Master of Science in Criminal Justice

To be considered for the program, applicants must fulfill all of the below requirements. Admission to the MSCJ program is a competitive process with limited available spaces. Therefore, not all the applicants who meet the minimum requirements will be admitted to the program. 

Minimum Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
2. GPA of 3.2 or higher in upper-division coursework.
3. Grade of “B” or better in an undergraduate research methods course.
4. International applicants whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate English language through one of the following:
   • 80 on the iBT TOEFL (equivalent to 550 on the paper-based version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language);
   • 6.5 overall on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS);
   • 53 Pearson Test of English - Academic;
   • Cambridge English – Advanced;
   • Applicants who hold an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited
     institution where the language of instruction is English;
   • More information on this requirement.

Required Documents

1. Online graduate application, including the non-refundable fee. Applications are accepted for the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.
2. Official university/college transcripts from all institutions previously attended. Applicants who graduated from FIU do not need to request FIU transcripts. Information on submitting transcripts.
3. Two letters of recommendation from professors or employers familiar with your academic and professional knowledge, skills, and abilities. Submit through the online graduate application portal.
   • Effective Fall 2023. Three letters of recommendation will be needed instead of two. Same criteria as above.
4. Statement of purpose describing the reasons for pursuing an advanced degree, research interests, and career plans. Submit through the online graduate application portal.
5. Written work, such as a completed research paper that demonstrates writing skills. Submit through the online graduate application portal.

The Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice requires 36 credit hours (12 courses). All students entering the program are required to complete five courses (15 credits) of core requirements, four electives (12 credits) in criminal justice, and three courses (9 credits) in general electives.

Core Requirements

Five core courses (15 credits):

CCJ 6025 Criminological Theory
CCJ 6705 Research Methods in Criminal Justice
CCJ 6706 Data Analysis in Criminal Justice
CCJ 6676 Transnational Crime and National Security
CCJ 6485 Criminal Justice Policy Analysis (Pre-requisite: 15 credits of criminal justice courses)

Criminal Justice Electives

Four courses (12 credits). All elective credits must be earned at the graduate level in criminal justice (i.e., course numbers of 5000 and higher with the prefixes CCJ, CJC, CJE, CJJ, CJL, DSC):

College teaching preparation: Students interested in college teaching should complete the Graduate Teaching Certificate Program offered by the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and CCJ 6926 Teaching Practicum in Criminal Justice.

Doctoral studies preparation: Advanced students intending to enroll in a doctoral degree program should complete CCJ 6915 Supervised Research.

Internship: Students interested in gaining practical experience within the criminal justice field should complete CCJ 5946 Internship in Criminal Justice.

General Electives

Students must select three additional elective courses (9 credits). These courses may be taken outside of criminal justice if no credits have been transferred in from another degree program or included in a joint degree program. All courses taken from outside fields must be relevant to criminal justice and approved by the graduate director. All elective credits must be earned at the graduate level (i.e., course numbers of 5000 and higher).

For students admitted beginning Fall 2023.

The Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice requires 36 credit hours (12 courses). All students entering the program are required to complete six courses (18 credits) of core requirements, four electives (12 credits) in criminal justice, and two courses (6 credits) in general electives.

Core Requirements

Six core courses (18 credits):

CCJ 6025 Criminological Theory
CCJ 6079 Geospatial Analysis in Criminal Justice
CCJ 6705 Research Methods in Criminal Justice
CCJ 6706 Data Analysis in Criminal Justice
CCJ 6676 Transnational Crime and National Security
CCJ 6485 Criminal Justice Policy Analysis (Pre-requisite: 15 credits of criminal justice courses)

Criminal Justice Electives

Four courses (12 credits). All elective credits must be earned at the graduate level in criminal justice (i.e., course numbers of 5000 and higher with the prefixes CCJ, CJC, CJE, CJJ, CJL, DSC):

College teaching preparation: Students interested in college teaching should complete the Graduate Teaching Certificate Program offered by the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and CCJ 6926 Teaching Practicum in Criminal Justice.

Doctoral studies preparation: Advanced students intending to enroll in a doctoral degree program should complete CCJ 6915 Supervised Research.

Internship: Students interested in gaining practical experience within the criminal justice field should complete CCJ 5946 Internship in Criminal Justice.

General Electives

Students must select two additional elective courses (6 credits). These courses may be taken outside of criminal justice if no credits have been transferred in from another degree program or included in a joint degree program. All courses taken from outside fields must be relevant to criminal justice and approved by the graduate director. All elective credits must be earned at the graduate level (i.e., course numbers of 5000 and higher).

To receive the Master’s degree in Criminal Justice, a student must satisfy all University regulations governing graduate study. All students must complete the five core courses, four electives in criminal justice, and three courses in general electives. A minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 is required.