Degree Programs

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice provides undergraduate students with a high-quality criminal justice education to prepare them for future success in public service, law school, graduate school, or private sector.

Currently, the Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice degree program is mostly offered in a traditional setting and on campus; only a few criminal justice classes are offered online as part of our online minor. However, a minor in criminal justice can be completed by any currently enrolled Marshall student by simply completing CJ 200 plus any four other CJ courses of his/her choice.

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice provides students with advanced theoretical, legal, and methodological training for research, teaching, and management careers in criminal justice. The Master of Science in criminal justice degree program serves to educate criminal justice professionals and prepare students for further advanced graduate work, legal studies, and scholarship. We now offer the degree entirely online for working students who require flexibility and accessibility in a graduate degree.

Undergraduates, who are currently enrolled at Marshall University, may be accepted to the Accelerated Graduate Degree in Criminal Justice. This can reduce the number of hours required to complete their bachelor’s degree by the number of graduate hours they complete (up to a maximum of 12 hours). Applicants must meet all other degree requirements for their bachelor’s degree while they work on their master’s degree. This program option works best for students who have mostly free electives remaining to complete their degree.

The following criminal justice courses are available online to fulfill the online minor. A minor consists of CJ 200, plus four additional CJ courses. (Note: a minor is only available to currently enrolled Marshall students with a major other than criminal justice) 

• CJ 200- Introduction to Criminal Justice
• CJ 211- Introduction to Law Enforcement
• CJ 221- Introduction to Criminal Courts
• CJ 231- Introduction to Corrections
• CJ 302- Criminal Justice Research Methods*
• CJ 325- Juvenile Justice*

* CJ 200 is a prerequisite