Baccalaureate/Master’s Degree Programs
The Baccalaureate/Master’s Degree Program (BA/MA) provides academically advanced students the opportunity to pursue, simultaneously, their baccalaureate and master’s degrees. It is available to students studying criminal justice, forensic psychology and public administration. The number of undergraduate electives and courses in the major are reduced for BA/MA candidates, thus enabling them to begin graduate courses once they have fulfilled the college general education requirements and some of the requirements of their major. Graduate courses then fulfill certain undergraduate requirements.
Degree Requirements
Students receive both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees upon completion of the requirements of this program. The BA/MA Program in Criminal Justice requires either 128 credits and a master’s thesis, or 134 credits and the passing of a comprehensive examination. The BA/MA Programs in Forensic Psychology and Public Administration each require the completion of 134 credits.
For each of these programs, the entire graduate course of study must be completed (see program requirements below). Students who are interested in the BA/MA Program are encouraged to meet with the BA/MA Director early in their academic career.
Eligibility
To be eligible for admission, students must complete 60 credits (including the college general education requirements) and have earned a 3.5 or better grade point average (GPA). This is a minimum requirement for eligibility and does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Applicants must also submit a personal statement indicating why they are seeking admission, a recommendation from a faculty member, and a writing sample that is representative of their research/writing skills. Applications are reviewed each fall for spring admission and each spring for fall admission. Further application instructions are available through the BA/MA page accessed through the John Jay College website http://www.jjay.cuny.edu.
Transfer students must first establish the 3.5 GPA, for one semester (12 credits) at John Jay College, prior to applying to the BA/MA Program. However, students transferring from colleges with an articulation agreement with John Jay College will be considered for admission to the BA/MA Program based on their GPA at the home college. The list of colleges with an articulation agreement with John Jay College is available on the BA/MA website. Updated information about the BA/MA Program will be posted periodically on the website.
Students are required to maintain the 3.5 GPA to remain in the BA/MA Program. Students whose GPAs fall below the 3.5 level will not be able to receive the graduate degree even if they have completed sufficient credits.
| Combined degree program requirements: Baccalaureate/Master’s Programs |
Credits |
| MA in Criminal Justice |
30–36 |
| BA in Criminal Justice |
|
| BS in Criminal Justice |
|
| BS in Criminal Justice Management |
|
| BS in Police Studies |
|
| MA in Forensic Psychology |
39 |
| BA in Forensic Psychology |
|
| MPA in Public Administration |
42 |
| BS in Criminal Justice Management |
|
| BS in Public Administration |
|
For additional information, contact Professor Chitra Raghavan, Director of the BA/MA Program (212.237.8417, bamadirector@jjay.cuny.edu).
Baccalaureate/Master’s Program and the Thesis Alternative
BA/MA students in the Criminal Justice Program who choose to complete the alternative to the thesis requirement for their master’s degree must complete a total of 134 credits, 36 of which must be graduate credits. BS/MPA students in the Public Administration Program must complete 134 credits, 42 of which must be graduate credits. BA/MA students in the Forensic Psychology Program must complete 134 credits, 39 of which must be graduate credits.