Meredith Expands Graduate Offerings with Online Programs in Criminal Justice

Meredith College is expanding its graduate programs with a new online Master of Arts in Criminal Justice and two online certificate options starting in fall 2020.

The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice is a 36-hour online graduate program. The program is flexible, allowing students to pursue the program at the pace that works best for them.

Graduate certificate options are the Criminal Justice Graduate Certificate, for those interested in gaining more skills and knowledge to further their careers within the criminal justice sector, and the Criminal Justice and Substance Use Disorder Certificate, which prepares criminal justice managers to more fully understand addiction and its effects on the field of criminal justice.

Meredith’s program is designed to provide both the academic knowledge and practical skills criminal justice professionals need. Content courses will be taught by practitioners in the criminal justice field who have a solid research-based background and practical experience. The program will also include a focus on writing, an essential skill for the field of criminal justice, since a significant amount of policing involves writing reports and media messages, as well as keeping accurate, detailed, and clear field notes.

Bianca Harris is the director of the new master’s program. Harris has extensive experience in the field of criminal justice management, having served as warden of North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women before moving into the position of district manager of the Division of Alcohol and Chemical Dependency unit of the state Department of Public Safety.

Meredith’s criminal justice programs are suitable for those who are already working in the field as well as those who are pursuing nontraditional pathways to careers in corrections and criminal justice.

“Meredith’s M.A. in criminal justice prepares students to meet current challenges in the rapidly changing criminal justice field. Our program gives students opportunities to interact with innovative professionals in all aspects of the field – in the virtual classroom space as well as through internships, fieldwork, and special on-campus networking events,” said Sarah Roth, dean of Meredith’s School of Arts and Humanities.

The program is designed to address the most pressing issues in the criminal justice field.

“The program’s emphasis on substance use disorders, mental health, juvenile justice, and gender provides our students with an understanding of the issues that will shape the future of criminal justice and criminal justice management,” said Roth.

The new program builds on Meredith’s success on the undergraduate level, which has included a major in criminology since 2011. Meredith has developed connections with a wide variety of professionals in law enforcement and criminal justice.

“We are committed to partnering with the criminal justice community to provide the training and educational programming required to excel in various career paths,” said Professor of Sociology and Criminology Lori Brown. “Partnerships with law enforcement departments, sheriff departments, private and corporate security companies, medical and behavioral health entities, and social services and substance use disorder services will allow our curriculum to reflect the full spectrum of criminal justice.”

Applications to the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice Graduate Certificate, and Criminal Justice and Substance Use Disorder Certificate for students starting in fall 2020 are now being accepted. Visit meredith.edu/master-of-criminal-justice for more information.