M.CJ Criminal Justice
https://www.tamuct.edu/degrees/graduate/criminal-justice.html
OVERVIEW
In addition to advancing the mission of A&M-Central Texas and the College of Arts and Sciences, the mission of the Master of Criminal Justice program is to prepare students for advancement in criminal justice career fields and for further graduate study. Program objectives are based on the assumption that criminal justice decision making and policy making in society require broad academic experience, innovative thinking, understanding of the theoretical foundations of the field, knowledge of appropriate research methods, and principles of administration.
Graduates are expected to be:
1. conversant with the theoretical and legal principles implicit in criminal justice administration;
2. knowledgeable about essential research contributions in the field;
3. capable of research analysis appropriate to the field; and
4. competent to assume administrative responsibilities involving decision-making in criminal justice administration.
Program Level Student Learning Outcomes
The student will be able to:
- Identify current theories and research relating to criminal justice in order to implement appropriate responses to crime.
- Apply research methods to test theory and apply in addressing public safety concerns.
- Manage the specialized resources (physical and personnel) available to criminal justice agencies.
- Discuss the key concepts and evaluate the application of foundational ethical systems to criminal justice practice.
Entry Requirements
Students will be admitted into the MCJ major by the faculty once the following application criteria are met:
Successful admission to graduate school.
And the following:
University admission to graduate studies does not guarantee admittance to the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program. To be admitted into the MCJ program, you must have:
1. Undergraduate ( Graduate Coursework) : to include 12 hours in upper-level undergraduate criminal justice courses. Courses must have been taken in Criminology (Criminal Justice or Sociology), Research Methods (Criminal Justice or Sociology), and Statistics (Criminal Justice, Sociology, or Psychology). Graduate-level coursework will also apply toward these requirements.
2. Essay: The applicant will submit an essay as an attachment to an email addressed to the Graduate Office. The essay should have a minimum of 500-words, double-spaced, and typed in Microsoft Word (Times New Roman 12). It should be composed of the following:
(1) one's reasons for pursuing the degree, or how the student will use the degree, once awarded,
(2) one's personal or professional experience that relates to criminal justice practice or research, and
(3) one's understanding of how the bachelor's degree (or post-graduate work) has prepared the student for graduate study in criminal justice.
Deadlines for submitting applications are:
August 1 for the Fall semester.
December 1 for the Spring semester.
No new students are accepted for the Summer term.
Applicants will be notified by email or letter regarding whether they are accepted into the program, within two weeks of their application for admission into the program.
Master of Criminal Justice With Thesis - Academic Emphasis Program Requirements
The thesis track is for students seeking to pursue an academic career in teaching, research, and doctoral-level studies. Students attending online may not select this track.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRIJ 5300 | Linear Regression 1 | 3 |
| CRIJ 5301 | Advanced Criminology 1 | 3 |
| CRIJ 5303 | Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| CRIJ 5308 | Victimology | 3 |
| CRIJ 5315 | Graduate Proseminar | 3 |
| CRIJ 5322 | Advanced Criminal Justice Ethics 1 | 3 |
| Emphasis Courses | ||
| CRIJ 5321 | Leadership and Supervision | 3 |
| CRIJ 5304 | Advanced Methods in Criminal Justice 1 | 3 |
| Choose two of the following: | ||
| CRIJ 5306 | Criminal Justice Program Evaluation | 6 |
| or CRIJ 5307 | Homeland Security | |
| or CRIJ 5309 | Terrorism | |
| or CRIJ 5311 | Regression Analyses | |
