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St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University

Criminal Justice Graduate Program (CJS)

Stewart HallOffered through the Department of Criminal Justice Studies
in the College of Social Sciences
257 Stewart Hall
Phone: 320.308.4101
Fax: 320.308.2993
E-mail: crimjustice@stcloudstate.edu
Web: www.stcloudstate.edu/criminaljustice

Department Chairperson: Dr. Robert Prout
Department Secretary: Ms. Deborah Yorek

Graduate Director: Dr. Robert Prout
Graduate Faculty: Andzenge, Campbell, Clifford, Gilbertson, Hennessy, Hesse, Lawrence, Maloney, Prout, Schreiber, Seefeldt

 

This program is offered on-campus and is also available for completion on-line.

  • The Criminal Justice program is available on the St. Cloud campus.
  • The program can also be fully completed through online courses coordinated by the Center for Continuing Studies.

Admission Requirements Specific to the Program

  • Undergraduate GPA is closely reviewed.
  • Admission decisions are made as completed application files are received.
  • Before applicants can be admitted to the graduate program in criminal justice, they must meet the admission procedures for graduate school at St. Cloud State University.
  • Applicants who do not meet the standard admission requirements may be permitted to demonstrate their scholarship and qualify for acceptance by completing a limited program of graduate course work. Further information pertaining to this alternative may be obtained from the School of Graduate Studies and the director of the criminal justice graduate program.

Length of Program — Measured by Semesters

  • Part-time student: six semesters taking six credits per semester.
  • Full-time student: three semesters taking 12 credits per semester.

Graduate Assistantship Overview

  • Four graduate assistantship positions are generally sponsored each year, and are available both fall and spring semesters.
  • Criminal justice graduate assistants will find challenging assistantships in a variety of settings including assisting professors in teaching and research duties.

Specializations

Each student has the option of choosing one of three specializations. The courses within the criminal justice administration and criminal justice counseling tracks are specified. Within the elective track, direct student involvement in course selection is considered.

  • Criminal justice administration
  • Criminal justice counseling (The counseling specialization courses are not offered online.)
  • Elective track — developed by the student and the graduate advisor

Degrees and plans offered

  • Master of Science: Plan A (Thesis)
  • Master of Science: Plan C (Professional Portfolio)
  • Each plan requires a preliminary conference and a final oral examination.
  1. The Master of Science in Criminal Justice is designed to serve the needs of several types of students:
    1. Persons with no prior criminal justice employment experience or with no undergraduate degree in the field of criminal justice who wish to prepare for careers in law enforcement, corrections, administration of justice, or an allied area.
    2. Persons who currently are employed full- or part-time in criminal justice careers at the local, county, state, or federal level.
    3. Persons with career experience in the criminal justice system who have secured leaves of absence and/or wish to acquire new competencies before returning to their careers.
    4. Persons who have an interest in increasing their general knowledge and understanding of criminal justice, criminal justice research methods and resources, and microcomputing as tools for professional advancement.
    5. Persons pursing related graduate degrees who wish to complement their primary area of specialization with selected graduate course work in criminal justice.
    6. Persons seeking scholarly preparation to teach or to do research themselves in criminal justice programs, perhaps moving directly from the master's degree to doctoral study.
    7. Persons without a related undergraduate degree in criminal justice who wish to prepare to teach, consult, or do research in the field of criminal justice.
  2. The curriculum is course-centered and traditional. Central to the Master of Science in Criminal Justice are the research courses and core courses required for all students. The specialization courses provide a solid base of knowledge in a specific sub-system of criminal justice, and enhance each student's opportunity to develop unique competencies.
  3. Criminal justice master's degrees may be completed with a thesis (Plan A), or a professional portfolio of projects and papers (Plan C). Each plan requires a preliminary conference and a final oral examination.
  4. Students enrolled in 500-level courses for which they receive the same number of credits as those students enrolled in the 400-level counterparts should expect to complete extra advanced level work. Such work includes, but is not limited to, additional required textbooks or readings, extra papers, class presentations, additional examinations, or extra examination questions.

Plan A: Thesis

Students pursuing the Plan A option are required to complete a minimum of 15 credits in research courses, CJS 660, CJS 689, and a minimum of 15 credits in specialization courses for a minimum total of 36 credits. A master's thesis and final oral defense of the thesis are requirements for degree completion.

Plan C: Professional Portfolio

Students pursuing the Plan C option are required to complete a minimum of nine credits in research courses, CJS 660, CJS 689, 12 credits in application and implementations courses, and a minimum of 15 credits in their specialization, for a minimum total of 42 credits. The final product prepared by the student is a professional portfolio. Preliminary and final oral examinations over the professional portfolio are required.

Master of Science — Criminal Justice

Plan A (Thesis), 36 credits; Plan C (Professional Portfolio), 42 credits

Research courses
Plan A, 15 credit minimum; Plan C, 9 credit minimum

  • CEEP 678. Introduction to Graduate Statistics, 3 credits
  • CJS 677. Framing and Analyzing Research Problems, 3, credits
  • CJS 679. Research in Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 699. Thesis, 6 credits (Plan A only)

Core course
Plan A or Plan C, 3 credit minimum

  • CJS 660. Theories of Criminal Behavior and Justice, 3 credits

Seminar course
Plan A or Plan C, 3 credit minimum

  • CJS 689. Advanced Graduate Seminar, 3 credits

Application and Implementation course
Plan C only, 12 credits

  • CJS 644. Practicum, 12 credits in a criminal justice setting.
  • Approval from the graduate coordinator is required.

