Academic Program
Criminal Justice
Master's Degree
The objective is to meet the needs of students who are preparing for careers in criminal justice as well as those planning on doctoral study. Master's training focuses on development of knowledge and skills in the areas of management, administration, theory and research. The program is located at the nexus of theory and practice to insure that students are grounded in criminal justice theory, understand the practical implications of theory, and have the ability to perform rudimentary analysis of both theory and practice.
Admission Requirements
- Full-time students are admitted in the Autumn Quarter only.
- Admission of part-time students is possible in any of the four (4) quarters, although Autumn admission is strongly preferred.
- Applicants are expected to have a baccalaureate degree (any major) from an accredited institution.
- Applicants with bachelor's degrees are required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Applicants are also expected to present acceptable scores on the GRE, two (2) letters of reference and a personal statement.
- Admission is competitive.
- International applicants should have a minimum computer based TOEFL score of 187.
The Graduate Admissions Committee will begin reviewing files on February 1. The Division will continue to accept applications until the graduate classes are full.
Financial Aid
The School of Criminal Justice offers graduate assistantships, tuition remission scholarships, and support through externally funded research. In addition, the university offers minority fellowships and scholarships. Students who desire financial aid should complete their applications as early as possible, and no later than February 1.
Degree Requirements
Students must complete 45 hours of coursework. The curriculum is divided into four main area. First, the seven courses in the Core are aimed at establishing the conceptual basis for understanding crime and criminal justice, and provide a grounding in methods and statistics. Second, students select a concentration in one of three areas: Corrections, Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention, or the Administration of Justice, and must complete 12 hours in their specialty area. Third, flexibility in the program is allowed through elective coursework. Students must also demonstrate master's level competency in criminal justice subject matter. This requirement can be met by passing a comprehensive examination or by successfully completing a "demonstration project". The M.S. degree is intended to be completed in one calendar year.