Students may obtain a Master of Criminal Justice (M.C.J.) at Middle Tennessee State University. The program, with its first graduates in 1978, is a joint program between MTSU and Tennessee State University that allows up to 18 hours of classes to transfer to the home institution.

As of fall 2014, students apply and are admitted to one campus and will receive the diploma from that home institution. Both MTSU and TSU offer the full core curriculum for the M.C

A Master of Criminal Justice degree allows graduates to pursue advanced opportunities in law enforcement, courts, and corrections at the federal, state, or local level, or with private security or businesses associated with the criminal justice system. M.C.J. holders also may continue studies for careers in higher education or for law degrees. Some occupations for MTSU graduates from this program:

Attorney
Chief of police
Corporate security officer/director
Court administrator
Criminal justice professor
Crisis counselor
Emergency services director
Family resource specialist
Forensic scientist
Investigator
Juvenile court judge
Police officer
Pre-trial release/pre-trial diversion officer
Probation officer/director
Public information officer
Regulatory board investigator
Sheriff
Social services district director
Special agent
State director of safety/homeland security
State trooper
U.S. deputy marshal
Warden