Massachusetts Criminal Justice Schools

  • 48 schools offering criminal justice degrees in Michigan are in our database. (see below)
  • 24 offer associate’s degrees or certificates, 18 of them offer bachelor’s degrees and above, and 8 offer a mix of bachelor’s and master’s
  • We found 3 schools in Michigan ranked in US News and World Reports that have a criminal justice program; #4 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor–Ann Arbor, MI, #28 Michigan State University–East Lansing, MI, and #100 Western Michigan University–Kalamazoo, MI
  • According to Kiplinger’s, Michigan has 2 universities ranked in the top 100 for “Values in Public Colleges”; #24 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI; and #61 Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
  • 10 campus-based and online schools in Michigan are available for requesting information.

Spotlight School

Kaplan University

Kaplan University is focused on recognizing the achievements of military and veteran students and offers the flexibility of an online education. Eligible students can receive college credit for prior military experience and coursework—up to 75 percent of the credit needed for a Kaplan University undergraduate degree.*

Programs:

  • MS in Criminal Justice - Law
  • MS in Criminal Justice
  • BS in Criminal Justice
  • And more...

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Profiles of Well Known Schools in Massachusetts

Harvard University: Harvard University does not offer a criminal justice degree, but instead a specialty program in conjunction with one of the several masters degrees within the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Within the Malcolm Wiener Center For Social Policy and Management is a research program that has over 35 related courses and 40 faculty who are the world’s leading experts in law, corrections, and crime. Students can pursue a variety of opportunities such as summer internships in Tanzania or Venezuela, one-year fellowships and fieldwork courses that involve shadowing faculty while working in the field. Currently the program has three active practice areas within which collaborative research is done; Measuring the Performance of Criminal Justice Systems, China: Empirical Research & Criminal Justice Policy Reform, and Gangs, Guns $ Urban Violence. Students engage in the Program in Criminal Justice Policy and Management while earning a masters or PhD in Public Policy, Public Administration, or one of the many custom joint degrees.

Boston University: Within Boston University’s Metropolitan College degree inventory is a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, a Masters of Criminal Justice and a Criminal Justice Undergraduate Certificate. Graduate students who work full time have the option of earning their degree online with 24 core credits and 16 elective credits. The Criminal Justice Undergraduate Certificate is meant to supplement a degree and requires students to complete the courses Principles of Criminal Justice, Police and Society, Corrections: Concepts, Systems and Issues, and Courts, Society and Criminal Procedure. Falling under the Department of Applied Social Sciences, the criminal justice faculty are top researchers and professionals with interests in communities in crime, criminal justice administration, and urban policy.

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Massachusetts Criminal Justice Salary and Jobs

Occupation Number Employed Average Annual Salary
Correctional Officers and Jailers 6,930 $57,450
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives 3,610 $83,470
Detectives and Criminal Investigators 1,800 $75,960
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers 16,170 $55,590

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2011.

Respected leaders who have graduated from universities in Massachusetts

  • Lowell Police Superintendent Kenneth E. Lavallee – Boston University, Boston, MA
  • Cambridge Police Commisioner Robert C. Haas- Northeastern University, Boston, MA
  • Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian- Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA
  • Worcester County Sheriff Lewis Evangelidis – University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Police Quote: “Remember it’s a job, an important job, but it should not be your whole life. Especially if you have a family. You’ve got decades before you retire. So pace yourself so you don’t go from too eager to completely disillusioned. You want to leave the department with some of the same idealism you went in with.” -Peter Moskos, Assistant Professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and former police officer

Massachusetts Criminal Justice Degrees

Massachusetts criminal justice degreeMany criminal justice degree holders seek positions in law enforcement within local and state police departments. The Massachusetts State Police offers training and positions and, thanks to the Quinn Bill, offers additional pay to criminal justice graduates. Most city police departments also run through Massachusetts’ Human Resources Department for hiring for their local police, and the Quinn Bill applies to them, as well. The Massachusetts Department of Corrections is also looking to hire criminal justice graduates and will waive the two year experience requirement for the correction program officer A/B position for candidates with a four year degree in criminal justice or a related field.

Massachusetts also has a unique number of private sector opportunities. Massachusetts is home to a number of corporations who hire for corporate security positions. In addition to this, the state is home to a number of insurance companies who hire criminal justice experts to work in their fraud departments. Finally, because Massachusetts has a large number of college campuses, it also has a large number of campus police departments.

Police and patrol officers earn an average annual wage of $55,300 1 in the state of Massachusetts while police first-line supervisors are paid an average of $82,580.1 Correctional officers are paid an average $32,110 1 in the state. The paralegal field has a positive outlook and an average wage of $40,300 1 in Massachusetts. There are a good number of opportunities for paralegal employment at the many law firms and corporations in Boston and the rest of the state.

