Master of Arts In Criminology and Criminal Justice

Overview

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at UTA provides students with an academically rigorous education and prepares them for leadership positions in private, state, or federal agencies; in addition, the department also prepares students for advanced graduate-level degrees and careers in non-traditional fields.

About The Program

The department offers two graduate degree programs. The first is an on-campus program that includes a comprehensive examination of crime and the criminal justice system with a foundation in research and statistics. The program is designed for pre-professional students, criminal justice professionals, and students who wish to pursue further relevant postgraduate studies. The 36-hour program offers both thesis and non-thesis options. With the approval of the Graduate Programs Director Advisor, students may use their elective hours to concentrate on a particular field of study.

The second is a cohort program designed for those working in the field of criminal justice who want to further their careers with an advanced degree. The program is a 36-hour, non-thesis degree plan offered in an accelerated format at UTA's Fort Worth Center. The cohort design provides students with the opportunity to exchange ideas and network with fellow professionals in the industry. Students enroll in predetermined courses with fellow classmates during the 21-month program.

Career Opportunities

Leadership roles at the local, state, or federal levels, including

• Policing
• Probation and parole
• Jails and prisons
• Security
• Law

Degree Options

Campus MACJ Program

• Designed for pre-professional students, criminal justice professionals, and students who wish to pursue further relevant postgraduate studies
• A 36-hour program that offers both thesis and non-thesis options

Cohort MACJ Program

• Designed for those working in the field of criminal justice who want to further their careers with an advanced degree
• 36-hour, non-thesis degree plan offered in an accelerated format at UTA's Fort Worth Center
• Students enroll in predetermined courses with fellow classmates during the 21-month program

Why Choose Us?

• Students learn from a world-class faculty that includes teachers, scholars, and practitioners.
• Our faculty members have published in the top peer-reviewed journals in our field, and continue to do so.
• Our faculty members have received research funding from the National Institute of Justice, National Science Foundation, National Institute for Transportation and Communities, and Google.
• Previous graduates have received major promotions within their organizations.
• We have a strong alumni network of criminal justice leaders, including police chiefs, judges, special agents, and others working at the federal level.

Bill Oxford / unsplash

Degree Requirements

The MA degree in criminology and criminal justice requires a minimum of 36 semester hours, regardless of the option selected, and includes 18 semester hours of required core coursework.

Core

• CRCJ 5301 -- Proseminar in Criminology and Criminal Justice -- 3
• CRCJ 5309 -- Research Methods In Criminal Justice -- 3
• CRCJ 5310 -- Statistics & Research Practices In Criminal Justice -- 3
• CRCJ 5342 -- Ethics in Criminal Justice -- 3
• CRCJ 5381 -- Crime & Public Policy -- 3
• CRCJ 5350 -- Theoretical Criminology -- 3

Electives

The number of semester hours available for electives ranges from a minimum of 12 to 18, depending on the option selected (thesis or non-thesis). Ordinarily, elective hours are taken in areas of particular interest to the student, with the advice and approval of the Graduate Advisor. -- 12-18

Thesis

• CRCJ 5698 -- Thesis-- 6

Students opting for the Thesis track must take 6 hours of thesis credits the semester they plan to defend their thesis and graduate. -- 6

All candidates for the graduate degree must pass a final comprehensive examination, written, oral, or both written and oral. The scope, content, and form of this examination will be determined by the student's supervising committee.

Dual Degree Requirements

The M.A. degree in criminology and criminal justice requires 36 semester hours and includes 18 semester hours of required core coursework. Up to 9 hours of courses outside of CRCJ may be allocated as electives for the CRCJ degree, with the prior approval of the graduate advisor.

Core

• CRCJ 5301 -- Proseminar in Criminology and Criminal Justice -- 3
• CRCJ 5309 -- Research Methods in Criminal Justice -- 3
• CRCJ 5310 -- Statistics & Research Practices In Criminal Justice -- 3
• CRCJ 5342 -- Ethics in Criminal Justice -- 3
• CRCJ 5381 -- Crime & Public Policy -- 3
• CRCJ 5350 -- Theoretical Criminology -- 3

Electives

The number of semester hours available for electives is 12 hours in the Thesis track and 18 hours in the non-thesis track. Upon approval of the graduate advisor, up to 9 hours of electives may be taken outside of CRCJ. -- 12-18

Thesis

• CRCJ 5698 -- Thesis-- 6

Students opting for the thesis track within CRCJ must take 6 hours of thesis credits the semester they plan to defend their thesis and graduate.

Admission Requirements

The criminology and criminal justice graduate program adhere to the following admission criteria.

Unconditional Admission

In addition to having satisfied the basic graduate admission requirements of UT Arlington outlined in this Catalog in the Admissions section under University Requirements & Procedures, applicants seeking unconditional admission to the CRCJ graduate program are required to meet the following four criteria:

• Must have successfully completed a baccalaureate degree in criminology/criminal justice or related discipline.
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work as calculated by the Graduate School.
• A minimum of 149 on both verbal and quantitative subtests of the GRE (minimum of 440 on both verbal and quantitative subsets under the old scoring system). The GRE is not required of an applicant who satisfies all of the following requirements:
  • Has three or more years of professional experience with increasing responsibility in a criminal justice (or closely related) occupation and provides a detailed work history documenting this experience.
  • Submits an acceptable sample of professional writing authored solely by the applicant. This will be evaluated to assess writing and analytical skills.
  • Successfully completes a personal interview with the graduate advisor, where credentials, goals and objectives of graduate studies, and views related to the study and profession of Criminology/Criminal Justice will be discussed.
• Must submit three letters of recommendation addressing the applicant's potential for success in the graduate program from persons knowledgeable of the applicant's abilities.

Applicants meeting all four of the criteria will be granted unconditional admission into the CRCJ Graduate Program. Applicants who lack one of the above criteria may be considered for probationary admission.

Probationary Admission

Applicants who fail to meet the four criteria for unconditional admission may be considered for probationary admission. Applicants who fail to meet the GPA or GRE requirements for unconditional admission may be granted probationary admission if any of the following three conditions are met:

• the GPA falls between 2.5 and 3.0 and the remainder of the application package is satisfactory;
• the GPA falls between 2.25 and 2.49, the remainder of the application package is satisfactory, and the applicant has five years of professional experience in a criminal justice (or closely related) occupation and a detailed work history documenting this experience; or
• the GPA fall between 2.00 and 2.24, the remainder of the application package is satisfactory, and the applicant has 10 or more years of professional experience in a managerial or administrative position within a criminal justice (or closely related) occupation and a detailed work history documenting that experience.

In addition to providing a work history, applicants using their work history for admission must also provide a writing sample and complete a personal interview. Applicants admitted on probation will remain in that status until completing 12 hours of graduate coursework with no grade lower than a B.