American Public University System

Overview
Thirty-six-credit Master of Science in Criminal Justice with a thesis or elective option and specializations including forensic psychology.
- Official program name
- Criminal Justice (M.S.)
- Awarded degree
- Master of Science · major: Criminal JusticeSource: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Degree level
- Master's
- Subject focus
- Dedicated degreeThe degree itself is in criminal justice, criminology, forensic science or a closely related justice subject.Source: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- School
- Location
- Lynchburg, VAFor the online option this is where the school is located — not a residency requirement, and not a guarantee that you may enroll from your state.Source: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Subjects
- Criminal Justice — core of the degreeForensic Psychology — formal concentration / trackCorrections — formal concentration / track (“Corrections Management”)Law Enforcement and Policing — formal concentration / track (“Law Enforcement Leadership”)Homeland Security — formal concentration / track
- Tracks / concentrations
- Corrections Management · Cybercrime Investigation · Forensic Psychology · Homeland Security · Law Enforcement Leadership · Legal Studies · Public Administration · Restorative JusticeSource: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Required credits
- 36 hoursSource: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Duration
- Not verified
Why this program is listed
Dedicated Master of Science in Criminal Justice offered residentially and online, with eight online specializations including forensic psychology and cybercrime investigation.
Dedicated Master of Science in Criminal Justice offered residentially and online, with eight online specializations including forensic psychology and cybercrime investigation.
Source: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026We list associate, bachelor's, master's and research-doctorate programs in criminal justice, criminology, forensic science and related subjects at institutionally accredited US schools — degrees in the subject and formal concentrations, never certificates or one-elective degrees. Eligibility rules
Format and attendance
- Formats offered
- On campus · OnlineSource: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Online delivery
- Fully onlineAll coursework is online and the institution states no required campus attendance for the online option.All coursework is online and the institution states no required campus attendance for the online option.Source: liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Campus visits (online option)
- Campus visits: not verified
- Class schedule (online option)
- AsynchronousSource: liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Internship
- Internship requirement: not verified
- Study intensity
- Not verified
Attendance requirements as published
Other attendance requirement Not verified
The program page says some courses may require intensive or alternative formats with scheduled meeting times, travel to campus or login sessions.
Source: liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Curriculum
Curriculum
- Core courses include criminal justice integration, administration of justice organizations, human resource management, program evaluation, and leadership, ethics and policing.Source: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Thesis and non-thesis options
- Students may complete a thesis (proposal, research, defense) or take two elective courses instead.Source: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Transfer pathways
- Up to 18 graduate hours may be transferred from an accredited institution.Source: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Careers and licensure
Career and licensure statements for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.
A degree does not guarantee police academy admission, sworn officer certification, federal employment, a security clearance, a position with a named agency, a forensic laboratory job or eligibility to practice as a psychologist. Those have separate training, scientific prerequisites, examinations or hiring requirements set by the agency, state or licensing board. Academic degrees vs police academy training
Admissions
- Prior degree
- RequiredEarned baccalaureate degree or equivalent from an accredited institution.Source: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Minimum GPA
- RequiredMinimum 3 — Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above; applicants with 2.00 to 2.99 may be admitted on Academic Caution.Source: catalog.liberty.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Tests
Entrance and English-language test policy: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.
We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.
Start dates and deadlines
Application deadlines: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.
Tuition and fees
Tuition for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.
Scholarships and funding
Program-specific scholarships: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.
Accreditation
Institutional accreditation
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026
FEPAC program accreditation
This program does not appear in FEPAC's accredited-program list. FEPAC accredits forensic science programs only and is optional; its absence is not a sign that a program is illegitimate, and the school's other programs or institutional accreditation do not imply it.
State authorization (online students)
Not verified — check the school's state authorization page before applying from outside Virginia.
International applicants
Not verified for the online option.
Sources and verification
- catalog.liberty.edu/graduate/colleges-schools/helms-government/criminal-justice-ms/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
- catalog.liberty.edu/graduate/colleges-schools/helms-government/criminal-justice-ms/criminal-justice- — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
- catalog.liberty.edu/graduate/colleges-schools/helms-government/criminal-justice-ms/criminal-justice- — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
- catalog.liberty.edu/graduate/colleges-schools/helms-government/criminal-justice-ms/criminal-justice- — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
- catalog.liberty.edu/graduate/colleges-schools/helms-government/criminal-justice-ms/criminal-justice- — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
- catalog.liberty.edu/undergraduate/colleges-schools/helms-government/criminal-justice-major-bs/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
- DAPIP — SACSCOC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
- liberty.edu/online/government/masters/criminal-justice/ — Official program page, verified October 24, 2026
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Similar programs at other schools
Same degree level and focus. Listed for discovery, not ranked.
Master of Science in Criminology & Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Degrees is independent and not affiliated with Liberty University. Information is collected from official pages and directories and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.