Criminology, M.A.

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The Master of Arts degree in Criminology is offered by the Department of Civic Engagement and Public Service with two tracks: Criminal Justice Administration and Crime and Social Justice. The Criminal Justice Administration track addresses issues of crime and criminal justice within a framework that emphasizes theory and research and their implications for criminal justice policy and practice. The Crime and Social Justice track train students in understanding and applying theory and research in academic settings, with an emphasis on preparing students for doctoral work. Both curricula are grounded in the social, behavioral and natural sciences. The Department of Civic Engagement and Public Service recognizes the value of diverse methodological and theoretical approaches and encourages their complementary use and integration. The MA Criminology program is conceived widely to include the study of crime, justice, law, and society. Criminology faculty members represent broad and varied backgrounds in working with the criminal justice system, dealing with offenders and victims, and conducting research on a wide range of criminal justice issues. The M.A. in Criminology is offered fully online.

Program Requirements

The master’s degree is granted to those students who accomplish the following, with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA required for graduation.

Students must select either the Criminal Justice Administration track or the Crime and Social Justice track.

Core (Required for both tracts) (15 hours)

Graduate students must successfully complete the following core courses (15 hours) with an “A” or “B” earned in each. Students who receive a “C” or below in a core course must retake the course until a “B” or higher is achieved.

CRIM 6000 - Principles of Criminology 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6003 - Applied Statistics in Criminology 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6010 - Theories of Crime and Justice 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6013 - Social Research 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6233 - Ethics and Criminal Justice 3 Credit Hours

Criminal Justice Administration Track

Under the Criminal Justice Administration track, a student must complete the core courses (15 hours), electives (18 hours), and successfully pass CRIM 6284 Graduate Capstone, with a total of 36 hours.

Electives (18 hours)

Graduate students must complete 18 hours of electives.

Capstone (3hours)

Graduate students must successfully pass CRIM 6284 Graduate Capstone (3 hours).

CRIM 6284 - Graduate Capstone 3 Credit Hours

Crime and Social Justice Track

Under the Crime and Social Justice track, a student must complete the core courses (15 hours), electives (15 hours), and thesis hours (6 hours) with a total of 36 hours.

Electives (15 hours)

Graduate students must complete 15 hours of electives.

Thesis (6 hours)

Graduate students must successfully pass their thesis (6 hours).

CRIM 6999 - Thesis 1.0 - 9.0 Credit Hours