M.S. Applied Criminology

The M.S. in Applied Criminology provides students with a professional program of study focused on the social and practical problems surrounding the creation and implementation of law and justice policy in local, national and international environments. Students can focus their studies in the areas of communities and justice, socio-legal policies and practices and transnational crime and justice.

Overview of the Program

The M.S. in Applied Criminology is a 36-hour program consisting of 30 units of class-based course work and 6 units of a Capstone project. Capstone-project options are: thesis, internship, comprehensive exam, or justice-education practicum. Each student will have the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors to build a program of study tailored to that student's career goals.

Overview of the Program Requirements

• Foundation Courses—9 units

• Focus Area—9 units

• Capstone Project—6 units

• Elective Courses—12 units

Program Specifics

Foundation Courses (9 units)

• CCJ 605 and 606 (6 units)

• Select one from CCJ 610, 614, or other research tool approved by the Department Graduate Program Committee. 93 units)

Focus Area (9 units)

• Transnational Crime and Justice—select 3 from the following: CCJ 515, 616, 617, 652, 654, 697 or Extra-departmental course, with advisor approval.

• Communities and Justice—select 3 from the following: CCJ 530, 532, 545, 618, 620, 628, 635, 654, 697 or Extra-departmental course, with advisor approval.

• Law, Policy and Social Change—select 3 from the following: CCJ 566, 616, 619, 620, 625, 638, 675, 677, 697 or Extra-departmental course, with advisor approval.

Capstone Project: In addition to 30 units of course work, students will complete one of the four following capstone projects:

• Thesis—original qualitative or quantitative research in criminology.

• Internship—minimum one semester full-time field placement and the completion of a written analysis of the internship project.

• Comprehensive Exam—Supervised examinations to demonstrate mastery of criminological theory and methods and one focus area of study.

• Justice Education Practicum—

• requires completion of CCJ 688 and CC 580 or CC 640.

and

• with the approval of the CCJ 688 instructor, one semester of supervised college-level teaching (or other justice-education project) and the completion of a written, critical analysis of the teaching experience.

Elective Units:

• Students who complete one focus area must complete 12 units of additional elective course work approved by the student's Graduate Committee.

• Students who complete a second 9-unit focus area will take 3 additional units of approved elective course work.

Our faculty members represent specializations that encompass the full range of social, legal, and criminal-justice topics. The curriculum also provides flexibility for you to pursue interdisciplinary course work related to criminal justice.

Click here for more information about Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate courses and faculty.