Required Credit Hours/Tuition and Fees
- 30
- Visit the Paying for College website for detailed tuition information
Curriculum
The two-year program offers six consecutive semesters of classes, including summers. The one-year program offers four consecutive semesters of classes, including summers. Students receiving Prior Learning Assessment credit will reduce the program by one summer semester. Each cohort would begin in the fall semester.
The program requires 30 credit hours. Students are required to take 15 credits of required core credits, 0-6 hours of exit requirement coursework (6 hours for the thesis or capstone option or 0-3 hours for the exam option, depending on the exam option chosen), and 9-15 hours of electives, for a total of 30 hours. All 500-level courses are eight weeks in duration. All 400-level elective courses are 16 weeks in duration and may be offered online or in a physical classroom. Offerings of elective courses rotate. Contact the Graduate Program Director to determine elective availability.
See the graduate course descriptions for details.
Required Core Courses (15 Hours)
- CJ 502 Applied Research in Criminal Justice
- CJ 505 Criminological Theory
- CJ 513 Criminal Justice Statistics
- CJ 515 Criminal Justice Planning and Budgeting
- CJ 517 Policy Analysis
Exit Requirement Coursework (0-6 Hours)
- Thesis Option: CJ 599 Thesis I and II (6 hours)
- Capstone Option: CJ 598 Capstone I and II (6 hours)
- Exit Exam Option:
- Directed Exit Exam = CJ 596 Readings in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
- General Exit Exam = 0 credit hours
Elective Courses (9-15 Hours, depending upon exit requirement chosen)
(offered periodically, refer to the Class Schedule in CougarNet for availability)
- CJ 508 Disparate Treatment in the Criminal Justice System
- CJ 527 Cybercrime
- CJ 528 Civil Liability
- CJ 529 Human Trafficking
- CJ 535 Seminar in Juvenile Justice
- CJ 540 Seminar in Correctional Theory and Practice
- CJ 590 Special Topics
- CJ 596 Readings in Criminal Justice Policy
Elective Senior Level Courses for Graduate Credit
- CJ 408 Critical Issues in Law Enforcement
- CJ 410 Judicial Process in Criminal Cases
- CJ 420 United States Drug Policy
- CJ 464 Criminal Justice and the Mental Health System
- CJ 465 Theories of a Just Society
Sample Plan of Study: Two-Year Track with Thesis or Capstone
Course availability is subject to change. Consult with the Graduate Program Director to develop your individual Plan of Study.
Year 1 Fall Semester
(1st 8 weeks) CJ 502 Applied Research in Criminal Justice
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 505 Seminar in Criminology
Year 1 Spring Semester
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 517 Policy Analysis
Year 1 Summer Semester
CJ Elective
CJ 515 Criminal Justice Planning and Budgeting
Year 2 Fall Semester
(1st 8 weeks) CJ Elective
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 513 Criminal Justice Statistics
Year 2 Spring Semester
(1st and 2nd 8 weeks) CJ 598 Capstone or CJ 599 Thesis
Year 2 Summer
CJ Elective (or PLA credit)
Sample Plan of Study: Two-Year Track with Exit Exam
Course availability is subject to change. Consult with the Graduate Program Director to develop your individual Plan of Study.
Year 1 Fall Semester
(1st 8 weeks) CJ 502 Applied Research in Criminal Justice
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 505 Seminar in Criminology
Year 1 Spring Semester
(1st 8 weeks) CJ 517 Policy Analysis
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ Elective
Year 1 Summer Semester
CJ Elective
CJ 515 Criminal Justice Planning and Budgeting
Year 2 Fall Semester
(1st 8 weeks) CJ Elective (for General Exam option) OR CJ 596 Readings in Criminal Justice (for Directed Exam option)
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 513 Criminal Justice Statistics
Year 2 Spring Semester
(1st 8 weeks) CJ Elective
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ Elective
Year 2 Summer
Exit Exam
Sample Plan of Study: One-Year Track with Thesis or Capstone
Course availability is subject to change. Consult with the Graduate Program Director to develop your individual Plan of Study.
First Summer Semester
CJ 515 Criminal Justice Planning and Budgeting
Year 1 Fall Semester
(1st 8 weeks) CJ 502 Applied Research in Criminal Justice
(1st 8 weeks) CJ Elective
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 505 Seminar in Criminology
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 513 Criminal Justice Statistics
Year 1 Spring Semester
(1st 8 weeks) CJ Elective
(1st 8 weeks) CJ 598 Capstone or CJ 599 Thesis
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 517 Policy Analysis
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ Elective
Sample Plan of Study: One-Year Track with Exit Exam
Course availability is subject to change. Consult with the Graduate Program Director to develop your individual Plan of Study.
First Summer Semester
CJ Elective (or PLA credit)
CJ 515 Criminal Justice Planning and Budgeting
Year 1 Fall Semester
(1st 8 weeks) CJ 502 Applied Research in Criminal Justice
(1st 8 weeks) CJ Elective
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 505 Seminar in Criminology
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 513 Criminal Justice Statistics
Year 1 Spring Semester
(1st 8 weeks) CJ Elective
(1st 8 weeks) CJ Elective (for General Exam option) OR CJ 596 Readings in Criminal Justice (for Directed Exam option)
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ 517 Policy Analysis
(2nd 8 weeks) CJ Elective
Second Summer Semester
Exit Exam
