Master in Criminal Justice Leadership
Online
Complete your studies on your own time
Finish in 12 months
Average completion time
Year-round enrollment
Become a member of NU’s global community
Take the first step in your National University Journey
Take Command of Your Law Enforcement Career
Degree:
Master in Criminal Justice Leadership Degree
Application:
$0 application fee. No essays/exams.
Today’s multifaceted criminal justice system demands ethical leaders who possess the critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address the complex issues and challenges of criminal justice in the 21st century. National University’s Master of Criminal Justice Leadership is designed to prepare you for in-demand careers in government at the local state, and federal levels.
In as few as 12 months, you can earn your Master’s in Criminal Justice Leadership and be ready to confidently pursue high-level positions in law enforcement management, correctional administration, security administration, criminal justice research, and teaching or training assignments.
NU’s flexible, online learning format is designed to accommodate the demanding schedules of adult learners. Our four-week courses allow you to focus on a single topic and conveniently fit learning into your busy lifestyle. If you’re ready to become a leader in criminal justice, NU is ready to prepare you with the industry-current credentials to achieve your career goals.
Degree Requirements
To receive a Master in Criminal Justice Leadership (MCJ), which is designed to provide students with the required knowledge and competence in administration, management and problem-solving skills in the challenging and demanding careers of Criminal Justice in the fields of criminal justice administration and criminal justice research and development. Students completing the Master in Criminal Justice Leadership are exposed to both theoretical and applied models and concepts in criminal justice administration, as well as qualitative and quantitative research methods. The Master in Criminal Justice Leadership program integrates theory with practice to provide graduates with the skills and knowledge needed to address the complex issues and challenges of criminal justice in the 21st century. Students in this program develop the problem-solving and research skills as well as technological expertise necessary to analyze reality-based cases and assignments to develop strategies and solutions that are both practical and effective. Challenging and demanding careers in government at the local, state, and federal level in the administration of justice, law enforcement management, correctional administration, security administration, and criminal justice research as well as teaching and training assignments await graduates with a Master in Criminal Justice Leadership. Students must complete at least 49.5 quarter units of graduate work. A total of 9.0 quarter units of graduate credit may be granted for equivalent graduate work completed at another institution, as it applies to this degree, and provided the units have not been used to satisfy the requirements of an awarded degree.
National University awards credit in quarter units, with each academic year divided into four 12-week quarters.
Each quarter is made up of three 4-week classes, with one class per month. Under the current policy, 4.5 units of credit are awarded for courses.
Students should refer to the section on graduate admission requirements for specific information regarding application and evaluation.
Core Requirements
8 Courses
CJ Theory, Practice & Policy
4.5 Quarter Units
An overview of criminal justice administration, the history of police administration, organizational systems’ theory, principles, ideology, and managerial practice that has shaped the criminal justice profession.
Leadership in CJ
4.5 Quarter Units
Recommended: Prior completion of: CJA 605
Exploration of the theory and application of leadership in various forms. The course will analyze leadership as a complex process and will draw upon diverse positions, ethical considerations and applied approaches, particularly in the area of criminal justice. Leadership will be evaluated from multiple dimensions and perspectives. An examination of emerging forms of 21st century leadership, influence and power, chaos, and collaboration. Students will experience using leadership problem-solving skills with real-life classroom scenarios.
Legal Issues in CJ
4.5 Quarter Units
Recommended: Prior completion of: CJA 608
An assessment of legal issues, legal terminology and analysis of court decisions involving criminal justice agencies; and exposure to criminal or civil liability involving wrongful death, wrongful termination, police corruption, and discrimination lawsuits.
Professional Ethics in CJ
4.5 Quarter Units
Recommended: Prior completion of: CJA 615
A study of ethical, legal, and professional controversies, and personal dilemmas and approaches to solving those conflicts. Using a case study format, students evaluate personal values or biases and the abuse of power and authority. The course also examines police or justice practices involving cases of ethical or police policy violations.
Const Law & Criminal Procedure
4.5 Quarter Units
Recommended: Prior completion of: CJA 624
An exploration of the history of the U.S. Constitution, separation of powers, and the rights and protections of the accused; an exploration of case law, the judicial system and judicial review, and the rights and responsibilities of the government and citizenry.
