The Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ) program at the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Public Affairs has been ranked fourth in the nation, according to College Consensus’ rankings for Best Online Master's in Criminal Justice for 2020.

By combining the results of the most reputable college ranking publishers and thousands of real student reviews from around the web, College Consensus provides a comprehensive ranking of a school's reputation and quality. The College Consensus is the combined average of a school’s “Publisher Consensus”—an average rating score from respected college rankings publishers, including Forbes, Money, U.S. News & World Report, and Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education—and a school’s “Student Consensus”—an average student review score from sources including the websites Cappex, My Plan, Niche, Students Review, and Unigo. 

“The School of Public Affairs’ MCJ program has been strong for 40 years, and we were among the first to go online more than a decade ago,” Paul Teske, Dean of CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs, said. “Our faculty include nationally known researchers and practitioners, and we are also proud that they are exceptional teachers, with great experience in successful online teaching methods.”

The MCJ program prepares students to administer, analyze, evaluate, and facilitate improvements in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. The curriculum emphasizes research design alongside skills required for analyzing empirical data and innovating in crime control and prevention. Students who advance through the program acquire strategies and skills for promoting individual, organizational, and social change. Additionally, students have the option to pursue a concentration in crime analysis; disasters, hazards & emergency management; emergency management & homeland security; gender-based violence; and nonprofit management. The program can be completed fully online, fully in-person, or in a hybrid format.

“Our MCJ faculty are among the best in the nation and committed to providing students with a quality education in criminology and criminal justice,” professor and MCJ program director Lorine Hughes said. “We are fortunate to be supported in our efforts by talented staff and administrators, as well as community partners and practitioners with years of experience in crime analysis, victim services, law enforcement, court processing, and both juvenile and adult corrections.” 

Learn more about the Master of Criminal Justice program, including admission and application requirements. Applications are accepted for the fall, spring and summer terms, with deadlines of August 1, December 1, and May 1, respectively. To set up a virtual appointment with an admissions counsellor, contact spa.admissions@ucdenver.edu.