Criminal Justice (MSCJ)
Description
The Master of Science in Criminal Justice (M.S.C.J.) promotes evidence-based policy and practice and prepares future leaders in the fields of criminal justice by conducting relevant, innovative research and offering cutting-edge courses.
Minimum Total Credit Hours: 30
Course Requirements
The M.S.C.J. is a 30-graduate-hour program. All students must complete the 12 hours of core courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRJU 6000 | Criminal Justice Administration | 3 |
| CRJU 6010 | Criminal Justice Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| CRJU 6020 | Criminal Justice Research Methods | 3 |
| CRJU 6240 | Theories of Criminal Behavior | 3 |
Other Academic Requirements
The minimum requirements to graduate are: An overall graduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher; must complete a minimum of three (3) classes in their emphasis; and students must complete all core classes with a minimum grade of B-.
Specializations
- Emphasis - Crim. Just. Policy & Practice
Emphasis - Crim. Just. Policy & Practice
Description
The M.S.C.J. with emphasis in criminal justice policy and practice prepares a graduate for a variety of criminal justice and related positions.
Course Requirements
In addition to the core, research and statistics, and the program completion option requirements, the M.S.C.J. degree with emphasis in criminal justice policy and practice requires completion of three of the following courses (i.e., 9 credit hours):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRJU 6200 | Criminal Justice in American Society | 3 |
| CRJU 6210 | Seminar in Law Enforcement | 3 |
| CRJU 6220 | Seminar in Courts & Sentencing | 3 |
| CRJU 6230 | Seminar in Corrections | 3 |
| CRJU 6240 | Theories of Criminal Behavior | 3 |
| CRJU 6420 | Cybercrime and Cyber Security | 3 |
| CRJU 6410 | Transnational Crime | 3 |
| CRJU 6430 | Legal Issues in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJU 6999A | Special Topics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJU 6490 | Independent Study | 1-3 |
| CRJU 6610 | CJ Policy and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| CRJU 6620 | Emer Mgmt and Homeland Sec Policy Eval | 3 |
| CRJU 6670 | Qualitative Research Design & Analysis | 3 |
Research and/or Statistics Electives
Students must complete one (1) research or statistics elective course. The following list of courses meet this requirement. Each course is 3 credit hours. Students may take a research or statistics course outside of these options (including courses outside the department) with Graduate Program Coordinator approval.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRJU 6520 | Comparative CJ Systems & Policy | 3 |
| CRJU 6610 | CJ Policy and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| CRJU 6620 | Emer Mgmt and Homeland Sec Policy Eval | 3 |
| CRJU 6999C | ST in CJ Stats & Research | 3 |
| CRJU 6640 | GIS and Crime Mapping Analysis | 3 |
Degree Culmination Options
Student must complete one of the following options to complete their degree. All students must obtain approval from the graduate program coordinator prior to enrolling in degree culmination credits.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRJU 6900 | Applied Criminal Justice Graduate Projec | 3 |
| CRJU 6997A | Thesis | 1-6 |
Admission Requirements
- Evidence of an awarded baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
- Quality of the applicant’s academic record, as evidenced by cumulative grade- point average. At least a 3.0 or equivalent grade-point average on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework is required.
- Three (3) letters of professional recommendation, preferably from professors familiar with your academic qualifications or others familiar with your work ethic and ability to be successful in graduate school.
- A 400- to 500-word statement of interest that describes your interest in pursuing the degree, your future career goals, and why you believe you will be successful in graduate school.
- Submit a sample of your recent written work that best showcases your skills as a writer and critical thinker. Writing samples should be in English and no more than 10 double-spaced pages in length. There are no specific formatting requirements. This could be a term paper, professional report, policy brief, or any other document that demonstrates writing and analytic skills.
- Curriculum vitae or resume.
- International students must demonstrate compliance with the University of Mississippi's English Language Proficiency Score Requirements and Exemptions policy.
Prospective students that are interested in a graduate assistantship position (only applicable for the in-person emphasis in CJ policy and practice) should also submit:
- Resume or curriculum vitae.
- Brief statement of interest of no more than 300 words in the assistantship position, including interest in research and/or teaching and skills that you will bring to the position.