Criminal Justice, MS

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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 21 s.h. of core courses, 15 s.h. of electives, and can choose to obtain certification in security studies. A comprehensive examination is required for completion of the master’s degree in criminal justice and can be taken after the completion of 27 s.h. and all core courses. Students are allowed a maximum of two attempts to successfully pass the examination.

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

1. Core - 21 s.h.:

2. Electives - 15 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.

Other requirements are as follows:

Resident admissions - Applicants must submit 1) satisfactory entrance examination scores on the GRE or TOEFL as established by the Graduate School, 2) official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work since graduating high school, 3) three current letters of reference , 4) a statement of purpose that describes the applicant’s relevant work experience, short- and long-term goals, and specific interests in the master’s of criminal justice program (500-750 word, single spaced, typewritten), and 5) a personal interview may be requested.
Distance education (DE) admissions - All requirements for resident admissions apply to DE admissions. DE applicants must also be employed as a criminal justice practitioner or practitioner in a closely related field and have a minimum of five years of full-time (paid) employment experience in such positions. Written employment verification is required on official agency letterhead and it must be signed by an agency administrator.

Students are not permitted to change admission classification (i.e., resident admission and DE admission) without prior departmental approval.

A student may elect to attend the program on a part-time basis. In order to qualify for part-time status 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.

Security Studies Departmental Certificate

The department participates in the offering of a graduate certificate in security studies. 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 certificate requirements.