Nursing/Criminal Justice Dual Degree - MSN/MSCJ
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Program at a Glance
Credit Hours
Year Program
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Recognizing the increasing demand for nurses and criminal justice professionals with overlapping skills, Xavier University offers a unique online dual degree program that integrates 2 advanced degree programs – the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and the Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ).
In this convenient online program, students earn both the nursing and criminal justice master’s degrees and prepare to function in non-traditional roles within the justice system, as well as to design complex health care delivery services that respond to changing policies, bioterrorism and disasters. The online degree program was designed to complement the forensics concentration of the MSN program, which prepares nursing graduate students for further studies in various clinical roles such as sexual assault nurse examiner, forensic psychiatric nurse, legal nurse consultant or nurse coroner. See below for a full list of the nursing and criminal justice master’s degree program courses and objectives.
With advanced training in both the nursing and criminal justice fields, graduates will be ready to take on high-level roles in educational, consultative and managerial capacities, helping to build a better world.
Objectives
In the online MSN/MSCJ dual degree program, students learn how to:
- Synthesize theoretical and empirical knowledge from the humanities and the sciences, including nursing, and evaluate it for its use in guiding nursing research and practice.
- Exhibit competence and confidence when assuming role responsibilities as a graduate with advanced level preparation.
- Exemplify moral and ethical leadership through a concern for others, the management of nursing care and a commitment to professional excellence in the delivery of health care and the profession.
- Evaluate issues and opportunities in health care delivery from ethical, sociopolitical, technological and historical frameworks while providing leadership for change.
- Validate and extend nursing knowledge through interpretation of and collaboration in nursing research.
- Communicate orally and in writing in a scholarly manner.
- Develop in-depth knowledge in a concentrated area of study.
- Demonstrate a capacity for understanding the dynamics of criminal and delinquent behavior, the nature and scope of the crime and delinquency complex in contemporary society and the current efforts by the criminal justice system to address these issues.
- Comprehend important questions. Present “state of the art” conceptual information and impact upon attitudes and “human skills.”
Students in the online forensic track of the MSN/MSCJ program will prepare to:
- Interface with health care and criminal justice systems.
- Apply forensic nursing principles to the promotion of health care and safety in the community
- Promote early identification and prevent potential abuse of children, adults and the elderly.
- Discuss trauma, death and the collection, preservation and documentation of related evidence.
- Apply expert witness skills and legal consultation in investigations related to violence and trauma.
No, the degree is from Xavier University and is awarded on meeting coursework standards that are independent of course delivery.
The tuition rate for the online MSN/MSCJ program is $670 per credit hour. The total cost of the degree program will vary, depending upon transfer credits awarded, additional fees and the cost of textbooks/materials. See the Tuition page for more information.
No, online courses charge the same rate as all other courses.
Some students believe that online courses will be easier than a face-to-face course. However, that is not true. Each online course at Xavier will have the same academic standards and content as a face-to-face course. You may find online learning to be easier because it suits your learning style, but the course content, the expectations for how much you will learn and the assessment of what you have learned will be just as rigorous as in a face-to-face class.
Students may find that they can get to know their professor/instructor and other students better in an online course than in a traditional face-to-face course. There are many options for interacting with your instructors and classmates in your online program, including discussion boards, video or audio files from your instructor, email and video conferencing. There may be additional opportunities for interaction available based on the course and instructor.
You will need to review the syllabus for your course to determine how to obtain materials (print and digital) you will need for your course. The Xavier Bookstore and/or the Library will be happy to assist you in finding course materials. Some readings or media lessons may be posted digitally within the online course itself or in Xavier’s E-Reserves system.
If you are new to online learning at Xavier, we encourage you to go through the student orientation for online courses.
The Technology Services website offers great resources.
Take advantage of the library’s online resources.
Having both nursing and criminal justice degrees will allow graduates to function in different roles as a nurse. Forensic nursing merges the healthcare profession with a justice system. Forensic nurses perform a variety of roles including evaluating and caring for victims of assault and abuse, neglect, and sexual crimes. While they treat the victims, forensic nurses collect the evidence and information needed for court. Forensic nurses may be asked to provide medical testimony in court. Forensic nurses can work in a variety of areas. While typically found in hospitals, they can also work with non-profit organizations, be on call for law enforcement, or work in correctional facilities. Nurses that work in prison hospitals, may work as a pre-operative nurse, nurse practitioner, or as a psychiatric nurse. Nurses in the forensic field may also work in the role of death investigators. Nurses with this job typically work out of the coroner's office where they respond to accidents and suspicious deaths, collaborate with detectives, examine bodies, and take tissue and blood samples. Legal nurse consultants work as independent contractors or are employed by law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies, and health care facilities. Legal nurse consultants work on both civil and criminal cases, using their criminal justice degree and clinical experience to review medical records, legal documents, and medical literature. Nurses with specialized training can also work as educators. Working with law enforcement or human services, nurses can speak to community groups about sexual assault, domestic violence, community resources, law enforcement, and victim assistance services.
