crime scene with yellow number signs and wallet

Master of Science in Criminal Justice

Criminal Behavior

Online
Classes Start May 13 and July 1. Reserve your seat today!
Classes Start Six Times Per Year For Ultimate Flexibility

develop an expertise in the “why” of crime

30 Credit, 12-Month Program

Why do people commit crime? For our society to be better and safer, we must seek to better understand the psychological causes of crime. The M.S. in Criminal Behavior is designed for students interested in examining the relationship between psychology and the criminal justice system and who wish to enter, or advance in, the field of criminal justice, forensic psychology, law, social work or mental health.

The Master of Science in Criminal Behavior is designed to provide you with an understanding of why people commit crime. In the program, you’ll study diverse areas of criminal behavior and come to understand advanced knowledge of offenders and how the justice system manages such individuals.

Some universities offer online forensic psychology courses or criminal justice programs, but very few have programs geared toward developing a better understanding of criminal behavior. In our M.S. Criminal Behavior program, you can develop expertise in the psychological causes of crime with classes that focus on trends and major crime problems and statistics, the nature and causes of crime, justice agencies and personnel, criminal justice agency management and the changing features of the American legal system.

Equipped with an in-depth, highly practical education, our graduates have gone on to attain, or to advance in, positions with prison systems, rehabilitation centers, police departments, courthouses, law firms, schools, government agencies, mental health agencies and the private sector.

Professional forensic science Training
  • The M.S. Criminal Behavior provides a unique focus on criminal justice and criminal behavior.
  • The program is designed for someone who is curious about human behavior and what leads a person to engage in crime.
  • Program faculty have all been working professionals in the field.
  • Our professional, practical degree program attracts skilled managers, agents and clinicians from many components of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems.
  • The completion of 33 semester hours of course work is required for the MS degree with a concentration in Criminal Behavior. It is offered in a 3-semester format if taken full time.

The M.S. Criminal Behavior program is an outstanding example of how the real world meets the classroom experience. Our faculty members have all been working professionals in the field, and our students are also working professionals, which provides for an exciting dialogue and a dynamic education filled with connections.

Our faculty bring years of executive, operations-level, clinical, academic and research experience in criminal justice to the graduate learning process in a way that sparks debate, fosters insight and elicits innovation. Joint student-faculty collaboration on learning projects is a common occurrence.

Courses in the program have recently been created and/or updated and reflect up-to-date content. Our professors’ personal and field experience bolsters content offered in courses, by bringing a real-world perspective to all classroom learning.

a practical, professional education

As part of a real-world study of criminal behavior, you’ll acquire career-ready knowledge and the latest perspectives on criminal behavior, including:

  • Major crime problems and statistics
  • The nature and causes of crime
  • Psychological causes of crime and criminal behavior
  • Offender motivation, theory and policy
  • Psychology of violence and threat assessment
  • Crime control issues
  • Ethical principles of the field
  • Justice agencies and personnel
  • Agency and case management
  • Correctional strategies
  • Population management strategies
  • Offender reentry

 

While the Master of Science in Criminal Behavior is an online program, our students and instructors are regularly engaged with one another in discussion forums, and some courses involve outside assignments where you’ll visit places in the field or interview people in the community.

You’ll also participate in hands-on research projects where you’ll create your own research studies and collect and analyze data. You’ll seek out and interview professionals in the field, observe drug treatment groups, and volunteer at community agencies. Some courses will require you to immerse in cultural learning excursions in order to become well versed in understanding and working with diverse populations. Case examples, cultural issues and information about working with diverse populations is woven throughout various other courses and assignments within the program.

ohio police officer training academy (opota)

To be a sworn police officer in Ohio, you must successfully complete the Ohio Police Officer Training Academy (OPOTA). Tiffin University partners with Terra State Community College to include the cost of the academy in tuition and can be earned in just one semester.

This unique training academy is state mandated for all police officers and covers firearms, legal administration, human relations, traffic, patrol, driving, subject control, investigations, civil disorder, physical conditioning and other aspects of law enforcement. Students apply direct, hands-on practice in the crime lab, firing range and police cruisers. With experienced, certified instructors and hands-on application, our students consistently achieve passing rates on the state-certified exam. Once graduates of the program earn the certification, they are immediately eligible for full-time employment.

FORMAT

Online – Offered in two terms per semester starting in January, March, May, July, August and October

SAMPLE COURSES

Contemporary Criminal Justice: Issues and Trends (JUS510) – Provides a contemporary overview of the criminal justice system with a focus on current trends, major crime problems and statistics, crime control issues, the nature and causes of crime, justice agencies and personnel, key decision-making by justice agents and the changing features of the American legal system and criminal justice agency management which impact the quality of service to community residents.

