Online MBA in Criminal Justice Programs
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For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 118 schools in our BSchools.org database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
“My key piece of advice for aspiring MBA students in criminal justice is to seek internships and volunteer opportunities that provide real-world experience in the field. Engaging with organizations focused on criminal justice, social services, or non-profits can help you build invaluable networks and gain insights into the challenges and innovations within the sector.”
Malinda Lee, MBA, MS, Graduate of Sam Houston State University
The country’s legal system has taken a closer look at itself over the last few years. A variety of past practices can stand to be reexamined through the lens of 21st-century approaches to law and order. For those excited by the idea of leading change in how our nation approaches prosecution, incarceration, law enforcement, and public safety, an MBA in criminal justice can be an invaluable asset.
An MBA in criminal justice can be a perfect fit for those seeking socially useful career paths that blend business and justice. Those already working in a public safety capacity can add business acumen to their skill set through an MBA, just as those with business experience eager to serve their community in valuable ways can add knowledge of criminal justice to their professional toolkit. Those new to the professional world who want to make a difference can also pursue an MBA in criminal justice to make applications for entry-level positions more competitive.
In addition to being socially useful, legal careers and management careers are expected to grow in the next decade. As of October 2024, legal occupations paid a median annual wage of $99,220, and management positions paid a median annual wage of $116,880.
Educational institutions in all disciplines recognize the need for advanced career training to fit into the already-established lives of working professionals or stay-at-home parents. As a result, many online MBA programs and flexible MBA programs are available from high-quality, accredited universities and colleges. To make attendance feasible for working professionals, classes are offered during off-hours periods at night or on weekends or can be taken asynchronously at the time of an enrolled student’s choosing. In addition, distance learning options allow students to take courses across state lines without having to move physically. Continue reading to learn more about what to expect from an online MBA program, including the coursework and the high-quality faculty teaching courses.
| Featured Criminal Justice Programs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M International University | Online MBA - Criminal Justice | View Full Profile |
| Lamar University | Online MBA - Criminal Justice Mgmt | View Full Profile |
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For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 118 schools in our BSchools.org database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details. |
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Meet the Expert: Malinda Lee, MBA, MS
Malinda Lee is a dedicated mental health professional with a robust educational background and extensive experience in crisis intervention and care coordination. She holds a master of science in victim service management from Sam Houston State University and an MBA from the University of Houston-Downtown. As a QMHP-certified MCOT care coordinator, Lee is committed to providing transformative mental health support, particularly in high-pressure environments requiring immediate and effective crisis intervention.
Lee’s recent tenure at the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD has been instrumental in refining her skills in client communication, care coordination, and the assessment of diverse populations. Her work involved meticulously monitoring defendants’ compliance with release conditions, developing comprehensive supervision plans, and initiating essential support services. Through her collaborative efforts, she has significantly contributed to maintaining high standards of client care and enhancing her community’s well-being.
BSchools.org: How has graduating with an MBA in criminal justice enhanced your career?
Lee: Graduating with an MBA in criminal justice has significantly broadened my career opportunities, enabling me to integrate advanced business principles with my passion for social justice and healthcare. The program equipped me with critical skills in strategic planning, leadership, and organizational management, which I now apply in my role as a business development director. This unique combination allows me to lead impactful initiatives that directly benefit vulnerable populations and influence policy in the criminal justice sector.
BSchools.org: What is one piece of advice you would give to a student aspiring to earn an MBA in criminal justice?
Lee: My key piece of advice for aspiring MBA students in criminal justice is to seek internships and volunteer opportunities that provide real-world experience in the field. Engaging with organizations focused on criminal justice, social services, or non-profits can help you build invaluable networks and gain insights into the challenges and innovations within the sector. This hands-on experience complements academic learning and will significantly enhance your ability to make a meaningful impact in your future career.
Online MBA in Criminal Justice Degree Programs
This program at Widener is unique because it is a dual master of jurisprudence (MJ) in corporate and business law and an MBA. This dual 48-credit program requires more work and dedication than the school’s traditional MBA program. While MBA students can be admitted with a 2.75 GPA, dual MJ/MBA program students must have at least a 3.0 GPA.
In the jurisprudence section of the program, students learn about legal analysis and regulatory compliance across corporate, nonprofit, and governmental organizations. They also have the option to complete the general track or concentrate on regulatory analysis and compliance or global compliance and ethics. Professional development workshops are offered to students to prepare them for a competitive and changing business environment. The Compliance Certification Board (CCB) accredited the program and can be completed entirely online.
As part of the program, students will delve into topics such as leading organizations and people, an introduction to law, critical legal analysis and writing, information systems and data analytics, risk management and auditing, ethics and compliance fundamentals and the profession, corporate deviance, advanced compliance analysis, and strategic financial management.
| Location: Chester, PA |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International); Compliance Certification Board (CCB); Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 30 months |
Lamar’s MBA in criminal justice management is designed to help students understand institutions, budgets, processes, and people so that they can come up with informed decisions and policies on the spot or through long-term planning. By studying a range of topics in specialized criminal justice, business, and leadership, students will gain the knowledge, experiences, and skills required to quickly advance to a range of criminal justice fields.