Advanced Criminological Theory
4.5 Quarter Units
Recommended: Prior completion of: CJA 630
An overview course that explores the important criminological theories. The course will evaluate and compare the following theories: Classical, Positivist, Trait, Social Disorganization, Differential Association, Strain, Control, Labeling, Radical Choice, Deterrence, and Feminist theories. The course will analyze each theory and its relevance to crime in 21st century America.
Capstone I
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: Students must have successfully completed three core courses in the MCJ program prior to being enrolled into CJA 690A.
A capstone project course in which students develop solutions to identified problems. In the capstone course students will learn to identify problems or issues in the criminal justice arena and develop solutions or responses to those problems. The course will culminate with a final presented project.
Capstone II
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: CJA 690A
This is the second half of the capstone project course in which students continue to develop solutions to identified problems. In the capstone course students will learn to identify problems or issues in the criminal justice arena and develop solutions or responses to those problems. The course will culminate with a final presented project.
Program Electives
3 Courses
Critical Issues in CJ
4.5 Quarter Units
A focus on contemporary issues related to problem-oriented policing (POP) and community-oriented policing (COP). Other topics include morale, motivation, retention, selection, recruitment, standards and training, evidence, arrest, lethal force, victim-witness, police reserves, and the cooperation of citizens in law enforcement by the criminal justice manager.
Comparative CJ Systems
4.5 Quarter Units
A comparison of the American criminal justice system with other systems around the world. Students will evaluate the systems of law, police, courts and corrections in 30 different countries and examine the diversity that exists in the world legal systems. Also examines and compares American and foreign justice policies.
Violence and Victimization
4.5 Quarter Units
This course examines the causes of criminal victimization and looks at theories associated with violent victimization. It analyzes the offender-victim relationship, and presents ideas on preventing violence, and on responding to criminal victimization.
Career Outlook
Data Source: The career outcomes data presented is sourced from Lightcast, which provides insights based on real-time job postings, public datasets, and analytics. Lightcast derives its data from sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), and the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES). While accurate and reliable, this data reflects general labor market trends and may not represent individual outcomes or specific local conditions. For more details on Lightcast’s methodology, visit their Data Overview.
The Master in Criminal Justice Leadership degree will prepare you for careers such as:
- Top Jobs in this field
- Median Salary (USA)
- JOB Openings (USA)
- Compliance Officers
- $75,549 avg. salary (USA)
- 38,710 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Auditing
- Regulatory Compliance
- Project Management
- Risk Analysis
- Risk Management
- Finance
- Accounting
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Humana
- Citigroup
- Wells Fargo
- Wahve Holdings
- Elevance Health
- Amentum
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
- $61,797 avg. salary (USA)
- 7,879 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Probation
- Social Work
- Psychology
- Criminal Corrections
- Case Management
- Sociology
- Law Enforcement
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- State of Florida
- State of Louisiana
- State Of Texas
- Department Of Corrections
- Bureau of Prisons
- State of Nebraska
- Supervisors of Correctional Officers
- $70,533 avg. salary (USA)
- 4,820 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Criminal Corrections
- Food Services
- Cooking
- Food Safety And Sanitation
- Food Preparation
- Hazard Analysis And Critical Control Points (HACCP)
- Post-Production
Top companies hiring for this role
- Aramark
- CoreCivic
- State of California
- State of North Carolina
- Unclassified
- State Of Illinois
- Management & Training Corporation
- Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- $101,754 avg. salary (USA)
- 12,116 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Law Enforcement
- Crime Prevention
- Office Equipment
- Auditing
- Law Enforcement Practices
- Public Relations
- Public Administration
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- City of New York
- Target
- State of South Carolina
- County of El Dorado
- Aramark
- State of California
- Correctional Officers and Jailers
- $53,310 avg. salary (USA)
- 34,148 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Criminal Corrections
- Contraband Detection And Control
- Rehabilitation
- Law Enforcement
- Public Relations
- Self Defense
- Psychology
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- United States Department of Justice
- CoreCivic
- State of Florida
- State Of Texas
- State of North Carolina
- Bureau of Prisons
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators
- $91,104 avg. salary (USA)
- 10,169 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Law Enforcement
- Auditing
- Data Analysis
- Accounting
- Finance
- Claims Investigations
- Legal Hearings
