The IU Online MS in Criminal Justice and Public Safety focuses on the intersection of these two exciting fields. The program will appeal to individuals interested in the fields of policing, homeland security, and emergency management. Complete coursework in a variety of special topics, including crime mapping, geographic information systems, and cybersecurity, among others. The flexible online program also meets the needs of individuals currently working in criminal justice and security careers.

As a student in the program, you: 

• Examine criminal justice and public safety system actors, agencies, and processes.
• Explore the underlying operations of police, emergency management, courts, and corrections agencies.
• Identify the major policy issues in criminal justice and public safety systems.
• Learn to communicate effectively with individuals working in the complex and diverse criminal justice or public safety sectors.
• Explore the philosophical underpinnings and development of law, and critically evaluate how criminal justice and public safety policies balance individual rights and public order.
• Analyze criminal justice and public safety policies using a variety of tools, including quantitative research methods and statistical techniques, to improve criminal justice and public safety agencies.
• Identify and critically analyze current criminal justice and public safety policies using available research and empirical evidence to discuss the strengths and limitations of various approaches.

Tailor your degree to your professional interests by choosing one of two concentrations:

• Public safety
• Criminal justice

Public Safety Concentration

Assess public safety risks using various analysis tools and develop plans to prepare, manage, and mitigate natural and human-made crises.

Criminal Justice Concentration 

Analyze the nature and extent of crime, critically evaluate major theories of crime, and assess the effectiveness of criminal justice systems, non-criminal justice programs, and other policies and practices that respond to crime.

Your IU Online MS in Criminal Justice and Public Safety prepares you for such careers as: 

• Correctional officer supervisor
• Police and detective supervisor
• Criminal investigator
• Emergency management director
• Security manager
• Public safety officer

This 100 percent online, consortial program is taught by IU Bloomington, IUPUI, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, and IU Southeast. This consortial model allows you to take coursework from several campuses and learn from a wide range of faculty.

Program Learning Outcomes

MSCJPS Graduates will be able to:

• Critically discuss criminal justice and public safety system actors, agencies, and processes; describe the underlying operations of police, emergency management, courts, and corrections agencies, and identify the major policy issues in criminal justice and public safety systems.
• Communicate effectively within a complex and diverse criminal justice or public safety constituencies.
• Discuss the philosophical underpinnings and development of law, and critically evaluate how Criminal Justice and Public Safety policies balance individual rights and public order.
• Rigorously analyze criminal justice and public safety policies using a variety of tools, including quantitative research methods and statistical techniques.
• Identify, analyze, and apply tools essential to improve criminal justice and public safety agencies.
• Identify and critically analyze current criminal justice and public safety policies, using available research and empirical evidence to discuss the strengths and limitations of various approaches.

MSCJPS graduates completing the Public Safety Concentration will be able to:

• Identify public safety risks using various risk analysis tools, and describe ways to plan, prepare, manage, and mitigate natural and human made risks.

MSCJPS graduates completing the Criminal Justice Concentration will be able to:

• Discuss the nature and extent of crime, critically evaluate major theories of crime, and critically analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice system and non-criminal justice programs and policies that respond to crime.

Degree Requirements

To graduate with the MS in Criminal Justice and Public Safety, you must complete 33 credit hours.

Requirements are broken down as follows:

Core MSCJPS courses – completed by all students in the program (15 credit hours)
Concentration – students choose either Criminal Justice or Public Safety (18 credit hours)

I. Core Courses

1. Introduction to Public Safety: SPEA-J586 Public Safety in the US (3 cr)

2. Introduction to Graduate Study in Criminal Justice (3 cr)

a. Choose one: CJUS-P501 Proseminar: Criminal Justice I –OR–SPEA-J582 Criminal Justice Systems

3. Research Methods (3 cr)

a. Choose one: SPEA-J502 Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Public Safety –OR– CJUS-P594 Introduction to Research Methods

4. Statistics (3 cr)

a. Choose one: SPEA-V506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making –OR– CJUS- P595 Data Analysis in Criminal Justice

5. Capstone (3 cr)

a. Choose one: CJUS-P619 Crime and Public Policy –OR– SPEA-J666 Criminal Justice Policy and Evaluation

6. Theory Requirement (3 cr)

a. Criminal Justice Concentration—

Choose one: SPEA-J501 Evolution of Criminological Thought and Policy I –OR– CJUS-P502 Proseminar: Criminal Justice II

b. Public Safety Concentration—SPEA-J528 Risk Analysis for Public Safety

II. MSCJPS – Concentration

Students complete one concentration in Criminal Justice or Public Safety (15 cr)

Criminal Justice Concentration Courses

Students complete five classes selected from the following list:

· CJUS-P512 or CJHS-P 512 Corrections

· CJUS-P515 Police in Society

· CJUS-P517 Juvenile Justice

· CJUS-P519 Probation and Parole

· CJUS-P602 Courts and Criminal Justice

· CJUS-P623 Violent Behavior

· CJUS-P627 White-collar Crime

· CJUS-P629 Victimization

· CJUS-P634 Sentencing Theory and Practice

· CJUS-P671 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems

· CJUS-P680 Seminar: Issues in Criminal Justice and Public Safety

· CJUS-P682 Seminar on Law Enforcement and Minorities

· SPEA-J520 Mapping and Analysis

· SPEA-J550 Topics in Criminal Justice and Public Safety

· SPEA-J588 Law and Control in Society

· SPEA-J587 Criminal Violation: Problems and Characteristics

· SPEA-J682 Planning and Management

Public Safety Concentration

Students complete five classes selected from the following list:

· CJUS-P680 Seminar: Issues in Criminal Justice and Public Safety

· SPEA-J581 Public Safety Law

· SPEA-J520 Mapping and Analysis for Public Safety

· SPEA-J524 Crisis Management for Public Safety

· SPEA-J531 National and Homeland Security in America

· SPEA-J550 Topics in Criminal Justice and Public Safety

· SPEA-V560 Public Budgeting and Finance

· SPEA-V561 Public Human Resources Management