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MJA Program Overview

For the justice professional, the online MJA is a logical choice; it allows you to take a quality program of graduate work without uprooting your home or leaving your job; it serves as a substitute for years of operational experience in order to compete effectively for career opportunities; and it equips you with the latest information dealing with leadership, legal liability, management, human resources management, budgeting, and information integration and assurance. Many professionals who complete the MJA program find that their degree opens the door to teaching, or to a continuation of studies in a doctoral program.

The MJA program is structured as follows:

Four start dates per year: March, June, September or December
Six credits for each of the six, eleven-week seminars
The course of study is 18 months; date of graduation depends on your start date
One-week residency and graduation
Online, highly experiential, asynchronous curricular activities include threaded discussions, reading, writing, and workplace-oriented assignments
Cohort-based system in which students travel through the degree program in groups of 12-15

The pace for each seminar is designed with busy schedules in mind

Additional flexibility is built into each of the six seminars in the MJA program. You can opt to skip a certain number of written assignments and discussions—typically a seminar will require you to complete five of seven written assignments and five of seven discussions. You have the ability to factor in the demands of your personal life or professional duties in meeting the program schedule. The structure of our online classrooms also helps accommodate your schedule. Online discussions are asynchronous. This format affords you extra time to contemplate questions and compose well-crafted responses creating a valuable exchange of ideas and thoughts.

Cohorts create strong bonds of support

One of the strongest features of the MJA program is the cohort. Every student progresses through the program in small classes called cohorts. Each cohort is limited to 16 students or less to enhance the interaction between the instructor and the students and among the students themselves. The cohesive nature of each cohort, coupled with the varying backgrounds of its members, adds immense value to the learning experience, making it far richer than a traditional classroom environment.

Dedicated MJA staff work directly with you

Not only do you receive the support of your peers in your cohort, but you have the full support of the MJA staff. The Norwich tradition is teamwork, and nowhere is that more evident than in the collaboration between students and staff. All members of the MJA staff are either graduates of the MJA program, another of the Norwich graduate programs, or they are currently enrolled in one. They know first-hand the challenges that you will face, and they understand what kind of support you will need to complete the program successfully. They also serve as advisors to the Program Director in matters relating to curriculum and teaching tools.

Access to extensive resources

The Kreitzberg Library serves all Norwich University students and faculty, whether online or on-campus. The library currently provides access to 100 online databases, 22,000 full-text electronic journals and tens of thousands of e-Books In addition, the library provides books in print and journal articles through the Document Delivery service for those resources that are unavailable online. This enables you to do professional and scholarly research without having to leave home. The reference staff provides research assistance through e-mail, phone, and instant messaging and a dedicated Distance Learning Librarian is available to show you how to get the most out of the library's resources.

A trusted and respected institution

Norwich is proud of its rich tradition of innovation in education dating back to the university's founding in 1819. We have decades of experience in delivering distance education to adult learners. Norwich University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.