Master in Criminal Justice

The MCJ Policy & Practice program option is a 30-credit degree program providing students with the foundations needed to master applied methodological and theoretical knowledge to engage in policy analysis and decision-making. 

• All students must take 12-credits of core classes, one additional research/statistics elective, 4 elective courses, and have two options for program completion (applied graduate project or thesis). 

All students in the Policy & Practice program option must complete the following degree requirements:

1. Complete all four (4) core classes with grades of B- or above 
2. Complete four (4) elective courses in Criminal Justice Policy & Practice emphasis. 
3. Complete one (1) additional research- or statistics-based elective 
4. Six (6) credit hours to fulfill degree culmination requirements: either thesis, applied graduate project 
5. Students can take up to six (6) credit hours of online 8-week classes 

Students must complete one of the following options to complete their degree. All students must obtain approval from the graduate program coordinator prior to enrolling in degree culmination credits. 

• CJ 690: Applied Criminal Justice Graduate Project (6 hours) 
• CJ 697: Thesis – traditional thesis option (6 credits)

1. Academic Transcripts. Evidence of an awarded Baccalaureate Degree from an accredited college or university. Transcripts must also show a gradepoint of least a 3.0 or equivalent grade point average on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework or at least a 3.0 or equivalent grade point average on master’s coursework.
2. Three (3) letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation preferably come from professors familiar with your academic qualifications and/or skills who are able to comment on your potential to be successful in a master's program.
3. Statement of Interest. A 400- to 500-word statement of interest that describes your interest in pursuing the Master of Criminal Justice degree, your chosen emphasis in 1) Policy & Practice (in-person), 2) Homeland Security & Emergency Management (fully online), or 3) Criminal Justice Leadership (fully online), your future career goals, and why you believe you will be successful in graduate school.
4. Writing Sample. Submit a sample of your recent written work that best showcases your skills as a writer and critical thinker. Writing samples should be in English and be no less than 10 double-spaced pages and no more than 35 pages double-spaced pages in length. There are no specific formatting requirements. This could be a term paper from a previous course, a thesis, a lead author academic publication (i.e., peer-reviewed journal article, encyclopedia/book chapter), professional report, policy brief, or any other document that demonstrates your writing and analytic skills.
5. Curriculum vitae or resume.

Please note that the Department of Criminal Justice & Legal Studies does NOT require the submission of GRE scores for the Master of Criminal Justice program.

The MCJ online program options accept rolling admissions. We ask that applicants submit their completed applications (including all letters of recommendation received) at least 4-6 weeks before the start of the term seeking admissions.

International students must demonstrate compliance with the University of Mississippi’s English Language Proficiency Score Requirements and Exemptions policy.

Applications for the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program are due by March 1st each year. 

Applicants must submit the following for consideration:

• Academic Transcripts. Evidence of an award Baccalaureate Degree from an accredited college or university. Transcripts must also show a grade point of at least a 3.0 or equivalent grade point average on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework or at least a 3.0 or equivalent grade point average on master's coursework. 
• Three (3) letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation preferably come from professors familiar with your academic qualifications and/or skills who are able to comment on your potential to be successful in a master's program.
• Statement of Interest. A 400-to 500-word statement of interest that describes your interest in pursuing the degree, your future career goals, and why you believe you will be successful in graduate school. 
• Writing sample. Submit a sample of your recent written work that best showcases your skills as a writer and a critical thinker. Writing samples should be in English and be no less than 10 double-spaced pages and no more than 35 pages double-spaced pages in length. There are no specific formatting requirements. This could be a term paper from a previous course, a thesis, a lead author academic publication (i.e., peer-reviewed journal article, encyclopedia/book chapter), professional report, policy brief, or any other document that demonstrates your writing and analytic skills. 
• Curriculum vitae or resume. 

Please note that the Department of Criminal Justice & Legal Studies does NOT require the submission of GRE scores for the Master of Criminal Justice program. 

International students must demonstrate compliance with the University of Mississippi’s English Language Proficiency Score Requirements and Exemptions policy.