American Public University System

University of Alabama at Birmingham
Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Overview
Master of Science in Criminal Justice with a 30-hour Thesis Track (on campus) and a 33-hour Applied Track (on campus and online). The GRE is not required.
- Official program name
- Master of Science in Criminal Justice
- Awarded degree
- Master of Science · major: Criminal JusticeSource: uab.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: uab.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- School
- Location
- Birmingham, ALFor 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.
- Subjects
- Criminal Justice — core of the degreeCriminology — core of the degree (“Criminological theory and patterns in crime”)
- Required credits
- Applied Track 33 hours; Thesis Track 30 hoursSource: uab.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Duration
- Not verified
Why this program is listed
Dedicated MS in Criminal Justice with a thesis track (on campus) and an applied track (on campus and online).
Degree title names criminal justice; core in criminological theory, research methods, statistics and policy.
Source: uab.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: uab.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: uab.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Campus visits (online option)
- Campus visits: not verified
- Class schedule (online option)
- Not verified
- Internship
- Internship requirement: not verified
- Study intensity
- Not verified
The program page does not say whether the online option requires campus visits. Ask the school before you apply — missing information is not “no requirement”.
Curriculum
Capstone
- Non-thesis (applied) track requires a demonstration project; a field placement or internship is strongly encouraged.Source: uab.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Thesis and non-thesis options
- Thesis Track (30 hours), on campus, with a thesis project under a faculty adviser.Source: uab.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
Admission requirements: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.
Tests
- GRE General Test
- Not requiredSource: uab.edu · verified October 24, 2026
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 Alabama.
International applicants
Not verified for the online option.
Sources and verification
- DAPIP — SACSCOC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
- uab.edu/cas/criminaljustice/graduate/ms-criminal-justice — Official program page, verified October 24, 2026
- uab.edu/degrees/graduate/criminal-justice-mscj — Official program page, verified October 24, 2026
Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this school? Claim the profile
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 University of Alabama at Birmingham. Information is collected from official pages and directories and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.