Jun 25, 2024  
Graduate Catalog 2023-2024 
    
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Graduate Catalog 2023-2024

Criminal Justice, M.S.

Graduate Advisor: Mohammad Salahuddin

Graduate Faculty: Mohammad Salahuddin, Dr. April Bernard, Dr. Jon Patterson, Dr. Mutlu Koseli

The Department of Criminal Justice, Philosophy, and Political Science offers a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice. This program provides advanced examination of critical issues regarding crime and justice. Students are required to develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of criminology and criminal justice to contemporary problems in criminal justice. A broad foundation in the social sciences is provided, with emphasis on sociology, psychology, and law.

Course work allows emphasis in law enforcement, corrections, probation and parole, counseling and casework, juvenile delinquency, community and economic development, and criminal justice research.

The program culminates in a practicum/internship or a thesis.

The department assesses the effectiveness of its program annually and produces a report that can be found in the department office and on the CSU website.

Admission Requirements:

Submission of a formal application through the Graduate School office. Applicants must

  1. Submit an undergraduate social science paper.
  2. Schedule an appointment to write a substantial, original essay on their criminal justice practice and research understanding, interests, and plans. Appointments may be scheduled by contacting the Department of Criminal Justice at 773/995-2108.

Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale (the department may, under special circumstances, conditionally admit a student with a grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale).

General Requirements

  • Prerequisites for all graduate level criminal justice courses include CJ 1200, 2309 and 2316 (or equivalents); ENG 1360, 2100, and either 2280 or2790 (or consent of the department); and CMAT 2030(or consent of the department). A grade of C or better is required in these courses.
  • Completion of thirty-three graduate criminal justice hours (of which at least 18 hours must be at the 5000-level) and which must include the 21-credit-hours core (see below).
  • Completion of a comprehensive examination (see below).
  • At least 18 credit hours of criminal justice courses must be taken at the Chicago State University main campus.
  • A 3.0 grade point average must be attained for core and elective courses required by the program. A grade of C or better is also required in these courses.
  • No more than nine credit hours of graduate criminal justice courses taken at other institutions can be accepted as transfer credit toward the criminal justice master’s degree. No grades below B will be accepted for transfer credit.
  • No more than nine credit hours of graduate criminal justice courses taken as a graduate student-at-large at this university can be accepted as credit hours toward the criminal justice master’s degree.

Specific Requirements

  • Six credit hours of criminal justice electives selected from departmental offerings at the graduate level. At least three credit hours must be at the 5800-level.
  • All candidates for the master’s degree are required to complete a graduate comprehensive examination as part of the requirements for graduation. The comprehensive examination will cover the content areas of criminal justice public policy issues, criminology theory, research design, and research analysis and application.

One Law and Public Police Course Required for the Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice

selected from the following choices:

Culminating Project Options