Coursework guides students through the scientific method of investigation. Through this process, students learn how to:

• Conduct civil and criminal investigations
• Demonstrate understanding of death investigation
• Apply basic skills around crime scene investigation
• Prepare and conduct forensic interviews of victims, witnesses, and suspects
• Testify in civil and criminal court proceedings
• Demonstrate compassion during sexual assault cases and incidents involving missing children

Who Should Apply

This program is for anyone currently employed in the criminal justice system who wants to advance your skills and career. Because this certificate enhances professional preparedness and speaks to increasing demands on people within these fields, we encourage prospective and current police officers, supervisors, commanders, and any other criminal justice professionals to apply.

Certificate Requirements

To graduate with an graduate Certificate in Investigative Sciences, students must complete 18 credit hours:

Core Courses (18 credits)

**These courses are prerequisites to other certificate courses

Here's what you'll learn:

• Community relationship-building
• Communications
• Diversity and interpersonal skills
• Effective enforcement strategies
• Crime analysis
• Responsibilities related to terrorism and homeland security
• Recent developments in constitutional law and criminal procedure
• Leadership and management
• Strategic decision-making as well as data and intelligence analysis in administrative, operational, and tactical situations

Who Should Apply

This program is for anyone currently employed in the criminal justice system who wants to advance your skills and career. Because this certificate enhances professional preparedness and speaks to increasing demands on people within these fields, we encourage prospective and current police officers, supervisors, commanders, and any other criminal justice professionals to apply.

Certificate Requirements

To graduate with an graduate Certificate in Policing Strategies, students must complete 18 credit hours:

Core Courses (18 credits)

Certificate Requirements

To graduate with an undergraduate Certificate in Forensic Investigations, students must complete 18 credit hours:

Core Courses (18 credits)

Learn how to:

• Communicate effectively through oral and written formats
• Apply criminological theories, logic, and quantitative analysis to criminal justice policies and issues
• Demonstrate awareness of the social, political, cultural, and historical factors that influence the field of criminal justice
• Make positive contributions to the field of law enforcement in law enforcement, court and/or correctional settings

Specialize Your Skills

The M.S. in Criminal Justice program has several areas of specialization, including:

• Administration
• Correctional counseling
• Crime control and delinquency prevention
• Criminal justice planning and research

The program complements the course curriculum through partnerships with federal, state, and local facilities, allowing graduate students to gain real world value. Coppin’s location in the Baltimore metropolitan area also allows you to take advantage of numerous field training, internship and cooperative education opportunities.

Graduate Course Load Expectations

Graduate students may enroll in the M.S. in Criminal Justice on a full- or part-time basis. A full-time course load is 9 credits per semester. Students also have an option to enroll in a part-time course load of 6 credits per semester.

Program Requirements

To graduate with a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, students must complete 36 credits in:

• Core courses (18 credits)
• Content area courses (12 credits)
• Capstone (6 credits)

Each chart in this section explains course offerings and requirements

Core Courses (12-21 credits)

Graduate Electives

Capstone

All graduate students must complete a final capstone experience. Student can choose one of the following options:

• Comprehensive examination
• Thesis

Non-Degree Students

The master’s is a degree-seeking program, but students may also enroll in courses in a non-degree capacity. With written approval from the department chair, a non-degree student may register for courses while waiting for an acceptance decision. Keep in mind, non-degree students cannot apply more than 21 credits toward any degree-seeking program.

Regardless of course load or degree status, all students must complete initial advising with the department chair before getting an assigned faculty advisor.

Minor Requirements

To graduate with a minor in criminal justice, students must complete 21 credit hours with a grade of “C’ or better in each minor course:

*CRJU 301 and CRJU 323 are prerequisite courses and must be taken before other CRJU courses.

Learn how to:

• Communicate effectively through oral and written formats
• Apply criminological theories, logic, and quantitative analysis to criminal justice policies and issues
• Demonstrate awareness of the social, political, cultural, and historical factors that influence the field of criminal justice
• Make positive contributions to the field of law enforcement in law enforcement, court and/or correctional settings

Learn New Ways to Serve

Through our program, students gain the skills to enter municipal and private criminal justice agencies directly after graduation. Partnerships with federal, state, and local facilities complement the course curriculum, allowing students to gain real world value. Coppin’s location in the Baltimore metropolitan area also allows students to take advantage of numerous field training, internship and cooperative education opportunities.

There is more information about major requirements in the Program Requirements section on this page.

Program Requirements

To graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, students must complete 120 credit hours. These credit hours split among General Education Requirements (GERs), core courses, as well as electives. Each section explains the range of course offerings and requirements.

Core Courses (21 credits)

Program Electives (300-325 level)

Program Electives (326-399 level)

Program Electives (400-425 level)

Program Electives (426-499 level)

Get the Best of Both

The Masters of Science in Human Services Administration is a fully collaborative program between Coppin State University and the University of Baltimore (UB). Under the guidance of program directors from both campuses, students take courses at both schools, and upon graduation earn a joint degree from both Coppin and UB.

Our students go on to make significant contributions to corporate, governmental, nonprofit, and community human service organizations in a variety of areas. Some of these areas include, program planning, implementation and evaluation, grant writing and administration, fundraising and financial management, human resources management, as well as community outreach.

Program Requirements

To graduate with a Master of Science in Human Services Administration, students must complete 36 credits in:

• Core courses (18 credits)
• Content area courses (12 credits)
• Capstone (6 credits)

Human Services Concentrations

After finishing the core curriculum and required coursework, students complete additional coursework in a specific content area within the field of human services. Each content area is offered at either Coppin or UB:

• Addictions counseling (Coppin)
• Applied psychology (UB)
• Family counseling (Coppin)
• Health care systems (UB)
• Negotiations and conflict management (UB)
• Rehabilitation counseling (Coppin)
• Special education (Coppin)

Capstone Requirements

Capstone allows students to gain specific practice or research experience. A student can choose 6 credits of either:

• Field experience

  or

• Research in program planning, implementation, and/or evaluation (Students selecting a research Capstone experience should have prior administrative experience, and also be prepared to present a tentative research design or topic.)

Capstone is only available to students with second year status (18 credits). To achieve this status, a student must have completed:

• HSAD 602, History and Foundations
• HSAD 603, Contemporary Issues
• HSAD 620, Leadership and Supervision
• HSAD 621, Leadership and Decision-Making
• 6 credits of a human services administration content area

Planning Your Path to Graduation

This program is a carefully structured 2-year program. Because of professor availability, multiple sections of core courses are not available in a single semester. Similarly, core course sections cannot be repeated in following semesters. As a result, this program offers Fall and Spring courses only.

Please note, delaying a course may result in at least a 1-year graduation delay because courses do not repeat during the academic year. Each student must schedule at least 1 consultation session per semester with a program advisor.

Graduate Course Load Expectations

We expect graduate students enrolled in Human Services Management to enroll in a full-time course load of 9 credits per semester. At this pace, students can complete the program in 2 years.

Students also have an option to enroll in a part-time course load of 6 credits per semester. At this pace, students can complete the program in 3 years.

First Year Courses

Remember, courses may have prerequisites. In general, students must complete and master fall courses and content before being eligible to enroll in spring courses.

Second Year Courses

Keep in mind, your second year courses may have prerequisites. Students must complete and master first year courses before being eligible to enroll in second year courses.

Second year status means a graduate students has mastered and completed 18 credits, including:

• HSAD 602
• HSAD 603
• HSAD 620
• HSAD 621
• 6 credits of content area courses

*Note: Students who pursue the Research Practicum should have previous administrative experience, and must also present a tentative research design or topic.