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Master of Science (MS) in Public Safety

School of Public Service Leadership

Criminal Justice specialization

Advance your career and increase your effectiveness in the fields of corrections, criminal justice, or the judicial system by broadening your skill set and deepening your understanding of the complex issues surrounding criminal behavior. This online master's in Criminal Justice specialization covers such topics as human behavior, the corrections and judicial systems, social change and public policy, ethnic and cultural awareness, and contributing factors such as addiction. This specialization is designed for caseworkers, probation and parole officers, juvenile specialists, law enforcement agents, and others who want to advance their careers and play a stronger role in facilitating positive change in the criminal justice system.

This specialization is not designed to meet licensure requirements for the counseling professions. If you are seeking information on professional licensure, please visit our Licensure Resource site.

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Total Program: 48 quarter credits
Up to 12 quarter credits may be transferred into this specialization
Admission Requirements Icon indicating PDF
Next Start Date: March 5, 2012
Credit: $454

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Gain more value from your degree

Expand your educational and career opportunities by choosing one of Capella's degree enrichment options.

  • Add a concentration to gain deeper expertise

    Delve more deeply into a specific knowledge area by earning a concentration that will be included on your transcript and can enhance your career opportunities. If you have elective courses in your degree program, you may be able to use them to fulfill both your degree and concentration requirements at the same time. However, completing a concentration may extend your total credits beyond the requirements of your degree.

    Concentrations available as part of this specialization include:
    • Fire Service Administration
    • Forensics
    • Health Policy and Management
    • Homeland Security
    • Public Administration
    • Public Health
    • Public Policy and Management
    • Nonprofit Management and Leadership
  • Expand your career options with additional specializations

    Increase your knowledge and career options by earning multiple specializations as part of your bachelor's or master's degree program at Capella. If you have elective courses in your program, you may be able to use them toward earning another specialization. However, completing additional specializations may extend your total credits beyond the requirements of your degree.

Core Courses (each course 4 quarter credits unless noted)

  • PSF5002 - Survey of Public Safety Issues, Theories, and Concepts
  • PSF5006 - Research Methodology in Public Safety
  • PSF5334 - Public Safety Ethnic and Cultural Awareness

Specialization Courses (each course 4 quarter credits unless noted)

  • PSF5371 - Practices of Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections
  • PSF5372 - History of the Juvenile Criminal Justice System
  • PSF5377 - Criminal Justice Policy Analysis and Social Change
  • PSF5380 - Law Enforcement: Intelligence-Led Policing
  • PSF5385 - Psychopathy and Criminal Profiling
  • PSF5991 - Integrative Project for Public Safety Learners*

Three Elective Courses

  • Choose any graduate courses.
* This course has a prerequisite. Contact an enrollment counselor for more information.

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Capella also offers specializations in Emergency Management and Public Safety Leadership in our MS in Public Safety program.


If you're interested in strengthening the theoretical knowledge and practical skills you need to effectively manage current public issues and plan for the future, Capella also offers a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a General Public Administration specialization.


You can also earn two complementary degrees – an MPA and MS in Public Safety – in less time and at less cost than pursuing the two degrees separately with our MS and MPA Joint Degree program.


If you're interested in overseeing emergency organizations, teaching or consulting on the effective management of complex emergency situations, we also offer a PhD specialization in Emergency Management.





Capella is great with your time, learning ability, they work with you on everything

November 22, 2010sylvia I would reccommend Capella to anyone who wants to continue their education. Their programs are outstanding

Master's

October 14, 2011Anthony How long does it take to complete it and how much are the cost of the credits and also can this course be taken on a campus instead of online?

Transfer from other institutions

November 8, 2011Tiffany I have taken some graduate level criminal justice courses from another accredited university. Will Capella accept transfer credits? If so, what is the limit? Thank you for your time.

complete in a year?

December 14, 2011mark Can 12 credits be taken each quarter? Also is a Masters with a concentration in Criminal Justice equal to a masters in Criminal Justice?

thinking about going back to school in law enforcement, is a masters required?

January 16, 2012Michael hello, i'm 32 years old and want to have a career helping my community in law enforcement, graduated with a bachelors in business from U of I in 2001, so looks like i'm outside the 10 year window to transfer. do you feel job placement is that much easier with a masters than simply starting off with a BS in criminal justice? thank you for your time.
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Image of enrollment counselor from the team that specializes in Capella's human services degree programs

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