Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs in Mississippi
Working in criminal justice in Mississippi requires a special type of knowledge, an understanding of Southern culture, and an appreciation for the rural layout of the state. Mississippi is a largely rural state with many remote communities, and as a criminal justice professional, you must be able to respond to situations and crises appropriately.
What Can I Do With My Master’s in Criminal Justice in Mississippi?
The possibilities in the field of criminal justice are vast. Whether you want to use your degree to affect social change, restructure law enforcement agencies, or become a leader in the local justice community, you can take the next step by contacting criminal justice graduate programs in Mississippi.
The wheels of change have been in motion for a long time in Mississippi. Lawsuits regarding Mississippi’s use of debtor’s prisons have been a big focus of the industry at large (Nonprofit Quarterly, 2015).
Working in criminal justice requires you to be comfortable tackling difficult questions, taking a stance, and using research to back up your position. Some have questioned Mississippi’s use of execution drugs in recent months, leaving some groups to demand state law enforcement agencies to disclose the manufacturers they use (ABC, 2015).
Quite a few career opportunities at this level of education are based in management. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a Mississippi police supervisor is $54,250 per year and the average salary for a correctional supervisor is $49,630 per year (2022). Demand for police supervisors may increase 10% through 2030 (CareerOneStop, 2022); the expected growth rate for correctional supervision jobs should remain fairly steady.
2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Mississippi contained here reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed November 2023.
What Will It Take to Earn My Criminal Justice Graduate Degree in Mississippi?
You may enjoy a number of benefits when you decide to earn your Master of Science in criminal justice in Mississippi. To start, tuition rates in Mississippi are considerably lower than they are in many other parts of the country. Reported graduate tuition rates range from $380 per credit hour to $865 per credit hour.
Each school has its own financial aid department, and you should utilize this resource as much as possible. You may also look for financial aid through private sources like the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police.
If you plan on attending school on a full-time basis, you may be able to graduate with a master’s in criminal justice in Mississippi in as little as 18 months. To earn the 30+ credits required for graduation, you may take courses like those listed here:
- Applied Statistical Methods for Criminal Justice
- Applied Research Methods for Criminal Justice
- Seminar in Policing
- Seminar in Corrections
- Seminar in Juvenile Law
- Seminar in Criminal Justice Policy
You may notice that schools offer a Master of Science criminal justice in Mississippi or a Master of Arts. Both of these degrees take roughly the same amount of time, but they have slightly different goals. A Master of Science looks more at the hard data and procedures in the field of criminal justice, while a Master of Arts considers the larger implications of this field and how it may reflect social attitudes.
If you want to work in research or in the community, a Master of Science may be more helpful to you. A Master of Arts may be beneficial to those who want to oversee criminal justice reform or go into academia.
With the variety of master’s degrees in criminal justice in Mississippi, you can find the school that best meets your needs. Start your search by contacting schools on our list below.
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