Master of Science in Applied Criminology
The MS in Applied Criminology will provide you 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.
You’ll be provided with a strong, graduate-level
understanding of theory and methods of social science as they apply to the
creation, violation, and enforcement of laws.
With the master’s degree, you can specialize in one or more
of the following areas:
- transnational crime and justice
- communities and justice
- law, policy, and social change
In each area, you will:
- examine the structure, operations, and
limitations of the state and supra-state control systems used to resolve
perceived social problems
- take a broad view of what constitutes justice
problems
- participate in courses and faculty research
ranging from interpersonal issues to large-scale corporate and international
issues
You’ll work closely with faculty mentors to build a program of
study tailored to your career goals.
Degree requirements
The MS in Applied Criminology is a 36-hour program consisting of
30 units of class-based coursework and 6 units of a capstone project. To learn
more about the specific degree requirements, visit the
academic catalog page.
Admissions requirements
Read more
Entry into the department’s graduate program requires
application to and acceptance by:
- the Graduate College
- the Department of Criminology and Criminal
Justice
Forms for application to the Graduate College and Department
of Criminology and Criminal Justice are available at a single website at the Graduate College.
In addition to online completion of all university and
departmental admissions forms, admission to the Graduate Program in Criminology
& Criminal Justice requires submission of the following materials through the online application:
- A minimum Grade Point Average
of 3.0 (or equivalent): as evidenced on official transcripts
sent to the Graduate College.
- Three letters of recommendation: Preferably, these will be
written by academic references. However, professional references will be
accepted in special circumstances. All letters must be submitted through the
online submission tool accessible via the online graduate application form. No
specific format is required for these letters, but they should address skills,
capabilities, and experiences relevant to success in graduate school.
- A personal statement:
This should be a two- to four-page letter describing:
- your interest in the program
- your educational and career goals
- information regarding your academic and
professional preparation for entry into the master’s program
- any special topic areas that you would like to
pursue at the Master’s level
- A professional writing
sample in the English language: The following documents would be appropriate for the writing sample:
- a professional paper
- a research paper
- a class paper (preferably with instructor's
comments included.
ALL application materials described above must be submitted
through the online application forms and received by the Criminology and
Criminal Justice Department Office by the deadline date to be considered for
admission.
Application deadline dates
Fall admission - February 15
Spring admission - October 15
Financial assistance and graduate assistantships
Learn more about the several sources of financial support available to you if you’ve been formally admitted to the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice's Master's in Applied Criminology program.