Master of Science in Criminal Justice

Mission Statement

The mission of the LMU’s Master of Criminal Justice (MSCJ) program is to provide students with a high-quality education that inspires life-long learning, supports student and faculty development, encourages scholarly exploration and debate, and provides students with an understanding of the foundational principles of American justice.

Expected Learning Outcomes

1. To understand curriculum content areas recommended by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Masters level program
2. To understand ethical and philosophical foundations of the American criminal justice system
3. To possess advanced analytical thinking, research, and communication skills
4. To develop skills necessary to pursue professional careers or further graduate study

Admissions Requirements

1. Bachelor’s Degree – Student must complete a bachelor’s degree from an institution with regional accreditation or equivalent verification in the case of international degrees. An international degree must follow university policies in existence for certifying international degrees and/or credit.
   1. Recommended undergraduate course work: Introduction to Criminal Justice and Criminology, or other courses on policing, corrections, and juvenile justice.
2. Undergraduate Grade Point Average – Students must have achieved an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher on a four (4)-point scale.
3. Letters of Reference – Two letters of reference from the applicant’s undergraduate instructors or one letter from an instructor and one from a professional source are required.
4. Personal Statement – Submit an essay detailing the student’s purpose for attending the LMU MSCJ program, relevant skills, qualifications, preparation, and a statement of goals after completing the program.  
5. Transfer Credit – A maximum of nine (9) graduate credit hours related to the MSCJ degree will be allowed in transfer by approval of the program’s Admissions Committee. 
6. Entrance Interview – An entrance interview may be requested if one or more requirements are not met.

Graduation Requirements

1. A minimum of thirty (30) credit hours of graduate course work and satisfactory completion of all core courses is required for graduation with the Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree.
2. The student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or be placed on academic probation. Failure to meet or exceed this standard of academic progress in the subsequent semester will result in dismissal from the program.
3. All MSCJ students must complete a comprehensive examination
   1. Students must complete all required classes in the program prior to taking the comprehensive examination.
   2. Comprehensive examination will be administered in the semester prior to graduation. For instance, students planning to graduate in the Spring semester should complete the comprehensive examination by the end of the preceding Fall semester.
   3. Students must schedule their comprehensive examination with the Program Director by the 8th week of the semester that they plan to take the examination.
   4. The comprehensive assessment is graded on a pass/fail basis.
   5. Students unable to pass the comprehensive examination will be required to retake sections for which they did not receive a passing grade. Failure to successfully pass all sections of the comprehensive examination will result in a failure to meet graduation requirements. Students have up to three (3) attempts at a section to achieve a passing score. Students that do not achieve a passing score in a section must enroll in a one (1) hour independent study per section failed to refocus their studies and retake the examination.
4. Completion of all program and university assessments and surveys.

Curriculum & Standards

The curriculum of the MSCJ program at LMU is designed to enhance a student’s academic qualifications. All classes are preparatory coursework for post-graduate goals in programs leading to a terminal degree. Please note that the semester’s schedules and/or coursework and timeframes are subject to change based upon individual student needs or as determined by the MSCJ Admissions Committees and Program Directors.