A master's degree in criminal justice will advance a person's career and prepare him to enter other specialized areas of criminal justice such as management, government and specialized law enforcement units. Boston University Metropolitan College, located in Boston, Massachusetts, offers the Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ) program. This graduate degree involves the study of the American criminal justice system and all its components, including history, politics, philosophy and its social consequences. The selection of students for the program is based on their transcripts, academic experience, academic and personal references and interviews. Another college that offers this degree is the Anna Maria College, which is also located in Massachusetts. Its criminal justice program has approval from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and puts emphasis on career preparation and social awareness.
A master's degree in criminal justice administration addresses the need for strong leaders with advanced leadership skills who can effectively manage the complexities of the field of criminal justice. Areas of study include administrative planning and operations management. University of Phoenix offers a Master of Science in Administration of Justice and Security program, which offers a practical hands-on approach to learning; classes can be taken either online, or in-person at one of the school's more than 200 campuses worldwide. Aside from an extensive curriculum, students also encounter various modern issues such as security breaches, low morale and turnover and the dramatic rise in number of prisoners. Loyola University New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, also offers this type of program with its Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration program. This program consists of an extensive graduate-level curriculum interrelated with Jesuit concepts.
The events of 9/11 have focused the nation's attention on homeland security. A master's degree with a concentration in homeland security allows a student to analyze models of homeland security and have a deeper understanding of terrorism and the solutions needed to prevent it. Colorado Technical University in Colorado Springs, Colorado, offers the Master of Science in Management - Concentration in Homeland Security. Graduates of this program can have careers in homeland security coordination, homeland security logistics, emergency management planning, intelligence analysis, risk management and more. Kaplan University is an online university which offers a similar program. Its Master of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management focuses on finding solutions for sustainable security and emergency management on a global level. Its web-based program is convenient for working students who only have a few hours a day to spare for studies.
This area of law enforcement studies the law and ethics of dealing with adult and juvenile offenders. Eastern Kentucky University offers an online graduate program called Master's Degree in Adult, Juvenile and Community Corrections. This program focuses on juvenile correctional administration, understanding juvenile justice institutions, and illicit offender networks. This is a new program and will be available in the fall of 2011.