Choose one specialization for Plan A or Plan C

  • Approval from the graduate director is required before registering for courses.

Specialization 1: Criminal Justice Administration
15 credit minimum

  • CJS 502. Fundamentals of U.S. Gangs, 3 credits
  • CJS 511. Organization and Administration in Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 515. Corrections: Theory and Practice, 3 credits
  • CJS 520. Critical Issues in Law Enforcement, 3 credits
  • CJS 530. Criminal Law, 3 credits
  • CJS 531. Criminal Procedure, 3 credits
  • CJS 533. Ethical Studies in Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 540. Law of Corrections, 3 credits
  • CJS 541. Correctional Alternatives, 3 credits
  • CJS 545. Crisis Intervention, 3 credits
  • CJS 546. Child Abuse and the Criminal Justice System, 3 credits
  • CJS 552. Focused Gang Studies: National and International, 3 credits
  • CJS 554. Focused Gang Studies: Prison Settings, 3 credits
  • CJS 555. Private Security and the Criminal Justice Community, 3 credits
  • CJS 557. White Collar Crime, 3 credits
  • CJS 561. Juvenile Legal Process, 3 credits
  • CJS 570. Correctional Services, 3 credits
  • CJS 580. Victimology: Theories and Principles, 3 credits
  • CJS 582. Victim Services, 3 credits
  • CJS 585. Domestic Violence and Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 565. Policing a Diverse Society, 3 credits
  • CJS 589. Seminar in Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 591. Special Gang Studies: Law Enforcement Track, 3 credits
  • CJS 593. Special Gang Studies: Corrections Track, 3 credits
  • CJS 596. Spatio-Temporal Crime Analysis, 3 credits
  • CJS 600. Special Problems, 1-3 credits
  • CJS 601. History of Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 644. Practicum, 3-12 credits
  • CJS 650. Readings, 1-3 credits
  • CJS 661. Juvenile Justice and Schools, 3 credits
  • CJS 681. Current Problems and Issues in Criminal Justice. May be repeated to a maximum of six credits
  • CJS 689. Advanced Graduate Seminar, 3 credits
  • PHIL 582. Philosophy of Law and Punishment, 3 credits
  • POL 582. Public Personnel Administration, 3 credits
  • POL 583. Managing Local Governments, 3 credits
  • POL 584. Public Budgeting, 3 credits

Specialization 2: Criminal Justice Counseling
12 credit minimum (The counseling specialization courses are not offered online.)

  • CEEP 651. Counseling Theories, 3 credits
  • CEEP 666. Small Group Process, 3 credits
  • CEEP 668. Counseling Procedures, 3 credits
  • CEEP 672. Family, School and Organizational Partnerships, 3 credits

Choose 3 credits

  • CJS 502. Fundamentals of U.S. Gangs, 3 credits
  • CJS 511. Organization and Administration in Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 515. Corrections: Theory and Practice, 3 credits
  • CJS 520. Critical Issues in Law Enforcement, 3 credits
  • CJS 530. Criminal Law, 3 credits
  • CJS 531. Criminal Procedure, 3 credits
  • CJS 533. Ethical Studies in Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 540. Law of Corrections, 3 credits
  • CJS 541. Correctional Alternatives, 3 credits
  • CJS 545. Crisis Intervention, 3 credits
  • CJS 546. Child Abuse and the Criminal Justice System, 3 credits
  • CJS 550. Juvenile Justice System, 3 credits
  • CJS 554. Focused Gang Studies: Prison Settings, 3 credits
  • CJS 561. Juvenile Legal Process, 3 credits
  • CJS 565 Policing a Diverse Society, 3 credits
  • CJS 570. Correctional Services, 3 credits
  • CJS 580. Victimology: Theories and Principles, 3 credits
  • CJS 582. Victim Services, 3 credits
  • CJS 585. Domestic Violence and Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 589. Seminar in Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 593. Special Gang Studies: Corrections Track, 3 credits
  • CJS 600. Special Problems, 1-3 credits
  • CJS 601. History of Criminal Justice, 3 credits
  • CJS 644. Practicum 1-12 credits (Plan B only)
  • CJS 650. Readings, 1-3 credits
  • CJS 661. Juvenile Justice and Schools, 3 credits
  • CJS 681. Current Problems and Issues in Criminal Justice. May be repeated to a maximum of six credits
  • CJS 689. Advanced Graduate Seminar, 3 credits
  • PHIL 582. Philosophy of Law and Punishment, 3 credits

Specialization 3: Elective track — created by the student and  the graduate adviser

  • Course selection for the specialization three  is based upon the needs of the student with adviser approval.

NOTE:

  • One-half of the minimum requirements for the entire program must be completed in 600-level courses.
  • CJS 511, 515, 520, 521, 522, 530, 531, 533, 540, 541, 545, 546, 550, 555, 557, 561, 565, 570, 580, 585, 586, 587, 589, 596, and PHIL 582 may not be utilized in the student's program if the concomitant 400-level course was completed at the undergraduate level at St. Cloud State University.

On-campus graduate expenses
On-campus graduate tuition for 2008-2009 is $275.20 a credit for Minnesota residents plus a student services/technology fee of $29.58 a credit.

Online graduate expenses
Online graduate tuition for 2008-2009 is $343.25 a credit plus student fees.

Online eligibility
International students may be part of an online program while in their home country. International students on the F-1 or J-1 visas and in the U.S. are not eligibile for online academic programs at St. Cloud State University due to the requirements set by the Department of Homeland Security.