How CU Denver’s Master’s in Criminal Justice Program Prepares Students for Diverse Careers Across Public Policy, Safety, and More

The most terrifying moment of Juan Salinas’ life—and one that would later lead him to CU Denver—happened when he was about two years old. He and his parents had gone for a hike in rural Mexico, where they were visiting family. He’d lost consciousness after struggling to breathe. When he came to, he was in a hospital. A doctor was explaining that one of his lungs had collapsed, and there was nothing they could do for him. “Nothing is scarier than being in an emergency,” Salinas said.  

Then, as if by divine intervention, a Flight for Life pilot overheard the conversation and offered to fly Salinas back to Denver to get the care he needed—saving his life. The calm and confidence of that pilot is what carried Salinas and his family through that terrifying day. “The entire time he did nothing but reassure me, comforted my parents, explained anything and everything that he was doing,” Salinas said.  

Now, Salinas spends every working day helping others be better prepared to handle emergencies with more confidence and knowledge of what to do than he’d had that day. And he’s got the skills to do it thanks to his master’s in criminal justice from CU Denver. Salinas is the Safe Schools program manager of the Katy Independent School District, one of the largest school districts in Texas. “A lot of the big steps that I’ve taken are credited very heavily to CU Denver, and everything that I’ve learned on campus and online,” Salinas said. 

CU Denver’s Master’s in Criminal Justice 

CU Denver’s master’s in criminal justice program covers much more than law enforcement, corrections, and courts (though it provides a strong foundation in those core topics). Graduates of the master’s in criminal justice program go on to work in a range of agencies and other organizations at local, state, and federal levels—from school districts, like Salinas, to victim’s advocacy nonprofits or the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  

The two-year master’s degree has more of a public service and policy focus than comparable programs, because it’s housed in CU Denver’s nationally respected School of Public Affairs (SPA), which can give students like Salinas an edge in applying for a wider range of jobs post-graduation. The program is highly ranked, well rounded in terms of the topics and skills it covers, and can be completed fully in person, online, or through a hybrid delivery. “It’s an ideal program because it covers so many different bases,” said Mary Dodge, professor and former master of criminal justice program director. “Our graduates are every place.” 

CU Denver’s master’s in criminal justice program focuses on both criminology—the study of the systemic and individual causes of crimes and their effects on society—and criminal justice, which includes practical understanding of how law enforcement, corrections, and courts function. This allows students to gain a sturdy foundation from which they can choose their particular path. Four optional concentrations help learners zero in on skills specific to their chosen careers: Crime Analysis, Disasters, Hazards, & Emergency Management, and Emergency Management & Homeland Security. Meanwhile, students can also use their elective courses to earn certificates, like one in gender-based violence or strategic and collaborative management. For Salinas, the concentration in Emergency Management & Homeland Security was key to landing a fulfilling position upon graduation.  

A Master’s in Criminal Justice with Small Classes, Real Relationships, and Life-Changing Mentorship  

Salinas loves what he does today, but he didn’t always know this was the path he wanted to take. While in the master’s in criminal justice program, an anti-terrorism course exposed him to the world of emergency preparedness. “All of my professors were more than willing to talk with me,” Salinas said, “more than willing to schedule a Zoom meeting with me, even if it was once a week.”  

He connected with the course’s instructor by Zoom to learn more about the topic, and that’s how he discovered the Emergency Management & Homeland Security concentration—and the booming career path it prepares students for. “As students go along, we’re trying to help guide them into a career path that might work best for them,” Dodge said. 

Master’s in Criminal Justice Internship and Capstone: Hands-On Training That Makes All the Difference 

CU Denver’s master’s in criminal justice program requires students to complete an internship to get valuable hands-on training. (Though, many students in this program already have relevant professional experience, and those students may have this requirement waived.) By the time Salinas was ready to take on an internship, he had moved from Denver, where he had taken classes in person, to Texas.  

He continued the remainder of his coursework online—something students in this program have the flexibility to do, while receiving the same quality of instruction and access to professors. That’s how he landed at the Katy Independent School District’s Emergency Management Office in Katy, Texas, for his internship. “It was a great experience,” Salinas said. 

Next, Salinas needed to complete a capstone project or thesis, which is a more involved research option. Both prepare students for further academic study, if that’s the route they want to go, and both give students the hard skills in research and analysis they’ll need to enter (or ascend in) the professional sphere of their chosen field. That’s the route Salinas set himself up for. “A student is able to come in and get a significant overview of the system, how to do critical analysis of the policies and procedures, how to understand the data, and how to conduct research,” Dodge said. “So, if you work for an agency that needs to put out a survey, you have a hands-on learning experience with that.” 
 
Salinas opted to complete a capstone project that assessed the Katy Independent School District’s emergency preparedness. The project was a 50-page case study, and he presented it to the office he had interned for. His report recommended the district create a Safe Schools program manager position to ensure all students and staff are well trained and prepared for emergencies through drills and other processes—things he had learned about in CU Denver’s master’s in criminal justice program.  

His report was so compelling they took his recommendation—and gave him the job. ”I am in charge of all 84 campuses … 98,000 students, 12,000 staff,” Salinas said. “I do a lot, but I love it.” To this day, he draws on what he learned at CU Denver. “Funny enough, I actually still have my college notebook at my desk at work, because there’s times where I will go back and refer to specific terminology or scenarios or questions,” Salinas said. “The classes that I’ve taken at CU Denver have actually prepared me.”