Criminology and Criminal Justice, Master of Science
Overview
The Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Texas A&M University–San Antonio is designed to meet the needs of students who wish to pursue a career in the study of crime and the criminal justice system. Upon completion of this program, students will be prepared for administrative, upper-level staff, treatment, management, and planning positions in crime and criminal justice related agencies. Students will also be prepared to enter the criminal justice system as criminal justice professionals or pursue another graduate program, such as law school or a doctoral program. This degree program will be especially beneficial to working professionals who wish to further their education, but need the flexibility that a distance learning program offers. In order to prepare students for a career in the study of crime and the criminal justice system, this graduate program will offer courses in a wide array of topics in both criminology and criminal justice.
Contact Information
Dr. Durant Frantzen
Department Chair
Durant.Frantzen@tamusa.edu
Office: (210) 784-2205
Central Academic Building, Suite 348-A
1 University Way
San Antonio, TX 78224
Admission Requirements
The master’s program will have two paths to admission, regular admission and conditional admission.
Regular Admission
To be eligible for regular admission into the Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice program, a candidate must:
- Have successfully completed a bachelor’s degree or be in their last semester before graduation (formal admittance will not be granted until proof of graduation);
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work OR a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 2.6; and
- Submit all college and university transcripts, a personal statement, and two letters of recommendation.
Conditional Admission
Conditional acceptance may be granted on a case by case basis by the graduate program director to applicants whose GPA in their last 60 semester hours is below a 3.0 OR whose overall undergraduate GPA is below a 2.6. In order to qualify for conditional admission, a candidate must take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Conditional students must achieve a 3.0 GPA after completing four courses approved by the graduate program director by the end of their second semester as a graduate student to be granted full admission standing.
Application Process
Each applicant must submit their application and required documents by the appropriate semester deadline to GradCAS. The application is available online at https://gradcas.liaisoncas.org/apply/. For questions regarding the application process, contact the Office of Graduate Studies, graduate.studies@tamusa.edu.
In order to apply for admission to Graduate Studies, the applicant must submit an application directly to the Office of Admissions. A student must be admitted both to Graduate Studies and to a specific program in order to take courses for graduate credit. This applies to students with an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University-San Antonio as well as to others. Students must receive a satisfactory score on the appropriate nationally standardized graduate aptitude examination(s). These scores are valid for a period of five years from the date taken. Students with graduate degrees from colleges officially approved by Texas A&M University-San Antonio who are seeking a certificate or endorsement only are exempt from the nationally standardized graduate aptitude examination requirement.
All students wanting to attend Texas A&M University-San Antonio must be proficient in the use of English. Students, regardless of immigration status, whose educational instruction has not been in the English language and/or whose first or native language is not English, must demonstrate proficiency in English. Please refer to the Proof of English Proficiency section for more information. Texas A&M University-San Antonio complies with H.B. 1641 which considers various factors in making a decision for admission into a graduate or professional program.
Thesis Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CRIM 5301 | Advanced Criminological Theory | 3 |
| CRIM 5302 | Critical Issues in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIM 5303 | Law and Policy in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIM 5304 | Research Design and Methods | 3 |
| CRIM 5305 | Data Analysis | 3 |
| Subtotal: | 15 | |
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| CRIM 5307 | Thesis I | 3 |
| CRIM 5308 | Thesis II | 3 |
| Subtotal: | 6 | |
| Elective Courses | 15 | |
| Courts and Sentencing | ||
| Comparative and International Criminology | ||
| Race, Class, Gender, and Crime | ||
| Media, Crime, and Policy | ||
| Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice Management | ||
| Causes and Control of Juvenile Delinquency | ||
| Crimes of the Powerful | ||
| Punishment and Society | ||
| Nature and Nurture of Crime Causation | ||
| Leadership in Criminal Justice | ||
| Law, Social Change, and Social Control | ||
| Violence and Victimization | ||
| Managing Criminal Justice Organizations | ||
| Cyber Crime, Cybersecurity, and the Law | ||
| Seminar on Police Effectivenes | ||
| Immigration, Crime, and Immigration Policy | ||
| Ethical Decision-Making in Criminal Justice | ||
| Fieldwork in Criminal Justice | ||
| Special Topics in Criminology 1 | ||
| Subtotal: | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
CRIM 5327 Special Topics in Criminology changes topics at the discretion of the instructor. Courses are repeatable to a maximum of 12 hours as long as course topics are different.
Comprehensive Exam Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CRIM 5301 | Advanced Criminological Theory | 3 |
| CRIM 5302 | Critical Issues in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIM 5303 | Law and Policy in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIM 5304 | Research Design and Methods | 3 |
| CRIM 5305 | Data Analysis | 3 |
| Subtotal: | 15 | |
| Prescribed Electives | ||
| CRIM 5306 | Criminology and Criminal Justice Comprehensive Exam | 3 |
| Subtotal: | 3 | |
| Electives | 18 | |
| Courts and Sentencing | ||
| Comparative and International Criminology | ||
| Race, Class, Gender, and Crime | ||
| Media, Crime, and Policy | ||
| Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice Management | ||
| Causes and Control of Juvenile Delinquency | ||
| Crimes of the Powerful | ||
| Punishment and Society | ||
| Nature and Nurture of Crime Causation | ||
| Leadership in Criminal Justice | ||
| Law, Social Change, and Social Control | ||
| Violence and Victimization | ||
| Managing Criminal Justice Organizations | ||
| Cyber Crime, Cybersecurity, and the Law | ||
| Seminar on Police Effectivenes | ||
| Immigration, Crime, and Immigration Policy | ||
| Ethical Decision-Making in Criminal Justice | ||
| Fieldwork in Criminal Justice | ||
| Special Topics in Criminology 1 | ||
| Subtotal: | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
CRIM 5327 Special Topics in Criminology changes topics at the discretion of the instructor. Courses are repeatable to a maximum of 12 hours as long as course topics are different.