MS in Criminal Justice | Legal Studies

Credit Hours

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Pursue Justice and Advance Your Legal Understanding with an MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies

Do you have a passion for justice and a desire to deepen your understanding of the law? Maybe you want to advance in your criminal justice organization, and you need a degree that can help you stand out. With a Master of Science (MS) in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies from Liberty University, you can further your legal knowledge and prepare for advanced positions in the criminal justice sector. As you pursue your criminal justice and legal studies degree, you can take an in-depth look at the inner workings of the law while bolstering your résumé and taking the next step toward achieving your career goals.

There is an ongoing need for strong police and criminal justice organizations – and by honing your legal knowledge, you can help ensure that these organizations effectively protect the public. At Liberty, you can have the opportunity to sharpen your criminal justice skills and develop new methods for handling a wide range of challenges posed to criminal justice organizations.

Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Science (MS) in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies.

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No Standardized Testing for Admission
Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose Liberty’s Criminal Justice and Legal Studies Online Degree?

We know that you have a passion for both the law and justice, and at Liberty, our professors share that passion. Throughout your criminal justice degree, you can lean on their expertise and years of real-world experience as you seek to develop an advanced understanding of criminal justice and the legal system.

At Liberty, you don’t have to sacrifice quality for flexibility. With courses that are offered 100% online and no set login times, you can pursue your criminal justice and legal studies degree online while remaining involved with your family, career, and other commitments. You can take courses wherever you are at times convenient for you.

Our professors have terminal degrees and years of experience in fields related to law and criminal justice – so you can be confident that you are receiving a world-class education. Our faculty are not only leading experts in academia – many of them have also worked with or for agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), police departments, and other professional law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels.

What Will You Study in Our MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies Degree?

You will begin this program by taking courses in human resource management, criminal justice administration, leadership, ethics, and policing. You will also take legal studies courses that focus on constitutional law, criminal law, criminal procedure, and foundations of law.

In our constitutional law course, you will dive into topics like the framework for the Constitution, judicial review, due process, and equal protection. You will also study topics such as the elements of crime and Western legal tradition.

In addition to the wide variety of courses that you will take, you are also able to either complete a thesis or complete elective courses to further sharpen your legal and criminal justice knowledge.

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

Graduate Full Time	$580/Credit
Graduate Part Time	$645/Credit
Military Graduate	$290/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Admission Information for Our MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
Cumulative GPA
A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Submit your application online or over the phone.

Start Online Application

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

Tuition discounts – $290 per credit hour for graduate courses
Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder*
8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

*Not applicable to certificates.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

View Military Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Liberty offer a generous discount for active duty law enforcement and other first responders?

Liberty University is committed to providing world-class education and aims to help students achieve their educational goals, in whatever way we can. The First Responder Tuition Discount was created to take some of the financial burdens of tuition off the men and women who work in public service.

As Liberty University’s way of saying ‘Thank You,’ we proudly provide you with the following benefits:

A 25% tuition discount
Potential college credit for training and life experience
Personalized service throughout your educational journey
Potential stacking with other tuition benefits (Corporate Advantage Program or Military Benefits)

For more information on eligibility and on claiming this discount, please visit the First Responder Discount page.

What is the difference between a master’s in law online, a master’s in legal studies online, and an MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies?

A Master of Legal Studies program – often referred to as a Juris Master – is designed to sharpen your understanding of the law and various legal procedures. If you’re not looking to become a lawyer but want to develop specialized legal skills, a master’s in legal studies can help you gain valuable legal knowledge that applies to your industry.

In contrast, a master’s in law online – or a Master of Laws (LLM) degree – is designed to help practicing lawyers and those who have already been to law school further their legal knowledge.

The main difference between these 2 programs and our MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies is that, in the latter program, we integrate criminal justice and legal studies so that various laws are examined within the context of criminal justice. This well-rounded base of knowledge can help you pursue a wide variety of exciting career paths.

Can you be a lawyer with a degree in criminal justice?

In order to become a lawyer, there are specific requirements that must be met. While our MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies isn’t designed to meet American Bar Association (ABA) standards or help you sit for the Bar Exam, it could help you prepare for law school.

If you’re thinking about pursuing a law degree at a later time, our MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies can serve as an excellent stepping stone.

Is a masters in criminal justice worth it?

Who is Liberty University accredited by?

Will I be taught by the best of the best?

How soon can I complete my degree?

Are you ready to change your future?

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App Fee Waived This Week*

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies Degree Hone Your Legal Knowledge

Pursue Justice and Advance Your Legal Understanding with an MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Criminal Justice and Legal Studies Online Degree?

What Will You Study in Our MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies Degree?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Our MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

Ready to Apply?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does Liberty offer a generous discount for active duty law enforcement and other first responders?

What is the difference between a master’s in law online, a master’s in legal studies online, and an MS in Criminal Justice – Legal Studies?

Can you be a lawyer with a degree in criminal justice?

Is a masters in criminal justice worth it?

Who is Liberty University accredited by?

Will I be taught by the best of the best?

How soon can I complete my degree?

Are you ready to change your future?

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