Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ)

MSCJ Program Additional Admission Requirements

• Each applicant holding an earned Master’s degree in criminal justice, criminology, sociology, humanities, or other social science discipline must provide support reflecting an earned program GPA of at least 3.0 from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Applications do not require GRE score information.

The North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (N.C. A&T) Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) is housed in the Department of Criminal Justice (CRJS) under the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS). The program provides Main Campus (face-to-face) and Distance Learning (online) delivery modes. Students enrolled in the graduate program can choose from one of four specializations (Digital Forensics, Investigative Science, Research Methodology, or Social Justice) with Thesis and Non-Thesis options available.

MSCJ offerings expand on the success of the baccalaureate Criminal Justice degree program, one of the largest and fastest-growing CAHSS majors. The main strengths of the institution for supporting the MSCJ program include the institution’s intensive research programs, a dedicated and experienced faculty, and community-focused initiatives. The primary target audiences for the program are graduates with an earned baccalaureate degree in criminal justice, sociology, or other social science related field as well as law enforcement or military professionals seeking career advancement.

Admission

University Admissions Requirements

All applicants must apply using the online admission portal that is accessible from the Graduate College webpage. All programs require the graduate admission application (including application fee, transcripts, references, and a personal statement).

Department of Criminal Justice Admissions Requirements

Each applicant must hold an earned Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from a regionally accredited college or university (with program GPA of 3.00 or greater) in criminal justice, criminology, sociology, humanities, or other social science and satisfy the prerequisites in the table below.

Students must earn at least a “C” in each prerequisite course. Students with perquisite deficiencies are required to complete these courses before they can begin the M.S. program in Criminal Justice.

Documents and support to be submitted for admission

• University application for admission
• Personal statement of interest in the M.S. Criminal Justice program
• Official transcripts for college work (undergraduate and graduate)
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals in professionally relevant fields
• Additional materials as required by the N.C. A&T Graduate College (such as TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students)

• Completed criminal background verification if requested by the Graduate College

Graduation

M.S. graduation requirements are listed below:

30 hours of graduate coursework will be required.

Up to 12 hours of graduate-level credit can be accepted from another accredited institution.

1. Nine credit hours in core coursework are required of all students in the program.
   • CRJS 750 Theories of Criminal Behavior
   • CRJS 755 Quantitative Research Methods
   • CRJS 765 Advanced Statistics
2. Students must choose one of four specialization areas listed below: 

   Prerequisite Courses for the M.S. Program in Criminal Justice.

   Digital Forensics
   CRJS 770	Cybercrime and Digital Forensics
   CRJS 771	Digital Forensics
   CRJS 772	File System Forensics
   CRJS 773	Digital Forensics Tools & Techniques
   CRJS 774	Network Forensics
   CRJS 775	Operating System Forensics
   Investigative Science
   CRJS 721	Crime Scene Reconstruction
   CRJS 722	Blood Pattern Analytics
   CRJS 723	Crime Scene Professionalism
   CRJS 724	Forensic Ballistic Investigation
   CRJS 725	Investigative Science & Technology
   CRJS 726	Forensics & Law
   Research Methodology
   CRJS 715	Ethics and Concerns
   CRJS 716	Writing for Graduate Students
   CRJS 717	Data Management
   CRJS 718	Field Research in Criminal Justice
   CRJS 719	Spatial Data Analysis
   CRJS 720	Survey Design
   Social Justice
   CRJS 727	Critical Race Theory
   CRJS 728	Social Justice & Public Policy
   CRJS 729	Social Transformation & Law
   CRJS 730	The History of Social Movements
   CRJS 731	Intersectionality
   CRJS 732	Scholar Activism & Social Justice

3. Thesis Option
   • Five specialization courses are required (15 credits)
   • Two thesis research courses must also be completed (6 credits)
     • CRJS 797 (Thesis) can be taken a maximum of two times
     • CRJS 799 (Continuation Residency) is available for qualifying students for degree completion
4. Non-Thesis Option
   • Six specialization courses are required (18 credits)
   • One 800-level Elective course is also required (3 credits)
     • CRJS 865 (Applied Data Analytics)
     • CRJS 866 (Qualitative Research Methods)
5. With the permission from the Graduate Director and Department Chair, a student may complete a maximum of two N.C. A&T elective courses outside of the Department of Criminal Justice toward the S. degree.