The University of Toledo

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice

Program Overview
The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the criminal justice system, social control, and the nature of crime while developing the skills necessary to critically assess criminal justice problems and to conduct applied research and evaluation. Students may develop a plan of study that will prepare them for leadership roles in criminal justice agencies or to pursue doctoral study.

 

Program Structure
The program is designed to accommodate both the working professional and the traditional student. Most of the coursework for this program is offered in the evening. Full-time students may complete the program in one year. Part-time students may complete the program in two or three years.

The Curriculum
The program consists of a minimum of 33 credit hours, 15 hours of core coursework and 18 hours of elective coursework. While a minimum of 24 credit hours must be earned in criminal justice coursework, students are permitted to tailor as many as 9 hours of elective courses outside of criminal justice to meet their academic and career objectives. The curriculum is as follows:

Core Courses (15 hours)
CRIM 6000 Advanced Theories in Criminal Justice
CRIM 6100 Metropolitan Problems and the Criminal Justice System
CRIM 6200 Data Analysis in Criminal Justice
CRIM 6400 Research Methods in Criminal Justice
CRIM 6420 Advanced Criminal Procedure

 

Elective Courses Outside Criminal Justice
(Maximum of 9 hours counted for the completion of the degree)

With approval of the Criminal Justice Graduate Coordinator, Master of Arts in Criminal Justice students may complete as many as nine hours of coursework outside of criminal justice. This dimension of the program allows the student to develop an informal area of concentration. For example, coursework in management, labor, finance, and budgeting may be taken from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration or from the College of Business for those students interested in criminal justice administration. Courses in sociology, history, psychology, and many other departments are available, depending on a student’s interests and career objectives.

Capstone Experience
Students must select one of two capstone experiences. The first is the completion of a thesis (3 or 6 credit hours). The thesis option requires a student to engage in an intensive research project under the guidance of a faculty committee. A written thesis must be prepared and defended in order to graduate. Up to six hours of credit can be earned for thesis work. In alternative to conducting a thesis, a student may elect to complete an additional six hours of coursework and pass a comprehensive exam board on Criminal Justice of the core coursework.

Certificates
A certificate is offered as part of the degree. This certificate is Juvenile Justice. This certificate requires the successful completion of the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice degree. The Juvenile Justice certificate requires 12 credit hours. A student may not pursue either certificate without first meeting with the Criminal Justice graduate coordinator and obtaining written approval.

The Juvenile Justice certificate requires the following course:

CRIM 6310 Juvenile Justice in the Metropolitan Community

The student must also select nine credit hours from the below courses:
CRIM 5370 Disproportionate Confinement of Minority Youth
CRIM 6940 Internship (must be a placement in the community that deals with juvenile delinquents, troubled juveniles, or at risk youths) (1 to 3 credit hours)
CRIM 6990 Independent Study (must be on an aspect dealing with the juvenile justice system, juvenile delinquents, troubled youths, or youths at rick) (1 to 3 credit hours) (May be repeated for a total of 6 credit hours)

For more information on the certificate, please contact the graduate coordinator (419-530-2142).

Please click of the following link for access to the handbook for the program: MACJ Handbook

Admissions Criteria
Generally, applicants should have either a 3.0 in all undergraduate work or should take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). The GRE score, along with other application material will be used make an admission decision. Students who have earned a 3.0 or higher in nine or more hours of graduate studies may also be admitted. Pursuant to Graduate School rules, however, all applicants with less than a 2.7 in their undergraduate work must take the Graduate Record Exam.

The admissions decision does not rest solely on grades and a GRE score. The Department of Criminal Justice welcomes applications from all individuals who can demonstrate the potential for success in graduate studies. We are committed to providing an opportunity to historically disadvantaged applicants and to individuals who have worked in the field. As such, substantial relevant work experience, prior graduate studies experience, an applicant’s field of undergraduate study, and other evidence of scholarly potential will be considered in the admissions decision. Because admissions can be competitive, all applicants are encouraged to take the GRE and to submit the best application possible.

Individuals who satisfy all the admissions criteria may be fully admitted. An applicant who does not satisfy all the criteria but who shows promise may be admitted conditionally. Non-degree seeking status is also available to individuals who are interested in coursework but not in earning the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice.

For more information of applying, please visit the College of Graduate Studies website at http://www.utoledo.edu/graduate

Application Materials
Domestic Applicants for Admission to the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program

The application for admission will not be considered until the following materials have been received:
1. Application - http://www.utoledo.edu/graduate/prospectivestudents/admission/mainapply.html

2.Application Fee

3.Three Letters of Recommendation

4.Personal Statement

5.One original and three copies of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts.

6.GRE Score (if required)

International Applicants for Admission to the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Program

Foreign students must submit all the above listed documents. In addition, the following are required:

1.TOEFL score

2.GRE - required of all non-U.S. citizen applicants

3.Bank Statement reflecting the minimum or more balance in U.S. dollars (contact the graduate school to determine what the minimum balance is for you)

4.You will need to satisfy all U.S. immigration requirements.

5.Check with the Graduate School to determine if there are other requirements

Non-Degree Seeking Applicants

1.  Application (http://utoledo.edu/graduate/prospectivestudents/admission/mainapply.html) 

2.Application Fee

3.Transcripts of all undergraduate work.

4.Personal Statement

Financial Assistance
Students admitted to the program are eligible for financial assistance (e.g. loans) through the University of Toledo financial aid office. In addition, the Department of Criminal Justice has a limited number of graduate assistantships and scholarships available. The awards are made on the basis of academic merit, professional experience and affiliation, and need. If you are interested in receiving assistance, please complete this form (found at http://utoledo.edu/graduate/prospectivestudents/admission/mainapply.html) and include it with your application for admission. Also, complete the university's apllication found at http://utoledo.edu/graduate/prospectivestudents/admission/mainapply.html.

Graduate Faculty
There are nine full-time Graduate faculty members in the Department of Criminal Justice. The faculty is multi-disciplinary, holding graduate degrees in criminal justice, sociology, and law. The graduate faculty members are actively engaged in research and service, much of this with Toledo area criminal justice agencies. The faculty includes former lawyers and corrections officials.

A Metropolitan Program
The University of Toledo was established in 1872 and the Department of Criminal Justice (initially an associate degree program) was established in 1976.

Toledo, a city of about 300,000 residents with a metropolitan area around 600,000 residents, is an excellent backdrop for the study of criminal justice.

The program provides excellent internship and applied research opportunities.

For more about the program, please contact Lois Ventura, the graduate advisor/coordinator at 419-530-2660 or Lois.Ventura@Utoledo.edu