COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Degree Information

  • General Information
  • Master of Arts in Criminal Justice and Criminology
  • Master of Science in Criminal Justice Management
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice

    Course Descriptions

    ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS

    Timothy J. Flanagan, Ph.D., Dean, College of Criminal Justice and Director, The Criminal Justice Center
    Margaret A. Farnworth, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Academic Administration
    Jurg Gerber, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs
    William Wesley Johnson, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs

    DEGREE PROGRAMS

    The College of Criminal Justice offers a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Criminal Justice, a Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology, and a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice Management. The Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts programs are designed primarily to prepare graduate students to conduct research in the various areas of criminological theory, crime control, correctional and police administration, and social rehabilitation. These programs are based on a multidisciplinary study of the behavioral sciences as they apply to these specialized areas.

    The Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice Management is designed to serve the needs of the experienced professional in criminal justice. Course content is aimed at developing and enhancing managerial skills. This program is offered in an Intensive Semester time frame. To be considered for admission, the applicant to the Master of Science program must be currently employed in a criminal justice occupation with a minimum of two years experience.

    The deadline for submitting applications to the Master of Arts program and the Doctor of Philosophy program is April 1 for the Fall semester and October 1 for the Spring semester. The deadline for submitting applications to the Master of Science program is June 1.

    GEORGE J. BETO CHAIR OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

    In 1979, Houston Endowment Inc. established a fund for the George J. Beto Chair of Criminal Justice, the first endowed chair in criminal justice in the nation. Houston Endowment Inc. is a philanthropic trust established by the late Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones to benefit educational, cultural and religious organizations. The income derived from the award provides for the support of a Distinguished Professorship in Criminal Justice at the University.

    The late Dr. George J. Beto, former Director of the Texas Department of Corrections and an internationally recognized authority on criminology and corrections, was designated by the Board of Regents, The Texas State University System, as a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Criminal Justice at the University. In 1991, the Criminal Justice Center was renamed the George J. Beto Criminal Justice Center by action of the Board of Regents, The Texas State University System.

    The Master of Arts Degree Program

    Major in Criminal Justice and Criminology

    Admission to the Master of Arts program is based on the Admissions Committee's assessment of the applicant's scores on the Graduate Record Examination, the undergraduate academic record, and letters of recommendation from undergraduate professors. In some instances a personal interview will also be requested.

    The normal expectation is: (1) that the applicant has, or will soon have, an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution in an allied field; (2) a minimum of 3.0 undergraduate grade point average; (3) a score of 500 in each of the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination; and (4) letters of recommendation from undergraduate professors.

    The Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology is a 36-hour degree which includes a thesis. No minor is required. Comprehensive exams are not required.

    Required Courses: 21 hours

    CJ 592 Survey of Research Methods

    CJ 630 The Criminal Justice System -- An Overview

    CJ 660 Seminar in Deviant Behavior or

    CJ 667 Studies in Criminological Theory

    CJ 661 Social Policy

    CJ 685 Statistics for Criminal Justice Research

    CJ 698 Thesis Practicum and

    CJ 699 Thesis

    Electives: Select any 15 hours of graduate course work at the 500, 600, or 700 level.

    The Master of Arts degree is designed to prepare graduate students to conduct research and actively participate in the development of knowledge in the areas of criminological theory, crime control, and correctional and police administration. The curriculum is broad enough to satisfy these various interests. Students who are planning careers in law enforcement, corrections or rehabilitation, or who wish a deeper understanding of crime and the criminal justice system should confer with the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs to develop a combination of elective courses which will support their particular career interests.

    The Master of Science Degree Program

    Major in Criminal Justice Management

    The Master of Science program is designed for persons in mid-management positions in a criminal justice agency or who have a reasonable expectation of being promoted to such a position. It serves practitioners whose job and family commitments prevent them from returning to campus as full-time students. The Master of Science Program restructures classroom hours allowing the fully employed person to earn a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice Management in two years. On-campus classroom attendance requires about seven weekends each spring and fall semester and during the combined summer sessions. Roughly 36 days are spent in class each year along with extensive home study. A student in full-time attendance earns six credit hours in each of the fall and spring semesters, and combined summer sessions, totaling 18 credit hours per year. Thirty-six credit hours, including successful completion of a directed management project, are required for graduation. Comprehensive exams are not required.