In addition to organizational leadership, business communication, and management theory, students will explore legal trends and issues associated with law enforcement leadership and business. Graduates will be able to become skilled managerial decision-makers with positive leadership traits and develop an understanding of several aspects of control, punishment, and crime prevention.
The 30-credit curriculum includes core MBA courses such as managerial accounting; managerial decision-making; managerial economics; financial management; strategic management; and marketing management, among others. The criminal justice component challenges students to examine current criminal justice trends and study courses such as criminal justice system and policy; theoretical foundations of crime control; criminal justice leadership. The online format allows people to take courses at their own pace. Students with no previous undergraduate study in business will be required to take two leveling courses.
| Location: Beaumont, TX |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 12 months |
Texas A&M International University’s (TAMIU) A.R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business offers an online master of business administration program in criminal justice, providing students with a broad-based business education with criminal justice expertise. Students can expand their business knowledge and open their careers to rewarding opportunities. Blending a broad-based understanding of business operations with criminal justice expertise, the program helps students qualify for public and private sector management roles and advance in the criminal justice field.
The program consists of 30 credits and includes core MBA courses such as business research methods; strategic management; financial statement analysis; managerial economics; and financial management. Courses in the criminal justice specialization include foundations in criminal justice; white-collar crime; and cybercrime.
Graduates of the program will be ready to take up positions such as financial examiners, private investigators, correctional facility administrators, customs agents, and homeland security agents.
| Location: Laredo, TX |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 21 months |
A non-profit, Christian-affiliated school, Liberty University offers an MBA designed to provide current business, management, and entrepreneurship skills. Liberty offers more than 20 different MBA cognates, one of which is criminal justice administration. The 45-credit MBA in criminal justice administration program blends business and criminal justice acumen by preparing students for effective research methods, organizational administration, and understanding criminal law.
In addition to the 33 credits of core MBA courses, criminal justice coursework includes criminal justice integration; administration of justice organizations; and topics and trends in criminal justice. Core MBA courses include strategic marketing management; managerial finance; legal issues in business; business research methods; accounting for decision-making; international business; organizational design & structure; and global economic environment.
Graduates of this concentration will be able to take up roles in fields such as administration, corrections, casework, counseling, probation and parole, juvenile justice, and social services.
| Location: Lynchburg, VA |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 24 months |
Loyola University New Orleans offers a dual-degree program that combines a master of criminology and justice (MCJ) with an MBA through an online format. This unique program is designed to equip students with interdisciplinary expertise, blending advanced criminological knowledge with business management skills. The curriculum emphasizes leadership, ethics, and critical thinking, preparing graduates to address complex issues in criminal justice and organizational management.
With the flexibility of online learning, the program is ideal for professionals seeking to advance their careers in law enforcement, government agencies, non-profits, or corporate security. This dual-degree program allows students to complete both degrees more efficiently than pursuing them separately, enhancing their qualifications for leadership roles.
| Location: New Orleans, LA |
| Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) |
| Expected Time to Completion: Three years |
Admission Requirements for MBA programs in Criminal Justice
Program admissions requirements vary by institution, but having demonstrated interest in business or criminal justice can be helpful for admission into certain MBA programs. Students should speak to an admissions officer to understand the specific requirements for each program, but there are general requirements students may encounter in their application process.
Admissions departments may require:
- Proof of undergraduate degree in business, criminal justice, or a related field
- Undergraduate transcripts with proof of minimum GPA (e.g., >3.2)
- Proof of required prerequisite coursework or experience
- Statement/essay of personal interest
- GMAT/GRE scores (some programs may waive these, especially if a candidate has other graduate-level degrees or significant professional experience)
- Letters of reference
- TOEFL scores for foreign students
Accreditation and State Authorization
Accreditation is a process that benefits students interested in enrolling at certain universities and companies and agencies interested in hiring well-qualified graduates. Accredited schools demonstrate that their programming meets a certain expectation for quality and relevance and also provide other assets such as career placement, qualified faculty, alumni, and community support. Students in search of quality programming and companies in search of quality graduates should consider accreditation.
The two most common accrediting organizations for higher education programs in business are the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Both groups focus on continuous improvement, attention to the quality of classroom instruction, and verifying that correct, industry-relevant information is being delivered. On an institution-wide level, more than 3,000 colleges and universities seek accreditation from organizations approved by the Council for Higher Accreditation (CHEA).
While certification is not required to work in criminal justice, students, graduates, or professionals can seek membership in professional organizations to keep their knowledge relevant and to network within the field. Those in criminal justice can pursue certifications and professional membership through the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences or Alpha Phi Sigma, a national Criminal Justice Honor Society affiliated with ACJS.
Finally, though online learning programs are available in many universities, students interested in a particular school or degree program should ensure each program is authorized to operate in their state of residence. This ensures that correct state education standards are followed to earn appropriate state licenses, provide recognized credits, and that any contractor delivering online programs in a state for a school follows correct protocol. This information can often be found on program websites, by speaking with an admissions counselor, or by checking to see if the program is an NC-SARA participant.
