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Master of Science in Criminal Justice

Advance justice through immersive research with a focus on the application of high-level empirical knowledge on impactful policy and practice in the criminal justice system.

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About this Program

The Master of Science Criminal Justice (M.S.C.J.) with an emphasis in Criminal Justice Policy & Practice promotes evidence-based policy and practice and prepares future leaders in the fields of criminal justice by conducting relevant, innovative research and offering cutting-edge courses.

Our in-person criminal justice degree program is designed as a 30-credit, two-year program to provide students with essential skills in research, writing, and critical thinking. There are two admission options for the in-person M.C.J., including a 4+1 accelerated option. 

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    Program Information

    Program Type

    Master's Program

    Area of Study

    Social Sciences, Law, and Policy

    School

    School of Applied Sciences

    Duration

    2 Years

    Degree

    M.S. in Criminal Justice

    Program Location

    Oxford

    Emphases

    Criminal Justice Policy and Practice

    Required Credit Hours

    30

    Degree Requirements

    The M.S.C.J. 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 

    Core classes 

    All students are required to take the following 16-week courses. Students cannot take the online version of these courses: 

    Elective Courses 

    Students choose four (4) of the following courses. Each course is 3 credit hours. 

    *May be taken 2 times with a different topic.  

    Research and/or Statistics Elective 

    Students must complete one (1) research or statistics elective course. The following list of courses meet this requirement.** Each course is 3 credit hours. Students may take a research or statistics course outside of these options (including courses outside the department) with department approval. 

    *May be taken 2 times with a different topic. 
    **Some courses may be taken for either the Policy & Practice elective or to fulfill the research/statistics elective. 

    Degree Culmination Options

    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. 

    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 Science in Criminal Justice program. 

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

    What does a Master of Science in Criminal Justice look like on the job market?

    52K

    Average base salary for Intelligence Analysts and Crime Reduction Managers in 2023.

    66K

    Average base salary for Senior Fraud Investigator in 2023.

    93K

    Average base salary for Forensic Analysts in 2023.

    111K

    Average base salary of Cyber Crime Investigators in 2023.

    What jobs can you get with a Master of Science in Criminal Justice?

    • Senior Corrections Officer
    • Detective
    • Criminal Investigator
    • Warden
    • FBI agent
    • DEA agent
    • US Marshal
    • Security Directory

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    Kimberly A Kaiser

    We're here to help!

    If you interested in learning more about the Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice, don't hesitate to reach out!

    Kimberly A Kaiser

    Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies and Graduate Program Director

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