Social & Behavioral Sciences Graduate

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice and Human Security

MA Master of Arts

An MA in Criminal Justice and Human Security available fully online, on campus or hybrid, with a 50 percent tuition discount for eligible law enforcement personnel.

50%For eligible personnel in CT, NY, or NJ
Law enforcement discount
18+18Semester hours of each
Core and elective hours
3Begin when the time is right
Starts a year
3Fully online, on campus, or hybrid
Ways to study

Curriculum

Crime on a global scale

As crime becomes increasingly transnational, its causes can no longer be viewed solely through the prism of local circumstances. UB’s Master of Arts in Criminal Justice and Human Security prepares students to understand the political, cultural, and socioeconomic factors that influence crime on both local and global scales. You will be required to take 18 semester hours of core criminal justice courses and 18 semester hours of electives.

LAW

Criminal law and emerging crime

Coursework explores domestic, international, and comparative criminal law, transnational crime, cybercrime, cyberterrorism, and other emerging issues in criminal justice, all taught by experienced faculty.

SECURITY

Human security

You will examine human security and modern challenges such as terrorism, human trafficking, and ethnocentric violence, gaining a broader understanding of human rights, international policy, peace, and humanitarian affairs.

FOUNDATION

Building solutions

This broader understanding of human rights and its connection to history, global policy, international peace and security, and humanitarian affairs provides a strong foundation on which you will be able to draw correlations and build solutions toward a safer world.

FLEXIBLE

Study your way

Complete your degree fully online or choose on-campus or hybrid courses to fit your schedule. With three opportunities to begin the program each year, you can start when the time is right for you while balancing your personal and professional commitments.

Tuition discount for eligible law enforcement

A 50 percent tuition discount

UB offers a 50 percent tuition discount for law enforcement personnel, including police officers, corrections officers, parole officers, members of the armed forces and veterans, who have permanent residence in Connecticut, New York, or New Jersey and are enrolled in the M.A. Criminal Justice and Human Security program.

50%
Tuition discount
CT NY NJ
Eligible residency

Admission requirements

How to apply

Completed application and all supporting documents must be received by the deadlines below.

Program prerequisites

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or recognized international institution
  • Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher

Required materials

  • Application
  • Official transcript for the last degree earned
  • International applicants should consult our international admission requirements, or contact an admissions officer with specific questions.
Apply now

Deadlines

April 15
Summer semester
Completed application and all supporting documents
July 15
Fall semester
Completed application and all supporting documents
December 1
Spring semester
Completed application and all supporting documents

Learning outcomes and careers

Where the MA leads

Upon graduation you will be a well-prepared graduate ready to work in the area of criminal justice, international security, defense, intelligence, and transnational crime prevention or deterrence anywhere in the world.

Criminal justice careers
National security including the FBI, CIA, DEA and IRS, global intelligence, education, criminology, corporate security, private security, cyber security, security analyst and penetration tester, advocacy, law enforcement from local and state to Interpol, surveillance, and legal research.
Who the program suits
This program is an excellent choice for domestic and international students looking to continue their education in criminal justice and human security; law enforcement employees, from local police to international officers, seeking to gain further expertise in the field; and military personnel looking to enter security and intelligence work.
Professional skills
Graduates demonstrate the skills necessary to excel in professional careers in federal, state, and international law enforcement agencies where intercultural communication skills, foreign language skills, and insights into other cultures are increasingly important both to address criminal activity and to take needed steps to prevent it.
Understanding the rule of law
Graduates demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the rule of law, law enforcement’s role in securing and protecting civil and human rights, the social conditions that foster or discourage criminal behavior, the role of non-state actors in international crime and justice, and the interpretations of religion, ideology, and culture that contribute to the proliferation or deterrence of violence and crime.

Course catalog

Every course, in full

View all courses offered and read full course descriptions in our online course catalog system.

Start your application

Eligible law enforcement personnel receive a 50 percent tuition discount.