Criminal Justice Traditional M.A.

Admission Requirements

1. An undergraduate degree in criminal justice or related social or behavioral science with a minimum GPA of 2.75 for all undergraduate work and a 3.00 for the last two years of undergraduate work is required for admission to the program. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for admission.
2. A Criminal Justice Graduate Program Application Cover Page must be completed.
3. A statement of purpose for pursuing the Master of Arts Degree, addressing the student’s particular interests in the field of criminal justice and his or her future academic and/or professional goals, must be provided at the time of application.
4. Two letters of recommendation are required. It is preferred that both letters be from professors from whom the applicant took the classes. If the applicant completed the undergraduate degree work within the past five years, it is required that at least one letter be from a professor, unless the applicant can document the reasons why a letter from a former professor is difficult to obtain. If the applicant completed the undergraduate degree work more than five years ago and is currently working in a criminal justice-related field, two letters may be obtained from the applicant’s direct supervisor or co-workers. References from other sources will not be reviewed.
5. Application forms, fees, official transcripts, test results and assistantship applications are submitted to the Graduate College. Submit an additional copy of official transcripts, the two letters of recommendation, and the statement of purpose, along with the Application Cover Page, directly to the department.
6. International Students. Applicants who are citizens of a country where English is not the native language must show competency in the English language. As part of the entrance requirements, they must take the “Test of English as a Foreign Language” (TOEFL) and receive a minimum score of 550 (written) or 213 (computerized). International applicants must also submit a completed financial statement before their application can be reviewed and should check with the Graduate College regarding application procedures.