Masters Degrees in Criminology, USA

For over 20 years, the IUP Master's in Criminology program has prepared students like you for administrative and research careers in the criminal justice system. For those of you who want to go on and pursue doctoral studies, the MA program provides a solid foundation from one of the top criminology and criminal justice programs in the country.

To graduate you will be required to complete 30 semester hours. You may choose between a thesis or non-thesis curriculum. The thesis option requires that you complete a six-credit thesis. The non-thesis option requires that you complete six hours of elective course work, for both the online and on-campus programs.

To gain admittance you must:
-Demonstrate a sound understanding of criminological theory and the criminal justice system.
-Have knowledge gained through experience within the justice system, by specialized training or by completing graduate or undergraduate studies in a related field.
-Apply by March 15 for best consideration. Students begin the program in the fall term. (The online program allows full-time students to being in the fall and part-time students to begin in the spring.)

MA IN CRIMINOLOGY

-Prepare for advanced positions in federal, state, and local law enforcement and corrections; federal and county probation and parole; juvenile justice, and more.
-Develop a foundation for doctoral study to become a future college and university professor and researcher.
-Engage in the rigorous study of criminology theory, legal issues, organizational dynamics, research methodology, quantitative analysis, and ethical and philosophical issues in criminology.

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Program overview

The master of science degree in criminal justice emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to urban studies with a focus on public safety. The program stresses training in policy analysis and practice, particularly as it is relevant to community and urban issues. The program builds on a foundation of locally relevant policy research by providing students with the critical skills to carry out such work and the experience to assure success in employment or in pursuit of further graduate studies. The program provides students with a strong foundation in criminological, criminal justice theory, and social scientific research skills, thus enabling graduates to have successful careers in the policy analysis arena or to be prepared to pursue advanced study beyond the master's degree.

Plan of study

A minimum of 30 semester credit hours is required for completion of the MS in criminal justice. Students applying to the program should have a strong undergraduate foundation in criminology and research methods. Students that do not possess these skills may be required to complete additional undergraduate course work (e.g., Criminology, Theories of Crime, and Research Methods) or demonstrate that they have equivalent skills for completion of the degree.

Curriculum

Criminal justice MS degree, typical course sequence as follows:
-Professional Seminar In Criminal Justice Theory
-Statistics
-Professional Seminar in Research Methods
-Advanced Criminology
-Crime, Justice and Community
-Interventions and Change in Criminal Justice
-Electives
-Thesis in Criminal Justice (if thesis option is selected)
-Capstone in Criminal Justice (if project option is selected)

Other admission requirements

-Submit official transcripts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work.
-Submit two writing samples, one of which is a personal statement.
-Complete a personal interview.
-Have completed a statistics course (students may be required to take a data analysis or a statistics course if not taken previously).
-Submit two letters of recommendation (letters should be from faculty familiar with the applicant's academic work).
-Submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
-Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), and complete a graduate application.
-International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum scores of 570 (paper-based) or 88 (Internet-based) are required.

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The Master of Science in criminal justice offers a multidisciplinary curriculum to give students the sophisticated working knowledge of the major systems within the field.  Students will take challenging and rigorous courses rooted in history, law, philosophy, research, psychology, management, and political science that involve critical analysis of complex issues.

Faculty provide a quality education to students who have demonstrated competence and commitment to learning and growth, who desire to make a meaningful contribution to the field of criminal justice and who share the values of idealism, honesty, integrity, justice, and fairness.

Internet scheduling and evening courses make full- or part-time graduate study at WCU convenient for anyone interested in pursuing this degree.  The program is well-suited for current or future criminal justice professionals, as well as those who plan to pursue further graduate study.

Course Content

The Department of Criminal Justice offers a strong core of required courses, enhanced by an eclectic selection of electives designed to meet the interests and needs of our students. Each course is taught by a qualified faculty member who has direct experience in the particular subject matter.

Criminal Justice is very interdisciplinary in nature. Students interested in Criminal Justice may be interested in careers such as law enforcement and investigation, criminal prosecution or defense, probation and parole, juvenile treatment, corrections victims' advocacy, crime mapping, research, and more.  The program is designed to offer flexibility so that the student can tailor course selection to professional career goals. In this regard, students work closely with advisors to select courses each semester.

Course material is constantly updated to incorporate the ever-changing base of knowledge in this quickly evolving field. We offer such diverse electives as:  Victimology, crime Mapping, White Collar Crime, Terrorism, Environmental Crime, Organized Crime, Criminal Investigations, Interviewing and Assessing the Offender, Animal Cruelty,Evidence and Advocacy, Contemporary Legal Issues, and Justice Studies. 

Curriculum

• Required modules (15 semester hours)
CRJ 505, 507, 508, 509, and 600

• Optional Thesis* (3 semester hours)

• Electives (12-15 semester hours)
Chosen from among the following: CRJ 500, 503, 504, 506, 522, 524, 526, 530, 535, 555, 560, 566, 570, 582, 590, 599, *610 with departmental approval, and 999 (All courses listed are three semester hours unless otherwise noted.)

Please see the website for more information about these modules:

http://catalog.wcupa.edu/graduate/business-public-management/criminal-justice/#coursestext

Philadelphia Campus

The M.S. in Criminal Justice is also offered at the Philadelphia campus.

Curriculums for programs offered at the alternative PASSHE Center City satellite campus in Philadelphia are equivalent to those found on WCU’s main campus. With state-of-the-art classrooms, the Center City location serves the needs of degree completers and/or adult learners who are balancing work and family obligations.

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