The online MSN/MSCJ dual degree program at Xavier consists of 46 semester credit hours, which consists of nursing core courses, criminal justice and forensic courses and courses that synthesize and apply skills learned previously – including an internship, practicum and scholarly project.
The core courses focus on three major themes, which are consistent with Xavier’s Jesuit philosophy for graduate programs: critical systematic inquiry, professional and personal development and management of information and resources in a rapidly changing health care environment. The criminal justice and forensic track courses emphasize preparing students for future employment in a wide variety of roles in the criminal justice system or in nursing forensics. Finally, students will have the opportunity to develop professionally, gain additional real-world experience, collaborate with other professionals and conduct scholarly research, completing their preparation to either start a new career track or take their current career to the next level.
This course examines ethical frameworks, such as theories of justice, rights-based ethics and virtue ethics and their significance to the delivery of health care. Analysis of ethical dilemmas focuses on differentiating what is called traditional and modern ethical frameworks for decision-making. Application will be made within the parameters of nursing metaparadigm (person, nursing, caring, healing, health, environment) using personal and professional processes of valuing, unconditional acceptance and deciding in the preservation of wholeness and dignity.
Introduction to the role of theory in knowledge development and its relationship to nursing research, practice, and administration. Critical analysis of selected theoretical models within the discipline of nursing and of theories and concepts from other disciplines as used in nursing. Concepts related to the application of the theoretical concepts in providing holistic care are explored. Examination of the application models, theories and concepts in nursing practice, administration, and research.
Exploration of modes of inquiry for systematic study of the application, use and evaluation of nursing innovations in clinical practice. Emphasis is placed on the identification and solution of clinical problems through scientific inquiry. Research is examined for evidence-based practices which include a critical review of research studies, nurses expertise and patient/family preferences. Discussion entails the importance of dissemination of research findings.
Exploration of modes of inquiry for systematic study of the application, use and evaluation of nursing innovations in clinical practice. Emphasis is placed on the identification and solution of clinical problems through scientific inquiry. Research is examined for evidence-based practices which include a critical review of research studies, nurse expertise and patient/family preferences. Discussion entails the importance of dissemination of research findings.
Social foundations of the criminal justice system are examined, along with the social causation of crime and societal response. The understanding of crime within the social context is presented along with an in-depth exploration of cross-cultural, subcultural and other demographic expositions.
This course focuses on leadership and management concepts that are essential for holistic nurse leaders at various levels throughout the healthcare organization. The focus is to prepare holistic nurse leaders for collaborative practice in complex healthcare organizations through examination and application of effective leader behaviors.
Principles and biostatistical methods used in the study of the distribution and determinants of injury and disease through the interaction of environment and genetics in human populations (HP2020) are presented for use in the holistic development, implementation and evaluation of primary, secondary and tertiary preventive and acute health care services in a variety of settings. Resources for epidemiological investigations within organizations and communities are introduced. Opportunities are provided to use the epidemiological and biostatistical methods of reasoning for determining causal inferences about the distribution and determinants of injury and disease (HP2020). Evidence-based innovative and evaluative health care delivery plans for clinical prevention and population health are developed using epidemiological and biostatistical data.
Prerequisites: NURS502
This course provides a review of forensic nursing science, forensic science/criminalistics, forensic anthropology and the criminal justice system through the lens of interprofessional collaboration and population health. Forensic nursing concepts addressed in the course will include a review of the expanded and collaborative roles in working with forensic scientists, criminalists and the criminal justice system. The specific areas for this course related to forensic science/criminalistics include the crime scene, death investigation, physical evidence, drugs and DNA. The introduction of population-health concepts will allow graduate MSN/MSCJ students to identify a population of interest (aggregate) related to forensic nursing while using evidence-based practices to develop effective approaches to care for victims of trauma, violence and crime. This course is intended to prepare graduate MSN/MSCJ dual degree nurses the opportunity to “apply the nursing process to public or legal proceedings, and apply forensic health care in the scientific investigation of trauma and/or death to abuse, violence, criminal activity, liability and accidents.”
Presents legal issues in all 3 segments of the American criminal justice system. Constitutional and statutory rights and obligations are considered, along with policy considerations. The major emphasis in the course is placed on student initiative in learning. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that CJUS 610, Basic Constitutional Law & American Justice or its equivalent be completed before enrolling in this course.
