Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs in Arkansas

What Can I Do With My Master’s in Criminal Justice in Arkansas?

Whether you are an experienced criminal justice professional or you’re interested in exploring this field and utilizing your prior education, earning a master’s degree in criminal justice in Arkansas may help you discover a career path that positively impacts the entire state.

Use your unique skills and education to improve life in Arkansas. Get involved now by contacting criminal justice graduate programs in Arkansas.

Just because Arkansas is safe does not mean that criminal justice professionals are resting on their laurels. In fact, leaders in this industry are always looking for ways to make Arkansas a safer, fairer, and more enjoyable place to live (Al-Jazeera, 2015). The Criminal Justice Task Force has goals of reducing overcrowding in correctional facilities, making correctional facilities safer for prisoners, and addressing the issue of medical issues not being treated in this setting (ArkansasMatters.com).

The critical thinking skills and advanced education gained in a master’s degree program lend themselves to many mid-level and high-level career paths. Police supervisors in Arkansas earn, on average, $49,800 per year (O*Net, 2015). Job openings may jump 10% between 2012 and 2022 (O*Net, 2015). Security management is another area of growing need, with an anticipated 7% boost in job openings (O*Net, 2015). Professionals in this field claim an average income of $102,700 per year (O*Net, 2015).

What Will It Take to Earn My Criminal Justice Graduate Degree in Arkansas?

Some graduate degree programs require you to have an undergraduate degree in the field of study that you want to explore at the graduate level. However, in the field of criminal justice, you do not have to have a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. This is due to the interdisciplinary nature of this field. Undergraduate education that relates to this field in some way is considered an advantage, though.

As a graduate student, you may pay a full-time graduate student rate or you may pay per credit. On average, tuition rates in Arkansas range from $400 per credit to $600 per credit. You may qualify for financial aid programs to offset these expenses. The Arkansas Association of Correctional Employees Trust awards several scholarships to returning students each year.

You may be able to choose from different criminal justice specialties, depending on which schools you are interested in. Specialties available in Arkansas include justice and security, public administration, and forensics.

Looking at the curricula for different programs can help you choose the right criminal justice master’s degree in Arkansas. If you decide to focus on public administration, you may be required to complete courses like those listed here:

• Public Administration and Policy
• Public and Non-Profit Budgeting
• Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation
• Research Methods
• Organizational Leadership
• Public Administration Theory and Practice

In general, criminal justice courses at this level aim to prepare you for leadership positions, give you a better understanding of the research used to make policy decisions in this field, and help you develop the critical thinking skills that are required to affect systemic change.

If you are passionate about keeping your community safe and improving the criminal justice system of Arkansas, this graduate degree could help you advance your career.

Take a look at our list of schools below to learn more about earning a Master of Science in criminal justice in Arkansas.