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With our over 200-year legacy of preparing leaders in government, industry, and the military, Norwich University’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice program takes you on an in-depth exploration of global criminal behavior and the strategies skilled leaders employ to protect our citizens and allies from harm. Norwich offers vast resources to help you hone your knowledge in areas such as cybercrime, criminal justice system, corrections, criminological theory, law adjudication, and law enforcement.
Supplement your training and experience with a curriculum that encompasses the theory, practice, and methods of transnational criminal justice and exposes students to a broad perspective on international law and non-U.S. law enforcement systems, organizations, and challenges, especially those of terrorism. The criminal justice program is hosted on Norwich’s flexible virtual platform, which allows you to complete coursework at your own pace while continuing to work. Our distinguished faculty is comprised of leading experts in criminal justice and tangential fields, and they are prepared to offer you personalized support throughout your education.
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Norwich University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.).
Norwich University offers a range of opportunities to help you lower your overall tuition costs. Contact our admissions team today to learn more about your options. Please note that scholarships are not additive. In addition to scholarships, students may also be eligible for discounts if their organization partners with Norwich University.
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Norwich University Online students may be eligible for scholarships and we encourage all potential students to visit our scholarships page here.
The 30-credit Master of Science in Criminal Justice program comprises of five courses, each of which is 11 weeks in length. Students master one course at a time, with each course building on the next to create a strong foundation of knowledge and context for future topics. The coursework will provide students with a broad exposure to international law and to non-U.S. law enforcement systems, organizations, and challenges.
The curriculum complements existing experience and training with coursework that addresses the theory, practice, and methods of criminal justice. Applied learning develops practical skills in leadership, management, research and analysis. Students complete the first two core courses and then choose three elective courses to complete their degree.
This course examines law enforcement best practices, police leadership, workforce development, accountability, internal affairs, productivity, and the management of special units. Students will also study the role of community policy, community policing, restorative justice programs, crime prevention, and the role of technology, integrated justice systems, and information system security.
This course focuses on the nexus and relationships among leadership, ethics, and emerging technology for criminal justice practitioners, managers and administrators. The multifaceted responsibilities of criminal justice professionals require basic knowledge of these focused competency based areas as well as of the symbiotic relationships which lead to successful policies, procedures, and practices in contemporary criminal justice organizations. Emerging technologies such as drone usage, body cameras and enhanced listening devices are explored in the context of ethical use in police interdiction and intervention.
Upon completion of the core courses, students choose three elective courses from the below list.
This course examines the phenomenon of transnational terrorism by non-state actors. Ideology, psychology, and strategies of major transnational groups are addressed to provide an understanding of their long-term goals and operations. You will examine the relationship of terrorist groups, WMD proliferation, and organized crime, as well as possible future trends in terrorist operations. Case studies of key groups will provide comparative analysis.
This course surveys the strategies and policies that have been deployed by states to combat transnational terrorism. You will examine the development of international law as a tool against terrorism, diplomatic and multilateral approaches in dealing with cross-border issues, and government policies designed to improve internal and multinational coordination and cooperation. Differences and commonalities among states in their approaches to terrorism are highlighted in order to examine best practices.
This course explores the nature of conflict in cyber space focusing on two major Internet-based threats to the U.S. national security: cyber terrorism and cyber crime. The course addresses questions such as: who is undertaking these cyber activities, what techniques do they use, and what countermeasures can be adopted to mitigate their impact. The course is built around a risk management framework to help information leaders leverage the benefits of Internet technologies while minimizing the risks that such technologies pose to their organizations.
This course explores a broad variety of federal statutory, common, and international laws that may impact the information technology professional. Because the overwhelming majority of cyber infrastructure is owned and operated by the private sector, the course focus is on those laws that affect the interaction between government and the private sector information technology industry, including the privacy rights so often implicated in modern data storage systems. The course starts with a look at “cyber law” and whether it is really a distinct legal discipline at all. It then moves into criminal, civil, regulatory, international and common laws with which today’s information technology professional may come in contact. Throughout the course we discuss how public policy and other factors impact the development, implementation, and interpretation of the law. Students read, interpret and apply legal authorities and theories, a valuable skill for future information technology leaders if they are to stay in compliance with the ever-growing “cyber” legal framework.
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT
Extended hours available by appointment
Call: 1-866-684-7237
Email: learn@norwich.edu
Norwich University, in compliance with Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, or physical handicap in any of its policies, practices, or procedures.
When applying for the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program at Norwich University, there are two essential factors to consider: what does it cost, and how can you pay for it? There are many ways to get financial assistance and several financial strategies that can help you achieve your academic and professional goals. We are here to help you identify and pursue the options that are best for you.
