The MS in criminology focuses on the nature and causes of crime, characteristics and behaviors of people who commit crime and who are affected by crime, how law enforcement agencies and criminal justice systems work, how society reacts to crime, victims, and people who commit crime, and connections between crime and other social institutions (such as work, schools, media, etc.). The Criminology MS is ideal for beginning and advanced learners who plan to (or already) work in settings that require a strong background in crime or law, with associated skills in analyzing and interpreting data relevant to that discourse.