A master’s degree can open doors and provide a competitive advantage. Whether you’re looking for upward mobility in your career or seeking a career change, Weber State University has the master’s programs to help you achieve your goals.

For those interested in advancing their career in the field of criminal justice, or enter it, Weber State University’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences offers the Master of Criminal Justice degree.

Professor of criminal justice Dr. Bruce Bayley said the Master of Criminal Justice program, which can be taken entirely online, is available for bachelor’s degrees from any discipline for those looking to change careers. A selling point of the option is the breadth of careers available to graduates.

From federal agencies to state municipalities, the Master of Criminal Justice program prepares students for careers solving crimes, initiating change in people’s lives and more.

The program offers “the potential of a greater competitive advantage for those who aren’t in the field yet who are trying to get into a criminal justice related profession,” Bayley said.

However, Bayley said the program can also provide upward mobility for those already in the field and could be an important step for students looking to go on to law school or get a Ph.D.

For those with or seeking technical bachelor’s degrees, like computer engineering or computer science, Weber State University’s Department of Engineering offers the Master of Science in Computer Engineering program.

Dr. Justin Jackson, associate professor of electrical engineering, said of the program: “We’re preparing them to be computer engineers. Somebody the junior engineers can look to to have the expertise to solve some of the more difficult problems.”

Jackson mentioned that the master’s in computer engineering allows a student to become a specialist in a particular field.

The demand for computer and electrical engineers is growing. Jackson pointed to Hill Air Force Base, noting that they could hire all the students who complete electrical and computer engineering programs and still not fill the demand.

Jackson said a Master in Computer Science and a Master in Electrical Engineering are expected next fall.

For those looking for a career helping people perform at their best, Weber State University’s Moyes College of Education offers a Master of Science in Athletic Training.

Graduate Athletic Training Program Director Dr. Valerie Herzog said, “Anywhere somebody is doing something physical and getting injured doing it, you’ll find an athletic trainer.”

Athletic trainers provide acute care and injury management, but not just for athletes.

Herzog too noted the growing demand for athletic trainers because of the emergence of new markets, such as businesses hiring athletic trainers to care for their employees, from distribution plants to airports.

Students of the Master of Science in Athletic Training program receive hands-on experience throughout the program. “In our program you’re at a clinical rotation throughout the entire program,” Herzog said.

All bachelor’s degrees are eligible for the Master of Science in Athletic Training program with completion of prerequisite courses.

In addition to the programs highlighted, Weber State University has 11 total master’s programs to help students achieve their goals.