American Public University System

University of Louisville · Department of Criminal Justice, College of Arts and Sciences
Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Overview
A 36-credit-hour Master of Science in Criminal Justice offered in evening on-campus and 100% online formats, with a thesis or professional paper option.
- Official program name
- Master of Science in Criminal Justice
- Awarded degree
- Master of Science · major: Criminal JusticeSource: catalog.louisville.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.louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- School
- University of Louisville — Department of Criminal Justice, College of Arts and SciencesSource: catalog.louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Location
- Louisville, KYFor 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 degreeCriminal Justice Administration — core of the degree (“Criminal justice leadership”)
- Required credits
- 36 graduate credit hoursSource: catalog.louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Duration
- 3 intensive semesters (online) (Online program page wording.)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.Source: louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Why this program is listed
Dedicated MS in Criminal Justice offered on campus and online.
Degree title names criminal justice; 15 credit hours of core courses plus electives; thesis or professional paper.
Source: catalog.louisville.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.louisville.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: louisville.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
Curriculum
- Core courses total 15 credit hours; the remaining courses are electives.Source: catalog.louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Thesis and non-thesis options
- Thesis option: 30 credit hours plus thesis (36 total); non-thesis option: 33 credit hours plus a professional paper (36 total).Source: catalog.louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Other
- Program works with the Southern Police Institute in Louisville.Source: catalog.louisville.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
- RequiredA bachelor's degree or its equivalent.Source: catalog.louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Minimum GPA
- RequiredMinimum 2.75 — Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale (online program page).Source: louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Statement / essay
- RequiredOriginal essay of 300-500 words.Source: catalog.louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Recommendation letters
- Required2 letters — Two letters of recommendation.Source: catalog.louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
- Application fee
- Required$65 — $65 non-refundable application fee.Source: louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Tests
- GRE General Test
- Not requiredSource: louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.
Start dates and deadlines
- Rolling
Priority deadline
Rolling admission · for Fall I
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Tuition and fees
| Category | Amount | Basis and year |
|---|---|---|
| All students — Online master's, academic year tuition per credit hour | $863 | per creditCalculated tuition$31,068 = 36 credits × $863 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026 |
Other published fees
- Additional fee for all online courses
- $10 per creditMandatorySource: louisville.edu · verified October 24, 2026
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 Kentucky.
International applicants
Not verified for the online option.
Sources and verification
- catalog.louisville.edu/graduate/programs-study/master-science-criminal-justice/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
- catalog.louisville.edu/undergraduate/majors/criminal-justice-bs/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
- louisville.edu/online/programs/masters/master-of-science-in-criminal-justice — Official program page, 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
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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 University of Louisville. Information is collected from official pages and directories and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.