Social foundations of the criminal justice system are examined, along with the social causation of crime and societal response. The understanding of crime within the social context is presented along with an in-depth exploration of cross-cultural, subcultural and other demographic expositions.
Presents organizational and management theories and practices within criminal justice settings. Management styles, management by objectives, total quality management, etc., are all related to issues of contemporary practice in prisons, probation, parole and juvenile justice. Legal and ethical considerations are related to actual practice situations.
A comprehensive examination of the behavior, emotional responses, and cognitive decision-making of both victims and perpetrators of crime. Elements of victimology, as well as the psychosocial ramifications of the criminal act on the person, the family and the community will be explored. The expanded role of the psychiatric forensic nurse will be explored.
This course provides an evidence-based practice (EBP) framework for nursing care of the forensic population, their families as well as communities impacted by acts of violence and/or traumatic events. The EBP framework incorporates empirical and theoretical aspects from a multidisciplinary perspective in the planning and delivering nursing care. This course is intended to prepare nursing graduate students for further studies in various clinical roles such as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Forensic Psychiatric Nurse, Legal Nurse Consultant, Forensic Nursing Death Investigator and/or Nurse Coroner.
Non-classroom program of 150 clock hours placement in correctional, law enforcement, or court setting under academic supervision gives student opportunity to actually apply criminal justice theory, knowledge and intervention skills in the “real world” of law enforcement, court or correctional practice. Opportunity is presented to acquire an understanding of the criminal justice complex and the service delivery system in the community. This “hands-on” experience enables students to begin to appreciate the need for functional professional relationships, differing organizational needs within the institutional or non-institutional setting and especially to evaluate their own response to the demands and challenges of actual work in a correctional setting. This is an essential part of the student’s program and is absolutely required and can never be waived for graduation from the program.
This course is designed for application of theory and principles from all previous courses, with particular emphasis in the area of concentration (administration, forensics, informatics, education, school nursing, etc.). Individually modified course objectives, supervised experiences, periodic seminar discussions and written practicum logs are methods used to facilitate the learning experience.
This course is the development of a scholarly project that addresses a phenomenon, issu, or problem related to the discipline of nursing. A variety of options are available to demonstrate the comprehensive and scholarly nature of the final product. The following options are possibilities for the scholarly project, but the student is not limited to these: conducting a research study; developing a concept analysis paper; providing an innovation solution to a clinical, administrative or educational problem or opportunity; developing a health-related technological application; developing a creative, potentially fundable, health-related proposal; or developing a business or educational proposal. This is a capstone course; demonstration of synthesis of previous coursework is expected.
Applicants to the online MSN/MSCJ program must meet the following requirements:
- Be a graduate of a regionally accredited college or university bachelor degree nursing program with CCNE or ACEN (formerly NLNAC) accreditation.
- Be a registered nurse with a BSN or have a bachelor degree in another field* with a diploma or associate’s degree in nursing. Nursing education must be from a CCNE or ACEN (formerly NLNAC) accredited institution. Applicants with a non-nursing bachelor degree enter under the Mobility Option.
- Have an unencumbered RN license in the U.S. and licensure in the state of practicum experiences.
- Have completed a statistics course with a minimum grade of “C.”
- There is no standard minimum GPA, the committee evaluates candidates holistically.
*Students without a BSN may need to complete additional coursework.
To be considered for admission, students must submit the following:
Xavier University's free online application.
One official transcript directly from all colleges or universities that you have attended for any undergraduate and graduate course work. Applicants must have a degree from a regionally accredited university. Send transcripts to:
Xavier University
ATTN: Admission Processing Center
3800 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45207-5131
For electronic transcripts, send to:
xugrad@xavier.edu
Current résumé or curriculum vitae outlining nursing experience.
Contact information for 3 professional recommendations. (An electronic form will be sent via email.)
A 3-5-page narrative goal statement. Candidates must submit a typed, double-spaced narrative essay that highlights their personal and professional growth and development, reflecting on post-high-school learning experiences, professional progression, future goals and how a Xavier education will help achieve those goals.
Official test scores from the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
Test may be waived under 1 of the following conditions:
- 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA in undergraduate matriculation;or
- 3.2 or higher cumulative GPA graduate (15 credit hours or more completed at the graduate level); or
- Licensed teacher; or
- Graduate degree
Note: International students who reside outside of the United States cannot be accepted into the MSN/MSCJ dual degree program. International students in the U.S. cannot enroll in an online degree program to fulfill the legal requirement for an F-1 or J-1 visa.
