About: 
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 .

Sample a Course

Click here for more information on the Criminology and Criminal Justice System Certificate.

Tuition/Fees: 

Registration is administered through UMass Amherst University Without Walls. Please see Fee Schedule below.

Type of Fee Amount
Summer Fee per credit $445
Fall Fee per credit $482
Registration Fee per semester $60
Returned Check Fee per semester** $30

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

Accreditation: 

The University of Massachusetts is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

Admissions: 

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 Criminology and Criminal Justice System Certificate students are expected to perform to an acceptable college level standard. Once the student successfully completes the five course requirement, the student must make a formal request to the Continuing & Professional Education that a transcript be sent to the Criminology and Criminal Justice System Certificate Advisor for a certificate audit. The Criminology and Criminal Justice System Certificate will automatically be sent to any student completing the five course requirement with passing grades in each course, at a combined minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0.

For more information:

To receive more information and connect with the program manager, please complete the request form to the right or visit https://www.umass.edu/sociology/undergraduate/current/certificates/criminologycert

Financial Aid: 

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.

  1. Fill out the FAFSA form at studentaid.gov.
  2. It is important to list the University of Massachusetts Amherst school code number 002221.
  3. For more information please click here.
More Program Details
Campus: 
UMass Amherst
Contact: 
Undergraduate Studies Department of Sociology
Phone: 
413-545-4059
Level: 
Undergraduate
Type: 
Certificate
Credits: 
15
Tuition Per Credit: 

Summer semester $445
Fall semester $482

Format: 
Online
Subject: 
Criminal Justice and Legal
Liberal Arts and Humanities

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