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Massachusetts’ Criminal Justice Employment Outlook 2, 3, 4, 5

At the start of 2012, Massachusetts’ unemployment has stabilized at 6.8%, well below the national 8.5% level, and it should regain pre-Downturn peak employment levels by early 2014. According to the USA Today / Moody’s Analytics employment projections, government-related employment, which is a good proxy for Massachusetts criminal justice jobs, has average prospects in the short term with improving prospects in late 2013 as hiring is projecting to increase then. The Massachusetts Labor and Workforce Development site and the Occupational Supply & Demand System show strong prospects are noted for Police and Sheriff Patrol (460 openings / 88% of individuals in these positions report having some college or a bachelor’s degree), Correctional Officers (180 annual openings / 60% of individuals in these positions report having some college or a bachelor’s degree), Detectives / Investigators / Forensic Techs (50 annual openings), Security Guards (615 annual openings) and Paralegals (175 annual openings / 88% of individuals in these positions report having some college or a bachelor’s degree). According to the Sunshine Review, Massachusetts is facing a budget deficit that is causing budget cuts through 2012 at least. We suggest requesting free information from several Massachusetts criminal schools to better evaluate your education options.

Online and Massachusetts Criminal Justice Schools

To learn more about earning a Massachusetts, we recommend the following accredited campus-based and online criminal justice programs for students interested in pursuing associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the growing field of criminal justice.

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University of Phoenix
Campuses: 1Online
Popular Degrees:

  • A.A. in Criminal Justice
  • B.S in Criminal Justice Administration/Cybercrimes
  • B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration - Human Services

request information

Baker College Online
Campuses: 1Online
Popular Degrees:

  • Bachelor of Criminal Justice

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Keiser University
Campuses: 1Online
Popular Degrees:

  • Criminal Justice, BA
  • Criminal Justice, MA (Online Only)
  • Homeland Security, BA (Online)

request information

Capella University
Campuses: 1Online
Popular Degrees:

  • MS - Criminal Justice
  • PhD - Criminal Justice
  • BS - Criminal Justice

request information

Walden University
Campuses: 1Online
Popular Degrees:

  • B.S. in Human Services - Criminal Justice 
  • B.S. in Criminal Justice - Crime and Criminals
  • B.S. in Criminal Justice

request information

Post University
Campuses: 1Online
Popular Degrees:

  • B.S. in Human Services / Criminal Justice
  • B.S. in Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement
  • B.S. in Criminal Justice

request information

Kaplan University
Campuses: 1Online
Popular Degrees:

  • MS in Criminal Justice - Law
  • MS in Criminal Justice
  • BS in Criminal Justice

request information

Liberty University
Campuses: 1Online
Popular Degrees:

  • BS in Criminal Justice
  • AA in Criminal Justice

request information

Grand Canyon University
Campuses: 1Online
Popular Degrees:

  • M.S. in Criminal Justice: Legal Studies
  • B.S. in Justice Studies
  • M.S. in Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement

request information

Rutgers University
Campuses: 1Online
Popular Degrees:

  • Master of Arts in Criminal Justice


Tip: If you don’t live near a campus-based school that offers a program of interest, consider an online degree or a university in an adjacent state (Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire).

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Directory of Massachusetts Universities Offering Criminal Justice Degrees

American International College (Springfield, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Master of Science | Forensic Psychology

Anna Maria College (Paxton, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor Degree | Criminal Justice (online program)
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Certificate | Computer Forensics and Investigation
Certificate | Private Security
Certificate | Victimology
Graduate Certificate | Emergency Management (online program)
Master of Arts | Security Management
Master of Science | Criminal Justice
Master of Science | Emergency Management (online program)
Masters Degree | Criminal Justice (online program)

Assumption College (Worcester, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor Degree | Sociology and Anthropology | Concentration in Criminology
Certificate | Criminal Justice

Bay Path College (Longmeadow, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Arts | Legal Studies
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Forensic Psychology
Bachelor of Science | Forensic Science
Bachelor of Science | Legal Studies
Master of Science | Forensics

Bay State College (Boston, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Applied Science | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice

Becker College (Worcester, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice | Forensics; Crime Scene Processing
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice | Policing

Berkshire Community College (Pittsfield, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Arts | Peace and World Order
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice

Boston University (Boston, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Graduate Certificate | Information Security (online program)
Master of Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice (online program)
Masters Degree | Criminal Justice (online program)
Undergraduate Certificate | Criminal Justice