    Master of Science students are admitted only in the Fall semester. The deadline for submitting applications to the Master of Science program is June 1.

    Admission to the Master of Science program in the College of Criminal Justice requires: (1) an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution in an allied field; (2) a minimum of 3.0 undergraduate grade point average; (3) a score of 500 in each of the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination; and (4) a reference letter from the applicant's employer indicating awareness of the time commitment involved over the next two-year period, and willingness to enable the employee to keep his/her weekend commitments; and (5) current employment in a criminal justice occupation with a minimum of two years experience.

    The Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice Management is a 36-hour degree. No thesis is required, but the student completes a directed management project which involves a major analysis of an occupationally-related problem.

    IDEAL M.S. SCHEDULE

    YEAR ONE
    Fall
    CJ 630 The Criminal Justice System -- An Overview
    CJ 633 Principles of Administration
    Spring
    CJ 632 Human Resource Development in the Organizational Context
    CJ 682 Planning and Financial Management
    Summer
    CJ 634 Basic Research Methods and Planning Resources
    CJ 665 Community Relations in the Administration of Justice
    YEAR TWO
    Fall
    CJ 635 Problems in Criminal Justice Management and Development
    CJ 696 Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice Management
    Spring
    CJ 636 Computer Applications for Criminal Justice Management
    CJ 692 Program Evaluation for Criminal Justice Management
    Summer
    CJ 693 Special Topics: "Ethics in Criminal Justice Management"
    CJ 637 Directed Management and Development Projects.

    Other elective courses may be substituted with the approval of the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs.

    The Doctor of Philosophy in

    Criminal Justice

    Mission

    The degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice is designed to produce students of crime and justice who possess (1) a deep and extensive awareness of the body of knowledge in the field of criminal justice and, (2) the intellectual and methodological skills necessary for the continuing process of discovery and understanding of crime and justice related issues.

    The graduate should be capable of integrative and analytical thinking, be competent at transmitting knowledge, be able to engage in various accepted modes of research, and should possess skills in problem-solving.

    To accomplish this, the College of Criminal Justice offers a faculty of diverse scholars committed to the study of crime and justice issues. The curriculum includes courses that provide theoretical and applied knowledge of the phenomena of crime and criminal justice.

    In addition to the demonstration of excellence in the classroom, students are expected to engage in research in accordance with personal specialized interests beyond specified courses.

    Through the combined efforts of faculty and students, the Doctor of Philosophy program in Criminal Justice produces students of social policy in criminal justice -- students capable of making contributions to criminal justice through the academic and applied components of the discipline. The curriculum is designed to ensure that graduates are well equipped to participate in criminological positions emphasizing research, theory, and administration.

    REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION

    1. A master's degree in Criminal Justice or an allied field.

    2. A minimum score of 500 in each of the Verbal and Quantitative Sections of the Graduate Record Examination.

    3. Undergraduate and graduate transcripts for all academic work. Grades must show evidence of the ability to do doctoral level work. A minimum 3.0 undergraduate grade point average and a minimum 3.5 graduate grade point average are required.

    4. Three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty who are sufficiently acquainted with the student to comment on potential for success in the doctoral program.

    5. An original essay as described in the doctoral application form.

    6. Foreign students are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language. A minimum score of 550 is required.

    All of the foregoing items must be on file in the College of Criminal Justice prior to admission to the program. Admission to the program is determined by a faculty admissions committee. The candidate for admission will be advised of the committee's decision in writing.

    REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLETION OF THE PH.D. PROGRAM

    All formal requirements for completion of the Ph.D. are described in the Doctoral Student Handbook (available in the Graduate Office) and may vary from one student to another, depending upon previous academic preparation. The following guidelines are offered to demonstrate the nature of the doctoral program and should not be misconstrued as representing the formal requirements for a Ph.D.

