Criminal Justice, M.A.
Dr. Thomas Lateano, Program Coordinator
Office: Hynes Hall, Room 505J
Phone: (908) 737-4280
Email: tlateano@kean.edu
Programs Description
The Kean University master’s degree program in Criminal Justice studies the various systems within the criminal justice system, the current theoretical models explaining crime and delinquency, their practical use in addressing crime and enforcement, and the use of scientific inquiry to research and address the theoretical and practical problems facing the criminal justice system currently and in the future. The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program is designed to ensure that students keep pace with the changing environment and are prepared to be productive, engaged contributors to the debate on policy and practice through instruction in the three major components of the system: police, courts, and corrections.
Prerequisites
In addition to the University’s admission requirements:
- A baccalaureate degree in criminal justice or a related field (including political science, sociology, psychology, and legal studies) with a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.2.
- Students without an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice may be admitted to the program at the discretion of the Criminal Justice faculty or a master’s degree in another discipline or a J.D.
- Sample of scholarly work from undergraduate studies. Students who do not have a sample from their undergraduate studies will be assigned a topic by the graduate coordinator and will need to submit a 1,250 word paper.
Degree Requirements
Foundation Courses 12-15
| CJ 5670 | THEORIES IN CRIME AND DELINQUENCY | 3 |
| MATH 5500 | STATISTICAL METHODS FOR ANALYZING DATA | 3 |
| CJ 5610 | RESEARCH METHODS | 3 |
| CJ 5630 | ETHICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE | 3 |
| CJ 5620 | FOUNDATIONS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE | 3 |
CJ 5620: waived for students with an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice
Core Courses 12
Elective Courses 9-12
Students may take a graduate class from another discipline as an elective with the approval of the graduate coordinator. Substitution forms must be signed before a student registers for the class.
1. Students opting for the Comprehensive Examination instead of the Thesis must select 9-12 credit hours of course study from the electives.
2. Students opting for the Thesis instead of the Comprehensive Examination must select ID*5801 and 3-6 credit hours of course study from the electives.
Total Credit Hours: 36-39