Master of Science in Crime and Justice Studies, MSCJS

Curriculum

Degree Requirements: 10 courses, 30 credits

Core Requirements (4 courses, 12 credits)

CJ-681	Crime and Communities	3
CJ-701	Seminar in Crime & Justice	3
CJ-702	Research Methods	3
CJ-709	Quantitative Analysis	3

Crime and Justice Studies Electives (4 courses, 12 credits)

Choose four of the following:

CJ-685	Seminar in Corrections	3
CJ-686	Seminar in Juvenile Justice	3
CJ-687	Justice & the Community Courts	3
CJ-688	Restorative Justice	3
CJ-691	Intimate Violence & Sexual Assault	3
CJ-692	Criminal Justice Policy	3
CJ-694	Critical Victimology	3
CJ-695	Special Topics	3
CJ-698	Community-Based Responses to Violence Against Women	3
CJ-704	Legal Issues in Criminal Justice System	3
CJ-705	Class, Race, Gender & Justice	3
CJ-730	Bad Girls?	3
CJ-731	Youth Programming	3
CJ-734	Youth Gangs	3
CJ-783	Internship in Crime & Justice Studies	3
CJ-910	Independent Study	3
POLS-741

Free Electives (2 courses, 6 credits)

Choose two additional electives from the above list or from other course offerings as approved by the program director.

Concentration Options

Students can choose one of the following two concentration options to fulfill four of the six electives. The remaining two electives can be chosen from the Crime & Justice Studies Electives and the Free Electives lists.

Victim Advocacy Concentration (4 courses, 12 credits)

Choose four of the following:

CJ-688	Restorative Justice	3
CJ-691	Intimate Violence & Sexual Assault	3
CJ-694	Critical Victimology	3
CJ-695	Special Topics	3
CJ-698	Community-Based Responses to Violence Against Women	3
CJ-705	Class, Race, Gender & Justice	3
CJ-783	Internship in Crime & Justice Studies	3
CJ-910	Independent Study	3

Youth, Crime, and Justice Concentration (4 courses, 12 credits)

Choose four of the following:

CJ-686	Seminar in Juvenile Justice	3
CJ-688	Restorative Justice	3
CJ-695	Special Topics	3
CJ-730	Bad Girls?	3
CJ-731	Youth Programming	3
CJ-734	Youth Gangs	3
CJ-783	Internship in Crime & Justice Studies	3
CJ-910	Independent Study	3

Learning Goals and Objectives

Learning goals and objectives reflect the educational outcomes achieved by students through the completion of this program.

Learning Goals	Learning Objectives
Students will...	Students will be able to...
Integrate key crime and justice principles using intersectional perspectives	- Demonstrate ability to speak knowledgeably on CJ topics - Critically assess crime and justice policies and practices from intersectional perspectives - Understand the influence of various institutional and political forces on the creation and adaptation of crime and justice policies
Utilize crime and justice research methods to provide analysis, critique, and evaluation	- Demonstrate an understanding of research designs as consumers of professionally published studies - Demonstrate basic statistical literacy - Design a basic program, policy evaluation, or research proposal
Understand the connection between criminological theory and applied problem-solving approaches to address issues in crime and justice	- Critique key concepts of criminological theories - Articulate linkages, and lack thereof, in policies and programs - Create innovative policy or practice grounded in theory that has benefits to those involved in the justice system as victims, offenders, and/or community members
Comprehend community models and strategies that address prevention and intervention	- Identify successful prevention and intervention models and strategies - Evaluate strengths and limitations of prevention and intervention models and strategies - Incorporate intersectionality into knowledge base of models and strategies

Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degree in Crime and Justice Studies

Degree Requirements

1. Students admitted to this dual degree program must meet 1) all the requirements of an undergraduate Sociology major, including completion of at least two CJU electives, or 2) all the requirements of an undergraduate Criminal Justice Major.
2. Students must also meet all requirements for the Master of Science in Crime & Justice Studies.
3. The two graduate courses taken during the senior year will count toward BOTH the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Credit hours will be awarded based on the graduate course description.
4. Before enrolling in any Master's level courses, students must obtain approval for classes through the MSCJS graduate program director.
5. Students are subject to the usual standards for academic standing, i.e., undergraduate standards for undergraduate courses and graduate standards for graduate courses.

Upon successful completion of all of the degree requirements, a student will receive a dual Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. The exact degree will be awarded based on the specific undergraduate program the student completes. A student may permanently exit the dual degree program and opt to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree if all the requirements for a Bachelor’s degree have been met. In this case, the graduate courses taken in the senior year will be counted as 4-credit courses applied toward the undergraduate degree requirements.