SHSU CJ Online Programs Ranked Among Top 5 by U.S. News & World Report

Sam Houston State University’s College of Criminal Justice online master’s program is ranked No. 3 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in their best online rankings for 2023. This is the eighth year the program ranked among the nation’s top five programs. Additionally, SHSU CJ was ranked No. 2 for best online master’s in Criminal Justice program for veterans.

“I am very happy and honored our online master’s programs are recognized by this highly regarded publication,” Dr. Phillip Lyons, SHSU College of Criminal Justice Dean and Director said. “We strive daily to provide a relevant and rigorous education to ALL our CJ students. For our online scholars, we pride ourselves in delivering our quality programs beyond the walls of our institution to serve not only students, but their communities as well.”

A leading authority in educational rankings, U.S. News & World Report evaluated criteria including Faculty Credentials and Training, Services and Technologies, Engagement and Peer Assessment to determine the rankings. In a press release, the publication indicated they received data from more institutions than ever to be considered for this year’s edition, noting the criminal justice discipline saw the biggest increase of submissions. A total of 1,832 programs were evaluated.

Sam Houston State University’s College of Criminal Justice offers a variety of programs tailored to students. CJ’s online programs specialize in criminal justice, victim studies and security studies. 

SHSU College of Criminal Justice Graduate Programs include:

• Master of Science in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management
• Master of Science in Criminal Justice
• Master of Science in Victim Services Management
• Master of Science in Homeland Security Studies

Along with its nationally recognized online offerings, the College of Criminal Justice offers multiple in-person graduate programs in Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, and Homeland Security Studies. It also features the first multi-disciplinary Ph.D. degree in Forensic Science and one of the first Ph.D. programs in Criminal Justice. With nine new faculty members for the 2022-2023 academic year, the college boasts a large faculty designed to meet the ever-growing need for criminal justice professionals.

For more information about U.S. News & World report rankings and their methodologies, visit their website. Click here to learn more about the SHSU College of Criminal Justice programs, including our online master’s programs.