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- United States Department of the Treasury
- Allied Universal
- Allied Universal Compliance And Investigations
- United States Secret Service
- United States Department of Justice
- State of Florida
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
- $72,260 avg. salary (USA)
- 63,862 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Law Enforcement
- Crime Prevention
- Patrolling
- Traffic Control
- Law Enforcement Practices
- Legal Hearings
- Emergency Response
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- United States Department of Homeland Security
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs
- Allied Universal
- United States Secret Service
- Signal 88
- Securitas
- Private Detectives and Investigators
- $51,396 avg. salary (USA)
- 4,510 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Law Enforcement
- Auditing
- Loss Prevention
- Legal Hearings
- Punctuation and Capitalization
- Internal Controls
- Data Analysis
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- CACI International
- Allied Universal
- Milton Hershey School
- Digistream Investigations
- Peraton
- Elevance Health
Program Learning Outcomes
As a graduate of National University’s Master’s in Criminal Justice Leadership program, you’ll have knowledge, skills, and capacities in the following areas:
- Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to real world criminal justice administration issues.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills to differentiate leadership approaches utilizing current and emerging leadership theories and case studies.
- Analyze theoretical, criminological, and philosophical foundations of criminal justice administration.
- Evaluate the constitutional aspects of civil and criminal liabilities in modern society.
- Evaluate leadership theory and integrate diverse leadership perspectives into real world application.
- Appraise and determine what ethical and unethical conduct is.
- Develop oral, written, and technological communication for criminal justice professionals.
NU’s Public Safety Promise
National University, a Veteran-founded nonprofit, is proud to support public safety professionals who protect and serve our communities every day. To show appreciation, we commit to providing affordable, accessible education to all public safety professionals to advance their careers and help them reach educational goals through our Public Safety Promise Scholarship*.
To learn more about NU’s Public Safety Promise contact an enrollment advisor to discuss degree programs and scholarship options or visit https://www.nu.edu/our-university/the-university/partnerships/publicsafety/ .
*Nursing, radiation therapy, and doctoral programs are excluded from the tuition discount.
Admissions
Next start date: November 15
Year-round enrollment
Transfer Students Welcome
Enrolling in a university is a big decision. That’s why our dedicated admissions team is here to guide you through the admissions process and help you find the right program for you and your career goals.
To that end, we’ve simplified and streamlined our application process, so you can get enrolled in your program right away. Because we accept and review applications year round, you can begin class as soon as next month, depending on your program and location of choice.
Learn more about undergraduate, graduate, military, and international student admissions, plus admissions information for transfer students. You can also learn more about our tuition rates and financial aid opportunities.
To speak with our admissions team, call (855) 355-6288 or request information and an advisor will contact you shortly. If you’re ready to apply, simply start your application today.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
National University is dedicated to making higher education affordable, as well as accessible. Through NU scholarship offerings, eligible students are able to reduce the financial burden of college, start classes sooner, and finish their programs faster while focusing on achieving their goals.
Accreditations
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredits public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the U.S.
100% of Master of Science in Criminal Justice graduates are employed in their related field.
Why National University?
We’re proud to be a Veteran-founded, San Diego-based nonprofit. Since 1971, our mission has been to provide accessible, achievable higher education to adult learners.
Today, we educate students from across the U.S. and around the globe, with over 240,000 alumni worldwide.
“National University has impacted my career. You can immediately apply what you learn in class to your business.”
Francisco R.,
Class of 2016
What makes a degree
with National University unique?
Free Tutoring Sessions
Access personalized tutoring sessions at no cost — empowering your learning.
Online and In-Person
Flexibility meets quality education with our online and in-person learning options.
24/7 Support
Get assistance anytime, anywhere with our round-the-clock support services.
Military Friendly
Committed to serving those who serve — diverse resources and support for veterans and family. Military and Veteran Admissions.
Mentoring Network
Individual student and alumni career guidance, professional development opportunities, and customized career support.
Transfer Students Welcome
NU makes it easy to get your degree, even if you started it with another university. Learn more about transferring to NU.
