The Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Management is a series of five courses which explores in depth the theory and practice of criminal justice management.  The courses are designed to help build the analytical and technical skills needed to manage effectively in complex organizations while developing the leadership abilities required to implement change in a rapidly changing criminal justice environment.  The Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Management offers students the opportunity to delve deeply into the issues they will face as administrators of criminal justice organizations.  Completion of this Graduate Certificate will result in specialized knowledge for current and future administrators who want to advance their careers forward into managerial and leadership positions. 

This Graduate Certificate may be taken independently as a stand-alone graduate-level certificate or as part of your master’s degree.  By focusing your MCJ electives on the courses required for the Certificate, it can be used as a step toward on-the-job advancement while you complete your MCJ.  The series of five courses can be completed within one year.

Who Should Pursue this Program

• Those in law enforcement, corrections, the courts, or the private criminal justice and security sector who already hold a bachelor’s degree who want to advance their careers into management roles
• Current MCJ degree students
• Those already holding a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, including Curry alumni, who wish to extend their knowledge base to include criminal justice management
• New graduate students who want to start with a certificate in a specialized area and then continue on for a master’s degree
• Current professionals in law enforcement who already hold a bachelor’s degree and who need special management expertise to perform their current duties at a higher level

What You Will Learn

• Current methods of leadership in criminal justice organizations
• Quantitative methods for decision making, strategy, vision and planning
• Intervention strategies for disputes, conflict resolution, and negotiation
• Human resource planning, collective bargaining, and impasse resolution in the public sector
• How to prepare and successfully write grants for the public and private sector
• Techniques to implement and manage change in criminal justice organizations

Admission and Program Requirements

• Undergraduate degree from an accredited institution
• Quantitative skills including college level course work in statistics and/or quantitative research methods
• Successful completion of five required courses.

Financial Aid Information
MCJ students may be eligible for financial aid if this certificate is pursued concurrently with the MCJ degree.  Eligibility for financial aid stops immediately upon completion of the MCJ coursework.

Traditional financial aid is not available for those who pursue this graduate certificate as a stand-alone certificate as this type of aid is available only for degree programs.  There are alternative sources of funding for certificate programs.  Please contact one of our advisers who can discuss these options with you.  

How to Apply
To apply for admission into the Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Management download and complete the application form (PDF).