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.
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.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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)
- 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.