State Authorization
Xavier University is authorized to offer this fully-online program in most states. View the complete list of approved states on the State Authorization page.
Students enrolled in Xavier’s online MSN/MSCJ program take classes with the same world-class faculty as our traditional students. Our exceptional faculty members include:
Director of Nursing and Professor/Epidemiologist
Dr. Susan Schmidt is a Certified Occupational Health Nurse Specialist and a Clinical Nurse Specialist. Her specializations include epidemiology, community health nursing, stroke rehabilitation, occupational health nursing, clinical nurse leader, biostatistics, population health and inter-professional collaboration. She has conducted several national and international presentations related to her occupational health research and won an international research award while at Research Triangle Park. As an epidemiologist, she conducted research in the epidemiology and rehabilitation of stroke patients along with managed care. Her national presentations and publications include topics on computer-based instruction, occupational health, stroke and managed care. Prior to her extensive years of experience in collegiate nursing education as faculty, researcher and administrator, she was a visiting nurse working in underserved Cincinnati areas and rural Kentucky. Since 2004, she has been awarded over seven million dollars in federal and state grant funding in support of program growth within the nursing school and is now actively implementing inter-professional collaboration and population health within our evolving health care system. She also serves on local and state boards and committees working towards implementation of PCMH and improved education.
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Kelly Bohnhoff, PhD, RN, MFT, CTS is an Assistant Professor of Nursing and oversees the Forensic program at Xavier University. Dr. Bohnhoff has been teaching in Xavier’s College of Nursing since 2010. She earned her MSN in Community Health Nursing and her PhD in the Psychological Foundations of Education, both from the University of New Mexico, and has an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University. Dr. Bohnhoff is a nationally certified Trauma Specialist in Structured Sensory Intervention for Traumatized Children, Adolescents, and Parents and is licensed as a Registered Nurse in the State of Ohio. She currently practices one day a week as a Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Trauma Specialist serving underserved and vulnerable minority children, adolescents and parents/families suffering from severe and persistent grief and trauma reactions. Recent publications have focused on teaching community health nursing to graduate students.
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Elizabeth (Libbie) Bragg, PhD, RN is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Xavier University. Dr. Bragg earned her PhD in Political Science from the University of Cincinnati and her MSN from The Ohio State University. She is licensed as a RN in Ohio. Her recent research includes work on preparing the physician workforce to care for the aging population.
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Judi A. Godsey, PhD, RN, is an Assistant Professor of Nursing and coordinates the MSN Informatics track at Xavier University, where she has been teaching since 2011. As part of a dual faculty appointment, Dr. Godsey also serves as the Director of Nursing Research at The Christ Hospital Health Network. She was Assistant Professor and Distance Learning Coordinator at Northern Kentucky University from 2003-2009, receiving the Nursing Civic Engagement Award in 2015 for her contributions to nursing and the community. Dr. Godsey earned her PhD at the University of Hawaii, and her MSN, BSN and ADN from Northern Kentucky University. She is licensed as a RN in Ohio, Kentucky and Hawaii. Her current national research is among the first to empirically examine the brand image of the nursing profession. Dr. Godsey received the Nursing Informatics Bronze Award from the Online Journal of Nursing Informatics for her extensive work to measure and improve the informatics competencies of nursing students.
Academic Program Director
Marilyn Gomez is the Academic Program Director in the College of Nursing. She began her Xavier career in 1979 in the Undergraduate Office of Admission. In 1991, she assumed the position of Director of Nursing Student Services in the College of Nursing.
Adjunct Faculty Member
Rosanne Hountz, MSN, RN, MCJUS is an adjunct faculty member at Xavier. Since 2006, she has worked at University Hospital Medical Center, where she currently serves as a Nursing Supervisor. Hountz received her MSN in Forensic Nursing and MS in Criminal Justice from Xavier University. She is licensed as a Registered Nurse in Ohio and Indiana. Her current work focuses on developing hospital protocols to identify victims of human trafficking, as well as the development of a forensic nurse response team.
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Betsy A. List, PhD, MPH, RN is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Xavier University. Dr. List earned her PhD in public health with a specialization in epidemiology from Walden University and her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She has more than 25 years of experience in health care delivery, primarily focusing on maternal-child health and pediatrics. Her most recent role supported the use of evidence-based decision making by pediatric interdisciplinary teams working to improve health outcomes for children living with chronic disease. Dr. List has served as a leader, mentor and educator for clinical and professional staff, as well as, students in the medical and nursing sciences. She has co-authored several evidence-based practice reviews and served as an expert reviewer of numerous pediatric evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Her research interests include population health disparities, healthcare quality performance measurement, comparative effectiveness reviews and service learning in higher education.
