find the support you need in reaching your career goals through MET’s Career Development office, which offers a variety of job-hunting resources, including one-on-one career counseling by appointment for online students. You can also take advantage of tools and resources available online through BU’s Center for Career Development.

Recent graduates have found job opportunities and career paths in organizations such as:

Louisiana State Police
Pennsylvania State Police
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
Wilmington Police Department

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Capital One
Roger Williams University
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

United States Army
Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC)
United States Department of Justice (DOJ)
United States Department of State (DOS)

Vanessa Burns

While in this graduate program, I have picked up knowledge about ethics, research, policy creation, etc., which are specific to criminal justice but can also be applied outside of it. I also have new perspectives on fixing our system…in the classes I’ve taken, with people expressing a multitude of viewpoints, I have learned the problems are not insurmountable, there are solutions. I love that this program brings together people from different places, professions, and points in their lives and provides us with a blueprint for mending our flawed system
Vanessa Burns (MET ’22, MET ’18)
Parole Officer, Massachusetts Parole Board
MS, Criminal Justice, concentration in Strategic Management; BS, Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice Faculty

Shea Cronin

Assistant Professor,
Criminal Justice

Chair,
Applied Social Sciences

Kyung-shick Choi

Professor of the Practice,
Criminal Justice

Director,
Cybercrime & Cybersecurity

Danielle Rousseau

Assistant Professor,
Criminal Justice

James Silver

Associate Professor of the Practice,
Criminal Justice

Robert Cadigan
Emeritus Associate Professor, Applied Social Sciences

Linda Holt
Lecturer, Applied Social Sciences

James Matesanz
Lecturer, Applied Social Sciences

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Online Criminal Justice Graduate Certificate

At a Glance

Become a Recognized Expert in Criminal Justice