Criminal Justice
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Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Admission Requirements
Procedure for Admission to the Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) Program
Prospective students are required to submit the following:
- Application form
- Official transcripts for bachelor or graduate degree granting institution. (All credentials earned outside the United States must be evaluated by a NACES or AICE-member credential evaluation service). Please speak with an admissions representative for more information.
Specific requirements for admission to classified graduate status are:
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
- Completion of application for admission.
- A 2.7 overall grade point average or higher on completed requirements for the baccalaureate degree, or, an earned graduate degree from an accredited institution with a CGPA of 3.0 or higher.
Provisional Admission:
Applicants with an undergraduate degree CGPA of less than a 2.7, but not lower than a 2.3, or a graduate degree CGPA of less than 3.0, but not lower than a 2.7, will be considered for provisional admission. Students who do not attain a 3.0 GPA in the first quarter will be dismissed. Students cannot appeal the dismissal from the university as a result of failure to meet the conditions of provisional admission.
Foundational Undergraduate Courses for the Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Completion of an undergraduate statistics course (with a grade of C or better) is required for the Master of Science in Criminal Justice. If the student does not have the course as part of their undergraduate degree the course needs to be completed in the first two quarters of the program. Foundation undergraduate course credits do not count towards the total number of credits for graduation nor do they count in the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA); however, they do count in determining the maximum time frame (MTF) and the Incremental Completion Rate (ICR). MSCJ students enrolled in foundation undergraduate course must successfully complete the course within their first three attempts or the student will be academically dismissed from the University.
Course Requirements
The student will choose four courses (16 credits) from the remaining graduate level criminal justice curriculum listed below or from other graduate offerings with the guidance and approval of the Program Director in Criminal Justice or appropriate Program Chair and with the advice of the related Program Director if courses from other programs are desired. The student should plan to take at least 50% of this part of the degree program in criminal justice courses. Students may construct an area of emphasis with the guidance of the Program Director or Chair or pursue a more general set of elective course courses. Students may emphasize a traditional area of the field such as Corrections or Homeland Security, but elective choices may also reflect the particular professional goals and aspirations of the student. Thus, courses in areas such as Public Administration, Business, or Clinical Mental Health Counseling may be included as desired and approved and if the student completes the required prerequisites for such courses. Please note that Financial Aid may not cover prerequisite courses. Please see the Coursework Taken Outside a Student's Degree Program Policy found in the Academic Affairs section of this catalog.
Acceptance into a South University Criminal Justice program or its completion does not imply or guarantee that a student will be able to obtain employment in law enforcement, corrections, probation/parole, or related fields. The student should contact the national, state, or local agency/institution in which he or she intends to gain employment for specific requirements and the application process.
South University, Online Program offerings may not be available to residents of all states. Please contact an admissions representative for further information.
Outcomes
Graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate mastery of skills in the areas of theoretical and applied criminal justice as well as in managerial principles and practices to effectively solve a variety of real-life problems within a complex organization.
- Understand the relationship between crime theory, crime policy, and professional practice.
- Demonstrate interactive skills and learn behavioral strategies for improving systemic communication within and between criminal justice agencies.
- Demonstrate the ability to effectively interpret and make use of research methodology by completing a final research project prospectus on a topic related to professional practice in an actual criminal justice agency.
Career Outlook
Graduates of the MS in Criminal Justice program are prepared to seek management, administrative, research, and teaching positions. Program graduates will also be prepared for admission to doctoral programs in criminal justice, criminology and other related fields as well as for promotions within existing law enforcement, correctional, local and state government, and legal institutions.Learn More About the South University Program That's Right For You.
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Outstanding Education for Remarkable Careers
We're committed to helping our graduates make an impact in their professional and personal lives. We applaud our alumni and the difference they make. Check out what some of our Criminal Justice & Legal Studies graduates have to say.
