The demand for public safety and security professionals with superior education and training has never been greater. Our innovative online certificate lets you keep working while you build cutting-edge skills in domestic violence, cyber crime, criminal forensics, international organized crime and other specialties tailored to your career objectives. Gain a solid foundation in American criminal justice - and valuable credit toward your sociology or criminal justice degree - as you prepare for positions in the judiciary, corrections, policing, homeland security, victim services and social services fields through this flexible program that draws upon the resources of UMass Amherst's nationally ranked Department of Sociology.
Certificate requirements: Students take a total of 5 courses (3 credits each), including: Criminology (Sociology 241), Sociology of Law (Sociology 323) or Deviance and Social Order (Sociology 342) and three upper-level Criminal Justice courses.
The certificate is awarded to students completing the required courses with passing grades in each course (a combined minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0). All courses must be taken through UMass Amherst.
Learn more about this program:
To receive more information and connect with the program manager, please complete the request form to the right.
Sample a Course
Click here for more information on the Criminal Justice Studies Certificate.
Registration is administered through UMass Amherst Continuing & Professional Education. Please see Fee Schedule below.
| Type of Fee |
Amount |
| Fee per credit |
$353 |
| Registration Fee per semester |
$45 |
| Late Reg. Fee per semester* |
$60 |
| Returned Check Fee per semester** |
$30 |
| Total for course*** |
$1104 (353x3 credits = 1059 + 45 registration fee per semester) |
Click here to browse our course listings.
*applicable when you register after deadline; non-refundable unless course has been cancelled
** applicable when checks returned unpaid
*** Courses can vary from one to six credits; this total represents a standard 3 credit course
The University of Massachusetts is accredited by the
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Did you know?
University of Massachusetts has earned several awards for its distance learning programs, faculty and technology including:
- University of Massachusetts Ranked Among Top 28 Best Value in Online Education for Human Services & Psychology Professionals, 2009 by Get Educated
- Ranked Top 10 Online Degrees Colleges- September 2009 (Online Degree Reviews.com)
- UMassOnline Awarded Public Sector of the Year by Mass Technology Leadership Council , 2008
- Most Outstanding Online Teaching and Learning Program, UMass Lowell's Online Graduate Behavioral Intervention in Autism Program, Sloan Consortium Excellence Awards, 2008
- 'Excellence in Online Teaching' Award, Dr. Jeannette E. Riley, Sloan Consortium Excellence Awards, 2008
- 21st Century Best Practices Award, United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
- Program of Excellence, University Continuing Education Association (UCEA)-Journalism Certificate
- Excellence in Faculty Development, Sloan-C Excellence Awards
- Excellence in Online Programming, Sloan-C Excellence Awards
- Excellence in Online Teaching, Sloan-C Excellence Awards
- UMass Amherst Isenberg MBA, Top 10 national rankings, #4 Best Professors (2005, 2006, 2007 Princeton Review: Best Business Schools rankings)
- 4th in Primary Care Education, U.S. World Reports
- Ranked 45th Best University System in the World - London Times
- Excellence in Distance Teaching Education - United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
The certificate program and courses offered in association with the program are open admission. The only restriction is that students are expected to have a high school degree or GED. High school students with written permission of their guidance counselor and parent or guardian may also enroll. All CJSC students are expected to perform to an acceptable college level standard. Once the student successfully completes the six course requirement, the student must make a formal request to the Continuing & Professional Education that a transcript be sent to the CJSC Advisor for a certificate audit. The CJSC will automatically be sent to any student completing the six course requirement with passing grades in each course, at a combined minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0.
Contact:
For more information or if you have additional questions, please contact Continuing and Professional Education at academicprograms@contined.umasss.edu.
Availability of financial aid varies depending on matriculation and course status. Please check with your program manager or advisor to determine your eligibility. Generally, if you are matriculated in a degree program and are enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits each semester, you may qualify for financial aid.
Please review our Financial Aid Checklist below.
- Fill out the FAFSA form at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
- It is important to list the University of Massachusetts Amherst school code number 002221.
- For more information please click here.
Contact:
For more information please click
here.
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