Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Degree Program

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice enhances the study of the criminal justice system with an emphasis on the following areas: solid leadership and management skills, being an informed consumer of criminal justice research, understanding conceptual and theoretical frameworks of crime and criminal justice, and identifying current trends in corrections, policing, criminal justice and criminology. The curriculum is designed to offer a balance of theory and application that will prove to be challenging to students and useful in the field. This program provides the requisite knowledge and opportunity for individuals to be competitive for administrative positions in law-enforcement, the courts, corrections, private security, probation and parole, research positions in criminal justice agencies, pursue advanced degrees, and community college teaching positions in criminal justice.

• Accelerated six-week sessions
• Instruction conducted at convenient on-site location
• Master's degree earned in 19 months
• Courses taught by CSULB faculty from the Department of Criminal Justice
• Scholar-practitioner instructors
• Industry-relevant curriculum
• Networking opportunities with other professionals in a team learning environment

• Individuals interested in supervisory positions that require graduate credentials.
• Those interested in pursuing advanced degrees in criminal justice.
• Working professionals pursuing part-time teaching positions in colleges and universities.
• Individuals in staff positions in criminal justice agencies that want to become competitive for peace officer positions.
• People who are unable to attend a traditional on-campus MS in Criminal Justice program.

• Theories of Crime
• Legal Issues in Criminal Justice
• Research Methodology
• Corrections
• Statistics for Criminal Justice Research
• Police Organization and Management
• Crime and Public Policy

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university, with a major or minor in criminal justice or a related discipline. The acceptability of other undergraduate preparation shall be determined by the Department Graduate Committee.
• Complete four basic undergraduate prerequisite classes: An introductory criminal justice or criminology class; an introductory statistics class; a research class in the social sciences; and a theory class on crime causation. Suitable collateral courses may be substituted if the Graduate Advisor deems them sufficiently equivalent.
• A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in major or better. Anyone applying with a GPA lower than 3.0 will be reviewed by the Graduate Committee and may be admitted based on evidence of professional potential either through recent academic performance and/or experiential background.
• Official GRE scores (General Test Scores should be sent to the Department of Criminal Justice directly from ETS) from within three (3) years of the date of application. *Please Note: The Department of Criminal Justice does not require any minimum scores on the verbal, quantitative, or analytic sections of the GRE. However, a score of at least "4" must be earned on the GRE writing test; scores of "5" or higher are preferred.

• Applicants must apply for admission to the Criminal Justice Department and to the University.
• Official transcripts of undergraduate degree course work with application packets. Please indicate on the department application that you are applying for the "MS in Criminal Justice Accelerated Program."
• A résume and statement of goals must be submitted with both applications.
• Three letters of recommendation from persons able to testify to the students academic ability must be sent to the Department Graduate Advisor.

Health and Human Services

Now accepting applications for fall 2010!

For more information contact Dr. Sam Torres at 562-985-5134 (storres2@csulb.edu ) or Dr. Connie Ireland at 562-985-8711 (cireland@csulb.edu)