| or CRIJ 5389 | Special Topics in Criminal Justice | |
| or ANTH 5351 | Forensic Anthropology | |
| or HLS 5307 | Homeland Security | |
| or HLS 5320 | Religious Terrorism | |
| or POLI 5316 | Conflict Studies | |
| or POLI 5318 | Terrorism Studies | |
| or RELS 5304 | Sociology of Religion | |
| or RELS 5312 | Psychology of Religion | |
| or RELS 5320 | Religious Terrorism | |
| or SOCI 5304 | Sociology of Religion | |
| or SOCI 5305 | Theoretical Sociology | |
| Thesis - Two Semesters | ||
| CRIJ 5198 | Criminal Justice Thesis | 3 |
| CRIJ 5198 | Criminal Justice Thesis | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
| 1 | These courses assume upper-level, undergraduate competency in applied statistics, criminology, research methods, and ethics. Lack of competency in any of these areas may require completing undergraduate coursework to satisfy competency. |
Master of Criminal Justice Without Thesis - Professional Track Program Requirements
The professional track is for students attending online and students seeking to enhance their professional standing as criminal justice practitioners. This track does not prepare students for college teaching or doctoral work.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRIJ 5300 | Linear Regression 1 | 3 |
| CRIJ 5301 | Advanced Criminology 1 | 3 |
| CRIJ 5303 | Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| CRIJ 5308 | Victimology | 3 |
| CRIJ 5315 | Graduate Proseminar | 3 |
| CRIJ 5322 | Advanced Criminal Justice Ethics 1 | 3 |
| Emphasis Courses | ||
| CRIJ 5307 | Homeland Security | 3 |
| CRIJ 5321 | Leadership and Supervision | 3 |
| CRIJ 5304 | Advanced Methods in Criminal Justice 1 | 3 |
| or CRIJ 5306 | Criminal Justice Program Evaluation | |
| Choose Three of the following | 9 | |
| CRIJ 5304 | Advanced Methods in Criminal Justice | |
| or CRIJ 5306 | Criminal Justice Program Evaluation | |
| or CRIJ 5309 | Terrorism | |
| or CRIJ 5311 | Regression Analyses | |
| or CRIJ 5389 | Special Topics in Criminal Justice | |
| or ANTH 5351 | Forensic Anthropology | |
| or HLS 5320 | Religious Terrorism | |
| or POLI 5316 | Conflict Studies | |
| or POLI 5318 | Terrorism Studies | |
| or RELS 5304 | Sociology of Religion | |
| or RELS 5312 | Psychology of Religion | |
| or RELS 5320 | Religious Terrorism | |
| or SOCI 5304 | Sociology of Religion | |
| or SOCI 5305 | Theoretical Sociology | |
| CRIJ 5090 | Criminal Justice Comprehensive Examination (Linear Regression) | 0 |
| CRIJ 5090 | Criminal Justice Comprehensive Examination (Theory) | 0 |
| CRIJ 5090 | Criminal Justice Comprehensive Examination (Methods) | 0 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
| 1 | These courses assume upper-level, undergraduate competency in applied statistics, criminology, research methods, and ethics. Lack of competency in any of these areas may require completing undergraduate coursework to satisfy competency. |
Master of Criminal Justice - Homeland Security Emphasis Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRIJ 5300 | Linear Regression 1 | 3 |
| CRIJ 5301 | Advanced Criminology 1 | 3 |
| CRIJ 5303 | Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| CRIJ 5308 | Victimology | 3 |
| CRIJ 5315 | Graduate Proseminar | 3 |
| CRIJ 5322 | Advanced Criminal Justice Ethics 1 | 3 |
| Emphasis Courses | ||
| CRIJ 5304 | Advanced Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| or CRIJ 5306 | Criminal Justice Program Evaluation | |
| HLS 5307 | Homeland Security | 3 |
| HLS 5309 | Terrorism | 3 |
| HLS 5320 | Religious Terrorism | 3 |
| HLS 5321 | Leadership and Supervision | 3 |
| HLS 5370 | Foundations of Information Security | 3 |
| CRIJ 5090 | Criminal Justice Comprehensive Examination (Linear Regression) | 0 |
| CRIJ 5090 | Criminal Justice Comprehensive Examination (Theory) | 0 |
| CRIJ 5090 | Criminal Justice Comprehensive Examination (Methods) | 0 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
| 1 | These courses assume upper-level, undergraduate competency in applied statistics, criminology, research methods, and ethics. Lack of competency in any of these areas may require completing undergraduate coursework to satisfy competency. |
