Admission requirements

To receive admission to the master’s degree program with a major in criminal justice and concentration in theory and research, applicants must have a grade point average of 3.0. Any changes to the above standards must be approved by the department graduate committee.

In order for an application to be considered for admission, the student’s application packet needs to be completed by August 1 (for fall admission) or December 1 (for spring admission). A completed application packet includes the following:

1. application,
2. transcripts,
3. two letters of recommendation (academic or professional), and
4. personal statement.

The personal statement is sent directly to the department graduate advisor and includes an explanation of the following: career goals, why the student is pursuing a master’s degree, prior experience in the criminal justice field, prior research experience in criminal justice, and anything in the student’s personal background relevant to the admission decision.

Personal statements are sent directly to:

Brooke Nodeland, PhD
Director of Graduate Programs
University of North Texas
Department of Criminal Justice
1155 Union Circle #305130
Denton, TX 76203-5017
or via e-mail to MSCJ-Advising@unt.edu

Required courses, 12 hours

• CJUS 5000 - Criminal Justice Policy
• CJUS 5600 - Advanced Criminological Theory
• CJUS 5700 - Evaluation and Research Methodologies
• CJUS 5750 - Criminal Justice Statistics

Thesis or non-thesis option

The degree requires each student to select a thesis or non-thesis option.

Students selecting the thesis option will be required to complete the core curriculum of 12 hours, 18 hours of electives and 6 hours of thesis. Students selecting the thesis option must have departmental consent to enroll in thesis. Students choosing the thesis option must also pass an oral examination in conjunction with a master’s thesis defense. Students selecting the non-thesis option will be required to complete the core curriculum of 12 hours and 24 hours of electives. Students choosing the non-thesis option must also pass a written comprehensive exam covering the core curriculum. All course work applied toward the Master of Science with a major in criminal justice must be at the 5000 level.

Additional information

The Department of Criminal Justice does not participate in the MA or MS in interdisciplinary studies degrees. Therefore, criminal justice cannot be an academic area within the MA or MS in interdisciplinary studies degrees.

For department approved enrollment, students must not be an MSCJ online student and not be pursuing an academic certificate. In addition, students who are non-degree or in the GDES category are not allowed to take certain courses without department approval.