Criminal Justice M.S.
Program Rationale:
The master of science degree is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required for leadership positions in the criminal justice system and continued study at the doctoral level. The criminal justice graduate program strongly emphasizes the application of theory and research in executive decision-making, policy development and analysis, and the treatment of offenders.
Program Learning Outcomes:
Our goal is that upon completion of this program students will have skills and abilities consistent with the following objectives:
- collect and analyze data to evaluate criminal justice policies and programs;
- present research proposals and findings to criminal justice professionals;
- analyze functions and relations between diverse criminal justice systems; and
- apply social and psychological models of crime and intervention to relevant offender populations.
Core courses are designed to help students:
- understand the purpose and function of criminal justice agencies organized under the rubrics of police, courts, and corrections;
- critically analyze the organizational effectiveness of criminal justice agencies;
- understand how society comes to define certain behaviors as criminal and how these definitions can be effected by the race, gender, and socio-economic status of the lawmaker, as well as the lawbreaker;
- assess the effectiveness of criminal justice policies and programs through the application of research methods, statistics, and criminological theory; and
- understand the root causes of crime and the effects of social, economic, political, psychological, and biological factors on crime.
Admissions Requirements:
Admission to the Master of Science degree program in Criminal Justice is made on a competitive basis two times per year. Applications for fall semester must be completed and received by June 1. Applications for spring semester must be completed and received by November 1. The number of students accepted in any semester is dependent on available openings in the program, which may fluctuate from semester to semester.
Applicants may be notified by June 30 (fall admission) and November 30 (spring admission) regarding acceptance decisions. Applicants accepted into the program will be contacted and asked to confirm their intentions to enter program.
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning. In addition to the standard University graduate admission requirements, the department requires:
1. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale. Applicants may also be considered conditionally with a 2.70 to 2.99 GPA.
2. One undergraduate social science research methods course with a grade of “C” or better
3. One undergraduate elementary statistics course with a grade of “C” or better
4. A formal application essay that focuses on (a) academic and work history, (b) reasons for pursuing graduate studies in criminal justice, and (c) future career goals
5. Resume
Consideration in the admission process is given to selecting applicants from diverse areas of criminal justice field (e.g., law enforcement, corrections, alternative sanctions, treatment and rehabilitation, and analysis). Students who do not meet these requirements may request consideration for admission with special requirements. No students may register for graduate-level criminal justice courses without first being admitted to the program.
The admissions application (apply online), application fee, and official transcripts from each college/university (except CCSU) where any course has been taken must be sent directly to the Graduate Recruitment and Admissions Office.
Please submit your essay and resume directly to Dr. Shamir Ratansi, director of graduate program in the Criminal Justice Department.
Contact: 860-832-3005
Course and Capstone Requirements
Core Courses:
| CJ 501 | Nature of Crime | 4 |
| CJ 510 | Law, Criminal Justice, and Issues of Inequality | 3 |
| CJ 520 | Effective Practices in the Administration of Justice | 3 |
| CJ 533 | Criminal Justice Research Methods | 4 |
| CJ 534 | Data Analysis in Criminal Justice | 4 |
Elective Courses (choose three):
| CRM 450 | Drugs and Society | 3 |
| CRM 475 | Controlling Anger and Aggression | 3 |
| CJ 525 | Evaluation Strategies for Criminal Justice Programs and Policies | 3 |
| CJ 530 | Offender Profiles | 3 |
| CJ 535 | Forensic Counseling | 3 |
| CJ 539 | Delinquency: Causation and Intervention | 3 |
| CJ 560 | Sexual Offending | 3 |
| CJ 573 | Managing Criminal Justice Employees | 3 |
| CJ 575 | Developing Criminal Justice Organizations | 3 |
| CJ 577 | Advanced Independent Reading and Research in Criminal Justice | 1 TO 3 |
| CJ 578 | Special Topics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJ 580 | Criminal Justice Policy Implementation and Effectiveness | 3 |
Elective courses are designed to allow students to develop knowledge and skills in areas that specifically match their individual academic and career interests. Students desiring a concentration in behavioral sciences and the offender are encouraged to consider courses such as CRM 450, CRM 475, CJ 530, CJ 535, CJ 539, and CJ 560. Students desiring a concentration in organizational functioning are encouraged to consider courses such as CJ 525, CJ 573, CJ 575, and CJ 580.
Capstone Project (choose one):
The capstone project is an original piece of research conducted by the student and completed under the supervision of a faculty advisor.
Total Credit Hours: 30
Note: No more than nine credits at the 400 level, as approved by the graduate advisor, may be counted toward the graduate planned program of study.