Criminology and Criminal Justice, Master of Science (M.S.)
Dr. Judah Schept, Graduate Program Coordinator
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Master’s program in Criminology and Criminal Justice operates on the principle that social policy, advocacy, research, decision-making, and leadership in criminal justice require a broad academic experience; strong analytical, critical thinking and communication skills; and the ability to draw from social theory, existing scholarship, and various research methodologies in the pursuit of knowledge production, policy development and implementation, and problem-solving. A foundational component of this principle is the focus within the program on urgent social issues and alternative approaches to leadership and administration, policy research/analysis, and qualitative/quantitative research methods.
As such, the goals of the Master’s program for graduates include proficiency in the following areas:
1. the theoretical and historical foundations of criminology and criminal justice;
2. the methods of gathering and analyzing information for research purposes;
3. essential research contributions in the discipline, and
4. policy-making, research and instructional responsibilities, and leadership positions within organizational and educational institutions in criminology and criminal justice.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must:
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meet the requirements of the Graduate School;
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hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution;
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have achieved an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 overall or 3.25 in the last 60 hours of the baccalaureate program.
Program Requirements
CIP Code: 43.0104
Graduate students must complete A a minimum of 30-36 semester hours for the Master of Science degree, depending on whether a thesis or non-thesis program is followed. The following courses are required of all students: CRJ 800 Advanced Crimi Justice Studies; CRJ 809 Criminal Justice Evaluation & Statistical Analysis; CRJ 810 Criminological Theory; CRJ 818 Criminal Justice Research Methods. A maximum of nine hours of approved, outside credit may be transferred to this degree program. All outside credit must be approved by the Department Graduate Committee.
Cross Listed Courses
Some courses are offered under different prefixes with the same course content. Students will not be awarded credit for any course for which they have previously received credit under a cross listed prefix.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Criminology and Criminal Justice Core | ||
| CRJ 800 | Advanced Crimi Justice Studies | 3 |
| CRJ 809 | Criminal Justice Evaluation & Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| CRJ 810 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
| CRJ 818 | Criminal Justice Research Methods | 3 |
| General Concentration: (select Thesis or Non-Thesis Track | ||
| Thesis Track | ||
| CRJ 898 | Thesis I | 3 |
| CRJ 899 | Thesis II | 3 |
| Program Total | 36 | |
| Exit Requirement | ||
| GRD 898C | MS Crim Justice Thesis Defense | 0 |
| Non-Thesis Track: (select Comprehensive Exam or Capstone Research Project) | ||
| Comprehensive Exam Track | ||
| Approved elective courses | 24 | |
| Program Total | 36 | |
| Exit Requirement | ||
| GRD 897B | MS Crim Justice Written Comp | 0 |
| Capstone Applied Research Project Track | ||
| Approved elective courses | 24 | |
| CRJ 878 | 3 | |
| Program Total | 30 | |
| Approved Electives | ||
| CRJ 801 | History of Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 802 | Violence Against Women | 3 |
| CRJ 812 | Leading with Political, Ethical, and Emotional Intelligence | 3 |
| CRJ 813 | Analysis of Police Operations | 3 |
| CRJ 814 | Policing and Society | 3 |
| CRJ 815 | Policing Global Insecurity | 3 |
| CRJ 820 | Issues in Juvenile Institutions/Community Corrections | 3 |
| CRJ 823 | Topics: Justice Policy and Leadership | 3 |
| CRJ 828 | MH/Substance Abuse Issues in Correctional Settings | 3 |
| CRJ 830 | Understanding Corrections/Juvenile Justice Institutions | 3 |
| CRJ 839 | Co-op: Just Policy & Leadershp | 3 |
| CRJ 840 | Adult Corrections | 3 |
| CRJ 842 | Human Rights & Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 843 | Adv Issues in Criminal Law | 3 |
| CRJ 844 | Innocence Project Externship | 3 |
| CRJ 845 | Punishment and Society | 3 |
| CRJ 846 | Legal Issues in Crim Just Admi | 3 |
| CRJ 850 | Corrections & Juvenile Justice Interventions | 3 |
| CRJ 856 | Law/Ethics in Dealing with Offenders | 3 |
| CRJ 860 | Advanced Organizational Theory | 3 |
| CRJ 862 | Race, Identity, & Policing | 3 |
| CRJ 864 | Comparative & International Policing | 3 |
| CRJ 871 | Crime, Victims and Criminals | 3 |
| CRJ 872 | The Community Context of Crime | 3 |
| CRJ 874 | Crime, Criminal Jus & Pop Cult | 3 |
| CRJ 873 | Social Construction of Crime | 3 |
| CRJ 875 | Crime and Public Policy | 3 |
| CRJ 876 | Organizational Crime | 3 |
| CRJ 877 | Postmodernism and Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 879 | Vice and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 889 | Qualitative Research Methods | 3 |
| CRJ 890 | Topical Seminar in Crim Just | 3 |
| CRJ 897 | Independent Study in Crim Just | 3 |
Exit Requirements
Thesis - A thesis is optional in this program. Students in the thesis option are required to pass an oral comprehensive examination in defense of the thesis (GRD 898C MS Crim Justice Thesis Defense).
Comprehensive Examination - Students in the non-thesis Comprehensive Exam option are required to pass a written comprehensive examination (GRD 897B MS Crim Justice Written Comp).
Capstone Applied Research Project - Students in the non-thesis Capstone Applied Research Project option are required to satisfactorily complete the applied research project course (CPL 878 Capstne Applied Resrch Project). Prerequisites: Complete all core courses and be in the last semester of coursework prior to graduation.