Accelerate Your Career With NU
At National University, you’re part of a family. As a student, you’ll have the support of staff, faculty members, students, and alumni who will be there with you every step of the way, cheering you on as you pursue your goals.
Our network of 240,000 alumni is a large global community that provides our graduates with the professional connections to get a leg up in your new career.
FAQs
Criminal justice is a broad field encompassing a diverse range of roles and responsibilities. From detectives and criminal investigators to social service counselors, corrections officers, and criminal justice educators, there’s a growing demand for senior-level leaders with industry-current knowledge and skills.
NU’s Master’s in Criminal Justice Leadership can prepare you for advancement in your current position or open up new opportunities in:
- Law enforcement
- Security & correction
- Drug enforcement
- Customs
- Criminal investigation
- State and local government
- Community advocacy
- Public policy
While you don’t need a master’s degree to enter the field of criminal justice, advancing to a senior-level position usually requires advanced communications, critical thinking, leadership, and technology skills. Build these credentials, and you’ll be well positioned to take advantage of the growing demand for leaders across a broad range of criminal justice careers.*
For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that industries with the highest published employment and wages for protective service occupations include:
- Supervisors of correctional officers
- Detectives and criminal investigators
- Gambling surveillance officers
- Supervisors of police and detectives
Careers specifically requiring a master’s in criminal justice can include educators such as associate or assistant professors, adjunct instructors, faculties at community colleges as well as some 4-year private and public colleges and universities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for police officers and detectives nationwide was $67,290 in 2020. Police and detective supervisors can make significantly more — a mean annual wage of $91,590 in 2017. California police officers have some of the highest salaries in the country, with an annual mean wage of $107,440.
The median annual pay for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists was $55,690 in 2020.
Overall, employment of police and detectives is expected to grow 7 percent between 2020 and 2030.
National University offers a variety of course formats, including online, in-person, and hybrid courses. In this program, you will take:
- In-Person courses – This includes on-ground, in-person course instruction, which could be either in person or at another learning site at a specific time, place, and location. In-person courses may have course information, work, or other education-related items delivered through online environments and tools.
- Online courses – This includes instruction that is fully virtual and online, comprised of regular and substantive interaction between students and their instructors in either an asynchronous or synchronous format. Asynchronous online classrooms provide instruction, lessons, and coursework via an online learning management system that allows students to view instructional materials each week at times of their choice. Synchronous classes require students to log in, engage, and attend at specific times and dates, leveraging web and videoconferencing technologies to provide instruction, lessons, and coursework in real time.
Please note that the modality of any course may vary from the scheduling of any program-specific courses on a month-to-month basis.
*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, on the internet, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm
Additional Resources
Program Disclosure
Successful completion and attainment of National University degrees do not lead to automatic or immediate licensure, employment, or certification in any state/country. The University cannot guarantee that any professional organization or business will accept a graduate’s application to sit for any certification, licensure, or related exam for the purpose of professional certification.
Program availability varies by state. Many disciplines, professions, and jobs require disclosure of an individual’s criminal history, and a variety of states require background checks to apply to, or be eligible for, certain certificates, registrations, and licenses. Existence of a criminal history may also subject an individual to denial of an initial application for a certificate, registration, or license and/or result in the revocation or suspension of an existing certificate, registration, or license. Requirements can vary by state, occupation, and/or licensing authority.
NU graduates will be subject to additional requirements on a program, certification/licensure, employment, and state-by-state basis that can include one or more of the following items: internships, practicum experience, additional coursework, exams, tests, drug testing, earning an additional degree, and/or other training/education requirements.
All prospective students are advised to review employment, certification, and/or licensure requirements in their state, and to contact the certification/licensing body of the state and/or country where they intend to obtain certification/licensure to verify that these courses/programs qualify in that state/country, prior to enrolling. Prospective students are also advised to regularly review the state’s/country’s policies and procedures relating to certification/licensure, as those policies are subject to change.
National University degrees do not guarantee employment or salary of any kind. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to review desired job positions to review degrees, education, and/or training required to apply for desired positions. Prospective students should monitor these positions as requirements, salary, and other relevant factors can change over time.
Back to top