Xavier University

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Staff
Updated August 7, 2020

Xavier University is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the fourth-oldest Jesuit and sixth-oldest Catholic university in the country. Founded as a men's college in downtown Cincinnati in 1831, this co-educational institution has a graduate enrollment of 2,165 students and an undergraduate enrollment of 4,485 students.

Xavier University Accreditation Details

Xavier University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Xavier University Application Requirements

Students who hold a bachelor's degree and who have a solid academic background are invited to apply for the online master's degree. The school accepts applications throughout the year, and online students may begin the program during any one of the six start dates. To apply for official acceptance, students must submit an online graduate application form, an official transcript from each university or college that they have attended for any coursework and evidence of a degree from a regionally accredited university. In addition, students must submit two positive letters of recommendation and show proof of either a 3.0/4.0 grade point average or official test scores for the GRE, LSAT or MAT.

Before they are formally admitted into the program, students also have the option of completing an application form and registering for up to six graduate credit hours as a "non-degree seeking graduate student." Students are still required to turn in all admissions materials, and they will not be eligible for financial aid until they are fully and formally accepted into the online program.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Xavier University understands that no two degrees are alike, so the school structures each online degree to address the unique needs of its students. As such, the school creates unique fee structures for every degree program as well. Specifically, students pursuing an online Master of Science in Criminal Justice can expect to pay $596 per credit hour, or $17,880 total tuition for the 30-credit-hour program. Discounted tuition rates are available for administrators or teachers who are currently employed at a Catholic secondary or elementary school.

In addition, the university offers robust financial aid support to help students make their educational goals more affordable. Both online and traditional students are eligible for financial aid, which includes loans, grants and scholarships. Graduate students must take a minimum of 4.5 credit hours or more per semester in order to be eligible.

Online Master's in Criminology Degree Available

The goal of the online Master's in Criminology degree from Xavier University is to arm students with the knowledge they will need to become a critical part of criminal justice agencies. In addition, the program is designed to prepare graduates for professional advancement or additional work in criminal justice or similar field. The degree program is geared toward students who have an interest in studying the practice and theory of criminal justice in the private sector, corrections, courts and law enforcement.

The program is designed for the busy working professional as it provides six different start dates per year. Part-time students can earn their degree in two years, while full-time students will graduate in as little as one year. Courses are offered fully online, and students can opt for faster admission as a non-degree student for jumpstart their education. Students should keep in mind, however, that this program will not provide licensure in any state.

The school emphasizes criminal justice administration. The role of a criminal justice administrator is to provide supervision and oversight in matters related to justice and crime. Today, there's an increasing need for qualified administrators in both private and public sector organizations to ensure they're running as effectively and efficiently as possible..

Xavier's online master's degree is specifically tailored to students interested in upper- and middle-level management. The coursework places an emphasis on developing management skills such as organizational behavior, crisis strategies, human interaction, budgeting, policy formulation, human resources, finance, accounting, public relations and writing skills.

The curriculum is designed to be flexible, allowing students to take as few or as many classes as they wish. In other words, the online Master's in Criminal Justice degree program does not follow one struct course path. However, students must take a Research & Planning course before they take the Research Essay: Seminar course.

Other coursework includes perspectives in law enforcement, government and nonprofit accounting, law and justice, criminal justice administration and correctional counseling. Students may dig deeper into forensics and white collar crime, research and planning in criminal justice or into the sociology of crime and delinquency.

Students must successfully complete 10 core courses, or 30 semester hours, which are designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the criminal justice field while also concentrating on administration. These core courses include law and justice, perspective in law enforcement management, sociology of crime and delinquency, forensics and white collar crime, correctional counseling, administration/leadership, government and nonprofit accounting, research and planning in criminal justice, human resources for criminal justice administrators and a research essay with seminar.

Students will learn about correctional rehabilitation as well as the basic concepts and techniques of accounting and financial reporting. Combining criminal justice with administration and accounting ensures that students are fully prepared for a number of roles in the field such as corrections officers, probation officers, policing as well as various positions in local, state, federal and international agencies.

The Research Essay: Seminar course is an extension of the course Research and Planning in Criminal Justice. As such, the major objective for the seminar is to provide students with the individual guidance they need to perform basic research and finish their graduate thesis. Once students have finished their courses for the online master's degree, they must then pass a comprehensive examination.

Every course is kept to a small class size, allowing students and faculty to have more interactions - even in an online setting. In addition, the school instills the Jesuit Mission into its curriculum. Although the program is designed for part- and full-time students, those who need to step out may do so at any time for personal or professional reasons.

Related Resource: 30 Best Affordable Online RN to MSN Degree Programs

All members of the criminal justice faculty have distinguished careers in the criminal justice field and/or terminal degrees from top criminal justice and law schools. Faculty research focuses on issues surrounding crime and women, attitudes toward police, Homeland Security, comparative policing and other research areas. Faculty members also serve as consultants to international, federal, state and local agencies.

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