Student Review: “Boston University is the perfect combination of traditional “college” and urban living. Although BU is located in Boston, there is still a sense of community so that you don’t feel completely thrown into a big urban setting right out of high school. It does take about a semester for most people to really fall in love with BU because there are a lot adjustments transitioning from high school but BU offers an array of different societies and clubs from Greek Life to Jujitsu club. The school work is academically challenging but manageable and suits most people’s academic level. A major downside of BU, is the price. The tuition, room and board continuously rises, not to mention the cost of living in Boston is very expensive, so if you don’t have a lot of money to spare reconsider going to Boston University as most people do have the money to spend. Overall, Boston University is a great school and generally people love it here even if it takes a couple weeks to get adjusted.” -Charlie W., student at Boston University

Bridgewater State College (Bridgewater, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Master of Science | Criminal Justice

Bristol Community College (Fall River, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Arts | Criminal Justice
Certificate | Law Enforcement

Bunker Hill Community College (Boston, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice
Associate of Science | Digital and Computer Forensics and Investigations
Certificate | Law Enforcement

Cape Cod Community College (West Barnstable, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice
Certificate | Law Enforcement

Clark University (Worcester, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Arts | Peace Studies

Curry College (Milton, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice
Graduate Certificate | Criminal Justice Management
Master of Arts | Criminal Justice

Dean College (Franklin, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice

Eastern Nazarene College (Quincy, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice

Elms College (Chicopee, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice

Endicott College (Beverly, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice

Fisher College (Boston, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate in Science | Criminal Justice
Associate of Arts | Liberal Arts | Justice Studies

Fitchburg State College (Fitchburg, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice

Greenfield Community College (Greenfield, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Arts | Peace and Social Justice Studies
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice

Holyoke Community College (Holyoke, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Applied Science | Criminal Justice (online program)

Student Review: “Holyoke Community College is a small school with a condensed campus but holds many opportunities. H.C.C is a wonderful school because they work diligently to keep all of their requirements up to par with surrounding Universities. I transferred to the University of Massachusetts and all of my Gen.Ed classes were accepted without issue. The professors are of high caliber even though they are part of a community college. I’ve spent many hours working with professors in their offices after class to address problems with course material and they’ve been very helpful. The campus is very small but being a campus without living accommodations makes that a big plus. You can walk from one side of campus to the other in roughly 5-10 minutes. They also offer a shuttle to the far side of campus and make it very easy for the handicapped to navigate campus. If you want a traditional college experience and don’t mind paying for it then don’t choose H.C.C. If you want to save thousands of dollars per semester and have a good time with fun classes and very support professors in small classrooms then H.C.C is the number one choice.” -Peter M., student at Holyoke Community College

Marian Court College (Swampscott, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate in Science | Criminal Justice Administration

Massachusetts Bay Community College (Wellesley Hills, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate in Science | Criminal Justice

Massasoit Community College (Brockton, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice
Certificate | Law Enforcement

Middlesex Community College (Bedford, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate Degree | Biotechnology | Forensic Science track
Associate Degree | Criminal Justice
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice
Certificate | Juvenile Justice

Mildred Elley (Pittsfield, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Certificate | Criminal Justice and Security

Mount Ida College (Newton, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice

Mount Wachusett Community College (Gardner, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate Degree | Criminal Justice | Corrections
Associate Degree | Criminal Justice | Law Enforcement
Certificate | Law Enforcement

Newbury College (Brookline, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Arts | Human Services

Nichols College (Dudley, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice Management

Student Review: “Nichols College has been a great experience for me. I transferred from a community college to Nichols two years ago, and they made the transfer process simple and quick. The campus is located in a country setting in the small town of Dudley, Massachusetts. It is very easy to get to, and simple to get around campus. The atmosphere is very inviting and you feel safe. While the school is geared more towards business major students, they offer a variety of degree programs. They offer associate, bachelor, and master degrees. The school is very flexible, offering courses during the day, night, and online. I personally have experience with all three. All of the professors are very knowledgeable and intelligent, with most having real life experience in what they are teaching. I have been fond of many of the professors I’ve had and look up to them as role models. One thing that could be improved is the number of classes they offer at night. I need a particular class that is currently only being offered online once a year for my degree program. Overall, I think Nichols College is a terrific school.” -Nicole L., student of Nichols College

North Shore Community College (Danvers, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice
Associate of Science | Legal Administrative Assistant
Certificate | Legal Office Support
Credit Certificate | Criminal Justice
Credit Certificate | Law Enforcement

Northeastern University (Boston, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Doctor of Philosophy | Criminology and Justice Policy
Executive Master of Science | Criminal Justice Leadership (online program)
Master of Science | Criminal Justice
Master of Science | Information Assurance

