Criminal Justice, MS

Program Coordinator: Heidi Bonner (240 Rivers Building; 252-328-4382; mscj@ecu.edu)

The master’s program in criminal justice prepares students to become highly skilled and competent professionals who are equipped to seek advancements in the criminal justice profession, teach on the community college level, or pursue a terminal degree in criminal justice or a closely related field. Students must complete 18 s.h. of core courses, 18 s.h. of electives, and can choose to obtain certification in security studies, public management and leadership, or criminal justice education. To obtain certification in criminal justice education students must complete 18 s.h. of required core and elective courses. A professional paper is required for completion of the master’s degree in criminal justice.

A minimum of 36 s.h. of credit is required as follows:

1. Core - 18 s.h.

2. Electives - 18 s.h.

JUST courses

Admission Requirements

Each applicant is reviewed individually by the admissions committee. One criterion does not determine acceptance or rejection. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited academic institution with a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale is required. Transfer credit must be established at the time of admittance.

Applicants must submit 1) official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work since graduating high school, 2) three current letters of reference from professional or academic sources , and 3) a statement of purpose that describes the applicant’s relevant work experience, short- and long-term goals, and specific interests in the master’s in criminal justice degree program (500-750 word, single spaced, typewritten).

A student may elect to attend the program on a part-time basis. In order to qualify for part-time status for financial aid purposes a student must take a minimum of two courses per semester. It is recommended that at least one core course be taken each of the semesters that the student is enrolled in the program.

Criminal Justice Education Certificate

The department offers a Criminal Justice Education Certificate .

Public Management and Leadership Certificate

Up to 15 s.h. of courses required for the graduate certificate in public management and leadership can be transferred as electives for the master of science in criminal justice. See Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Political Science , for certificate requirements.

Security Studies Certificate

The department participates in the offering of a graduate security studies certificate. Up to 15 s.h. of courses required for the graduate certificate in security studies can be transferred as electives for the master of science in criminal justice. See Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Political Science , for the security studies certificate requirements.