Professor of Nursing
Linda Weaver Moore, PhD, RN, CNS, CNL is professor of nursing at Xavier University, where she has been teaching since 1998. Dr. Moore earned her PhD in Nursing and her MSN with an Adult/Gerontology focus, both from the University of Cincinnati. She is licensed as an RN in Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Dr. Moore has clinical expertise in the areas of adult health, gerontological nursing and perioperative care. She has conducted a variety of research studies on topics related to gerontology, second degree nursing students, nurse managers and nurse-to-nurse relationships. Her research has been funded by Sigma Theta Tau through the international organization and local chapters. Dr. Moore’s research expertise centers on qualitative approaches. She has presented research findings at local, national and international conferences. Her work has been published in both research and clinically-focused journals.
IPCP Project Coordinator
Lisa Niehaus, MSN, RN, is Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPCP) Project Coordinator for Xavier University College of Nursing. As IPCP Project Coordinator, 50% of her faculty time is coordinating the paradigm shift to an IPCP culture among partner sites Cincinnati Health Department, Episcopal Retirement Services and Black Stone Home Health. Niehaus received her MSN from Xavier, is an I-CAN Scholar and completed the Institute for Healthcare Improvement course entitled Leadership and Organizing to Improve Population Health. As a certified TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer, she utilized best practices for teaching IPCP competencies when creating both the flipped face-to-face and online course, Applied Interprofessional Collaboration at Xavier University. Additionally, Lisa Niehaus has coordinated training of College of Professional Sciences Faculty as TeamSTEPPS Master Trainers.
MSN Administration and Healthcare Law Concentration Coordinator
Marie Reynolds, MSN, MS, RN, CNL is the MSN administration and healthcare law concentration coordinator at Xavier University. She teaches in the MSN, MIDAS and DNP programs. Following years of experience in emergency nursing, Reynolds’ nursing career focused primarily in healthcare administration. She held numerous management and leadership positions in emergency care and home health and hospice most recently as Vice President of Patient Care Services for the VNA of the Treasure Coast in Vero Beach, Florida and Executive Director of VNA Care. Reynolds holds a MS in Health Care Administration from California State University, a MS in Nursing from Xavier University and a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) certificate from AACN.
Adjunct Faculty
Devin Robinson, MSN, RN has been an adjunct faculty member at Xavier University College of Nursing since 2012. She is currently an RN at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she has worked since 2007. Robinson received her MSN from Xavier and is licensed as an RN in both Ohio and Kentucky. She is a volunteer with the American Red Cross, Hands Against Hunger and the Medical Reserve Corp. of Boone County, Kentucky.
Criminal Justice Professor
Dr. Hurst’s interests center on juvenile perceptions and experiences related to the criminal justice system, and issues surrounding gender and crime. Recent research with youths in the Midwest has led to a series of articles on the determinants of juveniles’ attitudes towards the police, and a comparative analysis of black and white youths’ attitudes and perceptions of police treatment. Dr. Hurst has also published articles related to the criminal justice ideology of youths and the experiences and attitudes of teenage girls as they relate to the justice system. Dr. Hurst’s research on women in the criminal justice system includes a book chapter and a current research project that explore rehabilitative programs available to women.
Clinical Faculty / Coordinator, Internship and External Relations, Criminal Justice Undergraduate Program
Dr. Springman is a clinical faculty member who teaches primarily law courses. He is licensed to practice law in Ohio and before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, as well as the United States Supreme Court. He has been a prosecutor for more than 25 years, and for the last 11 years has served as Chief Assistant Prosecutor in Hamilton County in addition to teaching at Xavier.
Deputy Sheriff
Mr. Brown has served more than 20 years in law enforcement as a State Trooper, Detective, and Specialist, and is currently a Deputy Sheriff specializing in court security. He also acted as a Field Training Officer for 18 years, and brings all of this experience to students in areas of study such as criminal behavior, community policing, police policy legitimacy, deadly force, police policy and non-profit organizations. Mr. Brown’s research interests include rural policing, furthering policy legitimacy and emergency responder communications.
Criminal Justice Professional
Mr. McFarland has more than 25 years of experience in the criminal justice field, including 21 years of Juvenile Court experience, 5 years of active military law enforcement, correctional facility security, general security and 2 years in retail loss prevention. He is trained and experienced in correctional and law enforcement supervision, management and training; and in the conduct of inspections and investigations. Areas of teaching emphasis include Introduction to Criminal Justice, Juvenile Justice and Criminal Justice Administration.