Criminal Justice, M.S.
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.
About the Master of Science in Criminal Justice
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
Degree
M.S. in Criminal Justice
Emphases
Criminal Justice Policy and Practice
Required Credit Hours
30
Program Type
Master's Program
Program Location
School
Duration
2 Years
Application Deadline
Program Requirements and Application Requirements
Choosing the right graduate program can be difficult enough, so getting the application right shouldn't add to your stress. We've gathered all the info you need to apply to the M.S. in Criminal Justice to make things as easy as possible.
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:
- Complete all four (4) core classes with grades of B- or above
- Complete three (3) elective courses in Criminal Justice Policy & Practice emphasis.
- Complete one (1) additional research- or statistics-based elective
- Six (6) credit hours to fulfill degree culmination requirements: either thesis, applied graduate project
- Students can take up to six (6) credit hours of online 8-week classes
Application Deadline: March 1st
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.
Find Courses in the Master of Science in Criminal Justice
What does a Master of Science in Criminal Justice look like on the job market?
Average base salary for Intelligence Analysts and Crime Reduction Managers in 2023.
Average base salary for Senior Fraud Investigator in 2023.
Average base salary for Forensic Analysts in 2023.
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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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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