Criminal Justice Graduate Programs at the Beginning of the 21st Century

Abstract

The needs of students seeking graduate degrees in criminal justice have shifted significantly over the past few decades, and this shift has been in conjunction with the changes to the field of criminology and criminal justice. Indeed, criminal justice graduate students today must not only master criminological theory, research, and administrative policy but also need computer and writing skills, as well as exposure to race, gender, and ethical issues. This study examines the focus that modern-day criminal justice graduate programs place on these areas by reviewing their curricula. Specifically, the authors examined 118 criminal justice masters programs that had curricula online during the spring and summer semesters of 2004. They found that the programs' curricula continue to place strong emphasis on traditional courses such as research, theory, and criminal justice administration, while placing less emphasis on courses centering on race, gender, ethics, computer applications, and comparative criminal justice.