Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ)

MSCJ Program Additional Admission Requirements

  • Each applicant holding an earned Master’s degree in criminal justice, criminology, sociology, humanities, or other social science discipline must provide support reflecting an earned program GPA of at least 3.0 from a regionally accredited college or university.
  • Applications do not require GRE score information.

The North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (N.C. A&T) Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) is housed in the Department of Criminal Justice (CRJS) under the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS). The program provides Main Campus (face-to-face) and Distance Learning (online) delivery modes. Students enrolled in the graduate program can choose from one of four specializations (Digital Forensics, Investigative Science, Research Methodology, or Social Justice) with Thesis and Non-Thesis options available.

MSCJ offerings expand on the success of the baccalaureate Criminal Justice degree program, one of the largest and fastest-growing CAHSS majors. The main strengths of the institution for supporting the MSCJ program include the institution’s intensive research programs, a dedicated and experienced faculty, and community-focused initiatives. The primary target audiences for the program are graduates with an earned baccalaureate degree in criminal justice, sociology, or other social science related field as well as law enforcement or military professionals seeking career advancement.

The MSCJ program aligns with the institutional mission to advance knowledge through scholarly exchange and transform society with exceptional teaching, learning, discovery, and community. The program will prepare graduates to assume educator, attorney, policy analyst, administrator, criminal investigator, and cybersecurity professional roles. The program’s coursework is structured to develop subject matter knowledge, critical thinking, scientific inquiry, cultural sensitivity, and technical proficiency among scholars, academicians, research scientists, professionals, and thought leaders.

 

Admission

University Admissions Requirements

All applicants must apply using the online admission portal that is accessible from the Graduate College webpage. All programs require the graduate admission application (including application fee, transcripts, references, and a personal statement).

Department of Criminal Justice Admissions Requirements

Each applicant must hold an earned Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from a regionally accredited college or university (with program GPA of 3.00 or greater) in criminal justice, criminology, sociology, humanities, or other social science and satisfy the prerequisites in the table below.

List of specialization-specific courses for each specialization.

Prerequisite Courses for the M.S. Program in Criminal Justice

Prerequisite Courses

Credit Hours

N.C. A&T Equivalent courses

Undergraduate Statistics

3

CRJS 251

Undergraduate Statistics Lab

1

CRJS 252

Undergraduate Research Methods

3

CRJS 331

Students must earn at least a “C” in each prerequisite course. Students with perquisite deficiencies are required to complete these courses before they can begin the M.S. program in Criminal Justice.

Documents and support to be submitted for admission

  • University application for admission
  • Personal statement of interest in the M.S. Criminal Justice program
  • Official transcripts for college work (undergraduate and graduate)
  • Two letters of recommendation from individuals in professionally relevant fields
  • Additional materials as required by the N.C. A&T Graduate College (such as TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students)
  • Completed criminal background verification if requested by the Graduate College

Graduation

M.S. graduation requirements are listed below:

30 hours of graduate coursework will be required.

Up to 12 hours of graduate-level credit can be accepted from another accredited institution.

  1. Nine credit hours in core coursework are required of all students in the program.
    • CRJS 750 Theories of Criminal Behavior
    • CRJS 755 Quantitative Research Methods
    • CRJS 765 Advanced Statistics
  2. Students must choose one of four specialization areas listed below: 
    Prerequisite Courses for the M.S. Program in Criminal Justice.

    Digital Forensics

    CRJS 770

    Cybercrime and Digital Forensics

    CRJS 771

    Digital Forensics

    CRJS 772

    File System Forensics

    CRJS 773

    Digital Forensics Tools & Techniques

    CRJS 774

    Network Forensics

    CRJS 775

    Operating System Forensics

    Investigative Science

    CRJS 721

    Crime Scene Reconstruction

    CRJS 722

    Blood Pattern Analytics

    CRJS 723

    Crime Scene Professionalism

    CRJS 724

    Forensic Ballistic Investigation

    CRJS 725

    Investigative Science & Technology

    CRJS 726

    Forensics & Law

    Research Methodology

    CRJS 715

    Ethics and Concerns

    CRJS 716

    Writing for Graduate Students

    CRJS 717

    Data Management

    CRJS 718

    Field Research in Criminal Justice

    CRJS 719

    Spatial Data Analysis

    CRJS 720

    Survey Design

    Social Justice

    CRJS 727

    Critical Race Theory

    CRJS 728

    Social Justice & Public Policy

    CRJS 729

    Social Transformation & Law

    CRJS 730

    The History of Social Movements

    CRJS 731

    Intersectionality

    CRJS 732

    Scholar Activism & Social Justice

  3. Thesis Option
    • Five specialization courses are required (15 credits)
    • Two thesis research courses must also be completed (6 credits)
      • CRJS 797 (Thesis) can be taken a maximum of two times
      • CRJS 799 (Continuation Residency) is available for qualifying students for degree completion
  4. Non-Thesis Option
    • Six specialization courses are required (18 credits)
    • One 800-level Elective course is also required (3 credits)
      • CRJS 865 (Applied Data Analytics)
      • CRJS 866 (Qualitative Research Methods)
  5. With the permission from the Graduate Director and Department Chair, a student may complete a maximum of two N.C. A&T elective courses outside of the Department of Criminal Justice toward the S. degree.