    1. A course of study beyond the master's degree designed in consultation with the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs that will provide the student with in-depth knowledge in the areas of research and statistics, criminological theory, criminal justice administration and legal issues in criminal justice.

    2. Enrollment as a full-time student, i.e., a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester, on campus for at least two consecutive long semesters. Transfer credit of up to a maximum of six hours of post-master's course work may be allowed toward electives, at the discretion of the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs.

    3. An average of B must be maintained by the student in all courses in which he/she registers after admission to the doctoral program. Students should consult the Doctoral Student Handbook (available in the Graduate Office) for a more detailed description of policies regarding academic standards.

    4. Passing a written comprehensive examination.

    5. Completion and defense of a doctoral dissertation which is the product of original scholarly research and is of such quality as to represent a meaningful contribution to knowledge in the field of criminal justice.

    6. Completion of the degree within six years from the first semester of registration as a doctoral student.

    THE DOCTORAL CURRICULUM

    Required Courses:

    CJ 730 Seminar in Administration and Organization 3 hours
    CJ 733 Proseminar in Criminal Justice Issues 3 hours
    CJ 737 Criminological Theory 3 hours
    CJ 762 Advanced Statistics 3 hours
    CJ 780 Seminar on the Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice 3 hours
    CJ 787 Research Design 3 hours
    CJ 793 Computer Based Data Analysis 3 hours
    Additional courses in Research Methods and/or Statistics 6 hours
    An additional course in Criminological Theory 3 hours
    Total of Required Classroom Credit Hours 30 hours

    Elective Courses:

    All doctoral students must complete a minimum of 12 hours of elective course work.

    Elective Courses 12 hours

    Non-class Credit Hours:

    All students must register for a minimum of 18 non-classroom credit hours as follows:

    CJ 773 Research Internship 6 hours
    CJ 896-899 Dissertation Research 12 hours
    Total Required Credit Hours 60 hours

    ADVISEMENT

    Academic Advisement

    All academic advisement is conducted by the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs. At least a month before the end of each semester, graduate students should contact that office for advisement for the next term. All the readings courses, special projects, internships, practicums, and workshops for students must be coordinated by the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs. The Degree Plan for each graduate student is developed in consultation with the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs.

    Students are encouraged to carefully study the makeup of the comprehensive examinations before they develop a degree plan. The student should try to ensure that by the time he/she finishes the course work that he/she will have working knowledge in the primary areas of the curriculum.

    Doctoral students are authorized to enroll in courses at the 500 through the 800 levels. If it is necessary for a student to do stem work in order to meet the prerequisites for graduate courses, those credit hours will be in addition to the classroom hours required for the doctoral degree.

    The normal course load during the fall or spring semester is 12 hours. During a summer session, the maximum permissible load is 6 hours.

    NON-CLASSROOM COURSES

    Specialized Readings (CJ 770): Enrollment requires prior permission of the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs and the supervising faculty which is given only when necessary to meet specific needs of the student and the College.

    Research Internship (CJ 773): A minimum of six hours of Research Internship is required of all students. Supervised training including special applications in information acquisition, storage, retrieval, analysis, and display in criminal justice.

    DOCTORAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

    The purpose of the doctoral comprehensive examination is two-fold. The primary purpose is to ensure that each student has gained a satisfactory understanding of the core areas of the curriculum. The secondary purpose is to provide the student and faculty an opportunity to identify areas of deficiency and to establish for the student a program of study to remedy those deficiencies. Consult the Doctoral Student Handbook (available from the Graduate Office) for a more detailed description of the process.

    ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY

    Admission to candidacy is granted upon successful completion of all course work and passing of the written comprehensive examination.

    DISSERTATION

    A doctoral dissertation must be the product of original scholarly research and must be of such quality as to represent a meaningful contribution to knowledge in the field of criminal justice. It is expected that much time and effort will be devoted to the dissertation phase of the doctoral program. Consult the Doctoral Student Handbook (available from the Graduate Office) for a more detailed description of the doctoral dissertation requirements.

    For application forms or further information, write or call:

    Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs

    College of Criminal Justice

    Sam Houston State University

    Huntsville, Texas 77341

    Phone: (936) 294-1647

    FAX: (936) 294-1693

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