Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice
Admission
In addition to the general requirements for Admission to Graduate Studies (see General Regulations and Procedures), admission to the MSCJ degree program requires the submission of a letter of intent outlining the applicant's background, their reason for seeking acceptance into the program, and potential areas of research/study interest, and the following:
Unconditional Admission
- Hold a master’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited university or a university recognized as an accrediting agency by the US Department of Education. Official transcript must reflect that degree was awarded.
or - Hold a bachelor’s degree and possess a minimum GPA of 2.75 on all attempted undergraduate coursework.
Conditional Admission
Any applicant failing to meet the requirements for unconditional admission to the MSCJ program may be conditionally admitted with recommendations of the graduate faculty in the Department of Politics, Justice, Law, and Philosophy. Applicants granted conditional admittance must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the first nine hours (three courses) of completed graduate coursework. Failure to make this GPA requirement will result in the student being eliminated from the program.
Advisement
Upon admission to the program, each student is assigned a faculty advisor who will provide continued supervision and guidance.
Degree and Program Plans
The Master of Science in Criminal Justice Degree requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of credit, to include the following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| CJ 618 | Crime in America | 3 |
| CJ 640 | Methods of Research in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJ 650 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
| Electives 1 | ||
| Select from the following: | 21 | |
| Criminal Investigation | ||
| Forensic Investigation | ||
| Public Organization and Bureaucratic Theory | ||
| Ethics in Administrative Leadership | ||
| Criminal Evidence | ||
| Criminal Procedure | ||
| Criminal Justice, Public Policy, and Administration | ||
| Psychological Dimensions of Criminal Justice Practice | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice | ||
| Nature and Function of the American Judicial System | ||
| Management and Policy in Criminal Justice Organizations | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Corrections | ||
| Victimology | ||
| Advanced Criminal Procedure | ||
| Advanced Statistical Applications | ||
| Comparative Criminal Justice | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Thesis | ||
| Comprehensive Examination | ||
| Independent Study/Research | ||
| Thesis or Non-Thesis Option - select one from the following: | ||
| Thesis Option 2 | ||
| Thesis | ||
15 hours of 500-600 level criminal justice electives | ||
| Non-Thesis Option 3 | ||
| Comprehensive Examination | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
A maximum of 15 hours can be taken at the 500-level. Students are not permitted to receive credit for a 500-level course if they received credit for the comparable senior-level undergraduate course. Up to six hours of electives may be taken outside the Department of Politics, Justice, Law, and Philosophy with prior approval from the Department Politics, Justice, Law, and Philosophy.
- 2
Students choosing the Thesis Option must complete a minimum of 6 semester hours of Thesis (CJ 695), in addition to 9 semester hours of core and 15 additional semester hours of 500-600 level criminal justice electives.
- 3
Students choosing the Non-Thesis Option must, in the last semester in which all other course requirements are expected to be completed, register for Comprehensive Examination (CJ 698) in order to take a written comprehensive examination prior to graduation in order to complete the program.