Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ)

Admission Requirements

Admission to the master’s program will be competitive and entrance restricted to a limited number of well qualified applicants. Applicants should possess an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice or a related social or behavioral science area.

Each candidate will be evaluated on (1) past academic performance, (2) score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and (3) overall experience and progression in the criminal justice field or other areas of experience. Specific admissions criteria include:

• Completion of the WSU admissions application form
• Completion of the Department Master’s Degree application form
• Submission of official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
• Submission of a current resume
• Submission of a written personal statement explaining interest in the program
• Submission of GRE scores

Each applicant will be considered on an individual basis, and those whose undergraduate work does not reflect a basic foundation in criminal justice study, or who do not meet the specific admission requirements, may be admitted on a provisional basis. Students applying without undergraduate competency in Criminal Justice may be required to take basic undergraduate criminal justice classes before being admitted to full candidacy.

Graduation Requirements

The Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice requires the completion of 36 semester hours. Four core courses totaling 12 semester hours are required. These courses are:

• MCJ 6100 - Contemporary Criminal Justice
    (3)
• MCJ 6120 - Theories of Crime and Delinquency
    (3)
• MCJ 6110 - Research Methods in Criminal Justice
    (3)
• MCJ 6150 - Diversity Issues in Criminal Justice
    (3)

A minimum GPA of 3.0 for all courses is required.  No “C” grade is allowed in core courses.

The remaining hours will be chosen from elective courses of interest to the student. More than one “C” grade in these courses will not count toward completion of the degree. Students must choose between completing a Master’s Project, or taking additional course work in lieu of the project. The requirements for each option are identified below. Regardless of the option chosen, the student must complete all degree requirements within four years of entry into the program.

Project Option

1. Complete 12 core credit hours.
2. Complete 21 elective credit hours.
3. Complete three project credit hours.

Non-Project Option

1. Complete 12 core credit hours.
2. Complete 24 elective credit hours.