Dec 07, 2024  
2022-23 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-23 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Criminal Justice Administration, M.C.J.


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Carter Smith, Program Director
(615) 898-2261
Carter.Smith@mtsu.edu

The Department of Criminal Justice Administration  offers a Master of Criminal Justice (M.C.J.) degree. A minor in Criminal Justice Administration at the graduate level is also offered at MTSU.

The M.C.J. degree can be obtained entirely online, in class, or as a combination of the two.

Please see undergraduate catalog for information regarding undergraduate programs.

Admission Requirements


Applicants are expected to have an undergraduate degree in criminal justice or to have completed a minimum of 18 credits at the undergraduate level in criminal justice or an approved equivalent and an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or above.

Application Procedures


All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.

Applications for admission will be considered on a rolling basis.

Applicant must

  1. submit an application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php). Once this initial application has been accepted, the applicant will receive directions on how to enter the graduate portal to be able to submit other materials.
  2. submit official transcripts of previous college work.

Degree Requirements


The Master of Criminal Justice degree requires completion of a minimum of 33-36 semester hours (thesis) or 36 hours (non-thesis) with no more than 30 percent of the total degree hours dually listed as undergraduate/graduate hours.

NOTE: Thesis-track students will be required to complete and successfully defend a research-based thesis. Non-thesis track students will be required to complete and successfully pass a written comprehensive exam in the same semester as the capstone is taken.

Curriculum: Criminal Justice


The following illustrates the minimum coursework requirements. In addition, a maximum of 6 hours of thesis research may be required to fulfill degree requirements.

Thesis Option (33-36 hours)


Electives (15 hours)


  • Selected in consultation with advisor 15 credit hours

Thesis (3-6 hours)


Non-thesis Option (36 hours)


Electives (18 hours)


  • Selected in consultation with advisor 18 credit hours

Capstone (3 hours)


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