The University of Texas at Arlington
Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice
Objectives
The cohort program leading to the M.A. degree in criminology and criminal justice offers a comprehensive examination of the criminal justice system, an exploration of criminal and delinquent behaviors, a foundation in research and statistics, and an opportunity to explore other relevant topics of interest to the student.
It is designed for:
1. Professionals who wish to enhance and broaden their knowledge in this and related areas of study;
2. Students pre-professional or in-service who wish to pursue further relevant post- graduate studies, whether academic or professional.
To meet these objectives, and to develop a broadly educated student, the program offers a non-thesis option.
The coursework (non-thesis) option is generally recommended for professionals who do not intend to pursue doctoral-level studies. It is designed for individuals who are interested in completing their M.A. degree in criminology and criminal justice in a period of 24 months from the first day of class.
Admission and Degree Requirements
The M.A. degree in criminology and criminal justice requires 36 semester hours and includes 15 semester hours of required core coursework.
1. Core: CRCJ 5301, CRCJ 5309, CRCJ 5310, CRCJ 5327, and CRCJ 5350. 2. Electives: The number of semester hours available for electives is 21 total. The emphasis of the elective courses will be placed on organizational management and related areas of concentration.
The criminology and criminal justice graduate program adheres to the
following admission criteria:
Unconditional Admission
In addition to having satisfied the requirements set forth by the UT Arlington Graduate School, as outlined in the Graduate Catalog, applicants seeking unconditional admission to the CRCJ program are required to meet the following four criteria:
1. A baccalaureate degree in criminology/criminal justice or related discipline. Applicants with baccalaureate degrees in other disciplines may be considered for probationary admission).
2. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work as calculated by the Graduate School.
3. A minimum of 149 on the verbal and a minimum of 149 on the quantitative subtests of the GRE (minimum of 440 on verbal and 440 on quantitative under the old scoring method). 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 managerial or administrative positions in a criminal justice (or closely related occupation) occupation and provide 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 analytic skills.
• Successfully completes a personal interview with the advisor, where credentials, goals and objectives of graduate studies, and views related to the study and profession of Criminology/Criminal Justice will be discussed. 4. Three letters of recommendation, submitted to the program advisor, addressing the applicant's potential for success in the graduate program from persons
knowledgeable of the applicant's abilities.
Applicants meeting criteria 1-4 will be considered for unconditional admission into the CRCJ Graduate Program. Applicants who do not meet one of these four 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 is met: (1) the GPA falls between 2.5 and 3.0 and the remainder of the application package is satisfactory; (2) 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 (3) 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 work experience for admission must also submit 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.
Deferred Admission
In the event an applicant does not meet the minimum criteria established for unconditional or probationary admission, yet nonetheless is judged by the graduate advisor, in
consultation with the CRCJ Graduate Studies Committee, to show promise, the admission decision may be deferred, with instructions provided to the student indicating the course of
action to be taken prior to subsequent review. Admission decisions may also be deferred if the application package is incomplete.
Provisional Admission
An applicant unable to supply all required documentation prior to the admission deadline, but who otherwise appears to meet admission requirements may be granted provisional admission.
Denial
Applicants who do not satisfy all of the criteria for any of the above categories will be denied admission.
Course Sequence
Fall Semester
5350 - Theoretical Criminology*
5301 - Proseminar in Criminology and Criminal Justice* Spring Semester
5318 - Criminal Justice Personnel Administration 5319 - Issues in Policing
Summer Semester
5351 - Terrorism and Crime
5353 - Criminal Justice Organizational Theory and Management Fall Semester
5327 - Judicial and Constitutional Processes* 5342 - Ethics in Criminal Justice
Spring Semester
5381 - Crime and Public Policy 5380 - Criminal Justice Seminar Summer Semester
5309 - Research Methods in Criminal Justice*
5310 - Statistics and Research Practices in Criminal Justice*
*Depicts a core course
CRCJ5350 - THEORETICAL CRIMINOLOGY (3 - 0)
Explores the etiology of crime, theory development and crime causation. Emphasis is on theoretical perspectives and policy implementation.
CJ5301 - PROSEMINAR IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3 - 0)
An exploration of classical and contemporary literature in criminology and criminal justice. Theoretical perspectives and empirical research will be used to examine criminal behavior and the structure, function, operation, and interaction of the criminal justice system components as well as current practices and future trends in criminology and criminal justice.
CRCJ5318 - CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION (3 - 0)
Personnel administration and management in criminal justice agencies and institutions; analyzes functions of recruitment, selection, hiring, placement, evaluation, dismissal, benefits systems, minority recruitment, training, education, promotion, career development, and retirement.
CRCJ5319 - Issues in Policing (3 - 0)
In-depth analysis of historical, current, and future issues in policing and police administration. Emphasis will be placed on the role of police in society, police-citizen relationships, and empirical evaluations of police effectiveness, police behavior, and programs and strategies.
CRCJ5351 - TERRORISM AND CRIME (3 - 0)
This course examines the origins, nature, and operational characteristics of terrorist groups. Students are exposed to topics ranging from the definition of "terrorism" to the unique characteristics of terrorist cells in the United States and abroad. Particular emphasis is on historical and contemporary terrorist attacks against the United States.
CRCJ5353 - CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY & MANAGEMENT THOUGHT (3 - 0)
An examination of organizational theory with specific application to the operation and management of criminal justice agencies. The historical precedents and emergence of contemporary perspectives are presented with their implication for effective functioning of the criminal justice system.
CRCJ5327 - JUDICIAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESSES (3 - 0)
Examination of the structure, functions, and operations of the courts, with special attention to contemporary constitutional issues and their impact on the criminal justice process. CRCJ5342 - ETHICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3 - 0)
This course focuses on the ethical decisions and dilemmas encountered in the criminal justice system. Topics covered include criteria for ethical decision-making, professional codes of ethics, and ethical and legal dilemmas faced by criminal justice professionals. CRCJ5381 - CRIME & PUBLIC POLICY (3 - 0)
This course addresses crime and criminal justice policy. Emphasis is on the examination of media and political forces that shape criminal justice responses and policy initiatives. In the context of theoretical paradigms, the impact of race, class, economics, and gender on
development of criminal justice public policy is examined.
CRCJ5380 - CRIMINAL JUSTICE SEMINAR (3 - 0)
Synthesis course for advanced graduate students. Special emphasis on examination of constructs of crime/criminals, justice and systems. Requires individual research in area of particular concern to student.
CRCJ5309 - RESEARCH METHODS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3 - 0)
Examination of research methodology in criminal justice. Special emphasis on methods and techniques for conducting research in criminal justice, including a review of problems encountered in sampling and survey research, field research, public policy implementation, and program evaluation.
CRCJ5310 - STATISTICS & RESEARCH PRACTICES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3 - 0) Advanced methods and techniques of research and research design in criminology and criminal justice. Course will cover pure and applied research and expose students to contemporary methodological and analytical issues. Students will be instructed on the use of existing CRCJ databases as well as the collection of new data and particular aspects of SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software) and advanced data analysis.