Ways to Pay
Do You Qualify for a Tuition Discount?
We Accept Military Benefits
Rate Per Credit |
Term
Tuition |
Additional Expenses | Total |
---|---|---|---|
$698; $550 (military; veteran; first responder)
|
$3,300-$4,188
|
Technology - $300/term |
$18,375-$22,815
|
As global crime, terrorism, and violence are on the rise and become more complex, the need for law enforcement leaders with enhanced skills and knowledge continues to grow. Our new Master of Science in Criminal Justice program can be your bridge to a successful, exciting, and rewarding future by providing the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the military, public, or private sectors.
Graduates of the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program can develop the tools they need to help fight domestic, international, transnational, and non-state-affiliated criminal activity with a robust arsenal of managerial and contextual capabilities to help them advance professionally. The criminal justice graduate program can help open doors to leadership positions in areas such as the military, civilian law enforcement, federal law enforcement, and private security. Our large, well-positioned alumni network can help graduates find rewarding career opportunities.
Example career paths for graduates of the program include positions in organizations such as:
Elizabeth Gurian holds a Bachelor of Science in human physiology from Boston University, a Master of Science in criminal justice from Northeastern University, and a doctorate from the University of Cambridge.
Before joining Norwich University, Gurian completed a consultancy for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna. This project entailed assisting the Division of Policy Analysis and Public Affairs, Statistics and Surveys Section, with research for a planned global report on the crime of intentional homicide. The report provides in-depth analysis of homicide trends at national, regional and global levels.
Gurian is now an associate professor of criminology and criminal justice. She is also the associate director of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. She has previously won the Board of Fellows Prize and Dana Category I grants in recognition of her teaching, scholarship and service, and an award for excellence in mentoring at Norwich University.In 2013, she was also awarded the Peggy R. Williams Emerging Professional Award from the Vermont Women in Higher Education.
Her research focuses on multicide (serial and mass) offenders, lone actor terrorists, and mass shooters and was awarded an American Association of University Women publication grant for her work exploring adjudication and outcomes patterns. Her book, “Serial and mass murder: Understanding multicide through offending patterns, explanations, and outcomes” is published through Routledge. She has also discussed her work through such media as BBC Radio, Vermont Public Radio, WCAX-TV, CHannel 3, and The New York Times and CBS podcast, “Why Women Kill.”
Gurian serves on Norwich’s Faculty Development Committee, and she teaches courses on research methods, courts, criminal violence, senior seminar, and the death penalty. When she’s not researching or teaching, she enjoys travel, kayaking, and snow shoeing.
Publications:
Gurian, E.A., & Woodbury Tease, A. (2020) Shadow and substance: an examination of capital punishment through the lens of the Twilight Zone and Black Mirror. JCJPC, 20(1): 43- 58.
Gurian E.A. (2018). Offending, adjudication, and outcome patterns of solo male, solo female, and partnered mass murderers. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 62(7): 1906-1924.
Gurian, E.A. (2017). Reframing serial murder within empirical research: offending and adjudication patterns of male, female, and partnered serial killers. IJOTCC, 61(5): 544- 560.
Gurian E.A. (2015). Lawyers’ perceptions of female homicide offenders. Violence and Gender, 2(1): 41-50.
Gurian, E.A. (2013). Explanations of mixed-sex partnered serial homicide: a review of sociological and psychological theory. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 18(5): 520-526.
Me, A., Bisogno, E., Malby, S., Jandl, M., Davis, P., Pysden, C., Rahmonberdiev, U., Reiterer, F., Gurian, E., Vieira, C.M., Aziani, A., Cenci, M., Gibbons, J., Kunnen, S. & Kuttnig, K. (2011). 2011 Global Study on Homicide: Trends, Contexts, Data. United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime: Vienna.
Gurian, E.A. (2011). Female serial murderers: directions for future research on a hidden population. IJOTCC, 55(1): 27-42
Gurian E.A., Kinnamon D.D., Henry J.J., & Waisbren S.E. (2006). Expanded newborn screening for biochemical disorders: the effect of a false-positive result. Pediatrics, 117(6):1915-1921
Meet graduates from our master's programs.
I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing young men and women over the course of my enrollment – often those individuals I doubt I would have had the opportunity to work in other settings. The exchange of ideas and perspectives lead to some internal growth that I wasn’t expecting.
I was looking for something different, opposed to the traditional graduate degrees...Norwich caught my eye...I found a home at Norwich from my master’s degree.