Student Review: “The Northeastern University Criminal Justice Program is one of the best programs in the country for those interested in pursuing careers in law enforcement. The largest benefit of the program is the implementation of Northeastern’s three co-op system, where Criminal Justice Students complete three six-month full time internships with law enforcement agencies, social service organizations, law firms, or other organizations that provide careers in Criminal Justice. I completed two full-time co-ops as an undergraduate at Northeastern; my first co-op was at Northeastern University Police Department, where I gained significant experience as a patrol cadet working alongside Boston, MBTA, State, and Northeastern police officers. My second co-op was at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, where I learned about legal services in the public sector. Though the program had a few drawbacks, including repetitive coursework and an occasional lack of concrete skill training, the co-op program provides amazing opportunities to get your foot in the door at a law enforcement agency or law firm.” -Stephen S., student at Northeastern University
Student Review: “Northeastern is located in a great area of Boston for college students; there’s always something to do in the city. As a result, however, the community feel is severely lacking and the campus often feels empty at night when you’re just walking around. Class sizes are pretty big the first year and mostly lecture-based, which I actually preferred after coming from a very small high school. Most professors are easy to contact and respond quickly. A few instructors from mid-level courses, especially in the medical field, are hard to get in touch with when their regular jobs are in a clinical setting. The resources here vary in usefulness; the gym is amazing but the technology standard was average or, for some unlucky residence halls, sub-par. It was very easy to find a place to study, since you could reserve rooms at the 4-story library or even most other open buildings. The dining hall food and nearby locations that accept ‘Husky Dining Dollars’ offer many options, which was nice.” -Janet Q., student at Northeastern University

Northern Essex Community College (Haverhill, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate in Science | Criminal Justice (online program)
Certificate | Law Enforcement

Quincy College (Quincy, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice
Certificate | Law Enforcement

Quinsigamond Community College (Worcester, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice (online program)
Certificate | Criminal Justice | Law Enforcement

Roxbury Community College (Roxbury Crossing, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate of Science | Criminal Justice

Salem State College (Salem, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Certificate of Competency | Correctional Administration
Master of Science | Criminal Justice

Springfield College (Springfield, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice

Springfield Technical Community College (Springfield, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Associate in Science | Law Enforcement
Certificate of Completion | Law Enforcement

Suffolk University (Boston, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Crime and Justice
Master of Science | Criminal Justice

University of Massachusetts-Boston (Boston, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Arts | Criminal Justice
Graduate Certificate | Forensic Services

Student Review: “UMass Boston was overall a great experience for me. At around 16,000 students, at times it did feel a little crowded, but I still felt as though I received personal attention from the professors. Each of them held office hours at least once a week, and classes were mostly smaller in the Psychology department, with the largest class I participated in being around 40 students. It had a different feel to it than most colleges, because it is a commuter school, but there is always something going on that allows you to make friends. The school location is beautiful and located on the ocean, but can be hard to reach from the outer suburbs surrounding the city. Overall, this is a great school with high quality education and professors.” -Karaline M., student at University of Massachusetts – Boston

University of Massachusetts-Lowell (Lowell, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice and Criminology
Certificate | Criminal Justice (online program)
Graduate Certificate | Criminal Justice Informatics
Graduate Certificate | Domestic Violence Prevention
Graduate Certificate | Forensic Criminology (online program)
Graduate Certificate | Leadership and Policy Development (online program)
Graduate Certificate | Security Studies (online program)
Master of Arts | Criminal Justice and Criminology (online program)
Masters Degree | Criminal Justice (online program)

Western New England University (Springfield, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Investigation
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice and Society
Bachelor of Science | Terrorism and Homeland Security
PhD | Behavior Analysis

Westfield State University (Westfield, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice
Master of Science | Criminal Justice

Worcester State College (Worcester, MA)
Criminal Justice Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Science | Criminal Justice

Student Review: “Worcester State University is a small commuter university with plentiful opportunities. Although WSU seems less appealing to new undergraduates due to it’s small campus life, it’s uniqueness allows a student to build his/her own character. The size of the classes and the close proximity of the buildings allow students to feel at ease while completing their education. In my experience, the faculty is always available to students in an as needed basis. The financial aid office have always been helpful in answering questions or receiving forms. My favorite part about WSU is the convenience of getting to know professors, students, and receiving the educational attention necessary to succeed. However, WSU is located in the Central part of Massachusetts in a city which has a bad reputation. Even though WSU is located in a non-reputable city, it is ideal for a student who is solely focused on receiving an affordable education without the excitement of campus life.” -Natalia M., student at Worcester State College

References:
(1) Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_MA.htm
(2) Bureau of Labor Statisics: http://www.bls.gov/lau/ see state on page for current unemployment rate
(3) USA TODAY/Moody’s Analytics/BLS: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-02-06-new-jobs-growth-graphic_N.htm
(4) Occupational Supply & Demand System / OCDS Georgia State University for the U.S. Department of Labor: http://www.occsupplydemand.org/OSD_SelectOcc.aspx?chk=2&ST=ZZ
(5) The Sunshine Review: http://sunshinereview.org/core/home (select state budget button)

Page Edited by Charles Sipe.