CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Faculty

Stephen Cox (Chair Vance 410), Matthew Atherton, Kathleen Bantley, Allison Cares, Julie Kiernan Coon, Ronald Fernadez, Jennifer Hedlund, Damon Mitchell, Shamir Ratansi, and Raymond Chip Tafrate  (Dept. Phone: 832-3005)

Overview

The Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice provides students with the knowledge and skills required for leadership positions in the criminal justice system and continued study at the doctoral level. The Criminal Justice Graduate Program strongly emphasizes the application of theory and research in executive decision-making, policy development and analysis, and the treatment of offenders. While all graduate students are required to complete core courses, students are allowed to select elective courses that match their individual academic and career interests.

Admission to the Masters of Science Degree Program in Criminal Justice is made on a competitive basis two times per year.  Applications for the Fall semester must be completed and received by May 1^st.  Applications for the Spring semester must be completed and received by December 1^st.  The number of students accepted in any semester is dependent on available openings in the program, which may fluctuate from  semester to semester.  

Applicants will be notified by May 30^th (for Fall admission) and December 30^th (for Spring admission) regarding acceptance decisions. Some applicants that are not accepted into the program may be put on a waiting list.  Applicants on the waiting list may be admitted as further openings in the program become available.  Applicants accepted into the program will be contacted and asked confirm their intention to enter the program.  Newly admitted applicants do not register for courses by June 20^th (for Fall admission) and January 10^th (for Spring admission) risk losing a spot in courses because enrollment in courses may be made available to students on the waiting list.  

In addition to standard university graduate admission requirements, the department requires:

(1) A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.00 scale

(2) One undergraduate social science research methods course with a
      grade of “C” or better

(3) One undergraduate elementary statistics course with a grade of “C” or
      better

(4)   A formal application essay that focuses on (a) academic and work history, (b) reasons for pursuing graduate studies in Criminal Justice, and (c) future career goals

(5)   Resume

Consideration in the admissions process is given to selecting applicants from diverse areas of the criminal justice field (e.g., law enforcement, corrections, alternative sanctions, treatment and rehabilitation, and analysis). 

Students who do not meet these requirements may request consideration for admission with special requirements.  No students may register for graduate level criminal justice courses without first being admitted to the program.
 

Program

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Core Courses
The core courses are designed to help students:

·        understand the purpose and function of criminal justice agencies organized under the rubrics of police, courts, and corrections

·        critically analyze the organizational effectiveness of criminal justice agencies

·        understand how society comes to define certain behaviors as criminal, and how these definitions can be effected by the race, gender, and socio‑economic status of the lawmaker as well as the lawbreaker.

·        assess the effectiveness of criminal justice policies and programs through the application of research methods, statistics, and criminological theory.

·        understand the root causes of crime and the effects of social, economic, political, psychological, and biological factors on crime

      CJ 501    Proseminar on the Nature of Crime (4 credits)
      CJ 510    Proseminar on Law and Social Control (4 credits)
      CJ 520    Proseminar on the Administration of Justice (4 credits)
      CJ 533    Research Methods in Criminal Justice (3 credits)
      CJ 534    Quantitative Analysis in Criminal Justice Research  (3
                       credits)

Elective Courses

Elective courses are designed to allow students to develop knowledge and skills in areas that specifically match their individual academic and career interests.  Students desiring a concentration in behavioral sciences and the offender are encouraged to consider courses such as CRM 450, CRM 475, CJ 530, CJ 535, CJ 539, and CJ 560.  Students desiring a concentration in organizational functioning are encouraged to consider courses such as CJ 525, CJ 540, CJ 570, CJ 575, and CJ 580.
 
            CRM 450  Drugs and Society (3 credits)
            CRM 475  Controlling Anger and Aggression (3 credits)
            CJ     525  Program Planning and Evaluation (3 credits)
            CJ     530  Offender Profiles (3 credits)
            CJ     535  Correctional Counseling (3 credits)
            CJ     539  Delinquency and Control (3 credits)
            CJ     540  Assessing and Developing Performance in Criminal Justice
                               Organizations (3 credits)
            CJ     560  Sexual Offending (3 credits)
            CJ     570  Leadership and Supervision of Criminal Justice
                               Organizations (3 credits)
            CJ     575  Organizational Development and Evaluation of Criminal
                               Justice Organizations (3 credits)
            CJ     580  Public Policy in the Criminal Justice System (3 credits)

Capstone Requirement

The capstone project is designed to provide students with experience initiating and conducting research.  The thesis is a traditional research project involving hypothesis development, data collection, and statistical analyses, which may or may not involve working with a criminal justice agency. The special project requires the application of scientific knowledge to a real-world problem in a criminal justice agency.
Students choose one course from the following: 

            CJ 597 Agency Collaborative Project (3 credits)
            CJ 599 Thesis (3 credits)