Research Design and Analysis (JUS515) – Examines various research design models applied to the study of crime and agency administration issues. The course concludes a discussion of the philosophy of scientific inquiry, the discovery and conceptualization of research questions (descriptive, relational, and casual), the operationalization of project concepts and variables, conduct of the study, data analysis, formulating conclusions and generalization of findings. This course will allow students to analyze various research designs such as historical, legal, action, quasi-experimental, experimental, content analysis, polling, meta-analysis, data mining, citation analysis, policy analysis, investigative reporting, action research, comparative method, observer, participant-observer, micro history, ethnography, oral history, symbolism, photographic analysis, geographic information systems, program evaluation, evaluation, survey research and other designs and methods. Students will also read and practice policy decisions from report research.

Research Design and Analysis (JUS515) – Examines various research design models applied to the study of crime and agency administration issues. The course concludes a discussion of the philosophy of scientific inquiry, the discovery and conceptualization of research questions (descriptive, relational, and casual), the operationalization of project concepts and variables, conduct of the study, data analysis, formulating conclusions and generalization of findings. This course will allow students to analyze various research designs such as historical, legal, action, quasi-experimental, experimental, content analysis, polling, meta-analysis, data mining, citation analysis, policy analysis, investigative reporting, action research, comparative method, observer, participant-observer, micro history, ethnography, oral history, symbolism, photographic analysis, geographic information systems, program evaluation, evaluation, survey research and other designs and methods. Students will also read and practice policy decisions from report research.

Statistical Applications in Criminal Justice (JUS320) – Explores and applies practical statistical methods to the relevant work of criminal justice agents, managers and executives. The course will focus on statistical methods to prepare students to be intelligent consumers of reported research, to apply appropriate statistical analysis to various types of research designs, to report criminal justice agency performance results and to identify and use various criminal justice statistical data sources in print and electronic form.

Legal and Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice (JUS525) – The course examines ethical systems/models and their application to the multitude of criminal procedure, ethical, and civil liability issues in criminal justice such as substantive/procedural justice, legal paternalism, moral paternalism, punishment of the mentally ill/juveniles/white collar criminals, authority, power, discretion, duty, discrimination, gratuities, on-duty use of drugs/alcohol, graft, sexual harassment, excessive/deadly force, undercover work, media, investigation/interrogation, loyalty/whistle-blowing, professionalism and corruption.

Pro-Seminar in Criminal Justice I (JUS630) – The Pro-Seminar in Criminal Justice is designed to provide graduate students in criminal justice the opportunity to hear, interact with and critique the ideas of major executives, managers, leaders, and scholars in criminology, law and criminal justice. Presentations of two featured speakers will be done primarily online or in-person at designated locations. Students are required to critique the ideas and commentary of leaders in criminology, law, criminal justice and/or related fields.

Graduates from our M.S. Criminal Behavior program have gone on to become behavioral health specialists, mental health workers and social services managers. Others have been promoted to higher ranks in law enforcement, corrections, the court system and mental health and social service organizations.

CAREERS
  • Community Corrections
  • Courthouses
  • Government Agencies
  • Institutional Corrections
  • Law Firms
  • Police Departments
  • Prison Systems
  • Private or Public Security
  • Rehabilitation Centers
  • Schools
where tu grads have worked
  • All Source Security Containers
  • Amerihealth Caritas Health Plan
  • Benevolent & Protective Order of the Elks USA
  • CST International
  • Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
  • Community Base Correctional Facility
what is criminal behavior?

Criminal behavior involves understanding the psychological causes of crime.

what is a master’s in criminal behavior?

A master’s in criminal behavior is designed to provide students with an understanding of why people commit crime. In the program, students will study diverse areas of criminal behavior and come to understand advanced knowledge of offenders and how the justice system manages such individuals. Students will develop expertise in the psychological causes of crime with classes that focus on trends and major crime problems and statistics, the nature and causes of crime, justice agencies and personnel, criminal justice agency management and the changing features of the American legal system.

what can i do with a degree in criminal behavior?

With a degree in criminal behavior, you will be qualified for a variety of career opportunities, including positions in community corrections, courthouses, government agencies, institutional corrections, law firms, police departments, prison systems, private or public security, rehabilitation centers, schools and more.

MSCJ Criminal Behavior Program Requirements

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“I was very nervous to begin class at the Masters level online, because I value the one on one in person relationships with professors and classmates. None the less the online route was awesome. My professors always communicated with me and I was surprised to see that making relationships with classmates wasn’t as hard as I thought. I was able to talk with them, video chat, and send emails back and forth. This made the online classes easier and it was as if we were in seated classes together.”

Bella Harris
MS in CJ Criminal Behavior
Class of 2021
Meet James, Master of Science in Criminal Justice