Total Credit Hours: 36          Degree Format: Online

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice offers the Master of Science (M.S.) in Criminal Justice Administration degree. Students in the M.S. CJA program blends the expertise and experience of highly-trained faculty with hands-on field experience to provide students with excellent preparation to be competitive as Criminal Justice professionals.

The Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration is focused on integrating criminal justice theory with criminal justice practice.  Students in this program will:

  • develop an understanding of major criminological theories, their strengths and weaknesses, their role in explaining crime and delinquency, and their role in informing public policy.
  •  develop a familiarity with the structure and function of systems of criminal justice in the United States and in other countries.
  • develop the use and application of scientific research methods to the study of crime as well as to solving crimes.
  • Integrate criminal justice theory and research findings with criminal justice practice and,
  • develop an understanding of the development of contemporary criminal justice issue in modern societies and how such issues may be informed by systematic research and analysis.

This degree has a thesis and non-thesis option.

Program Coordinator: Dr. Lorna Alvarez-Rivera, email: llalvarezrivera@valdosta.edu,  phone: 229-333-5943

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice (SACJ) Website

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice (SACJ) - Criminal Justice Program Page

ADMISSION DEADLINES

  • Fall Semester: July 15
  • Spring Semester: November 15
  • Summer Semester: April 15

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online Graduate Application

  • Application Fee (credit or debit card and e-checks accepted)
  • Apply Online

Official transcript from your bachelor's degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

  • Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
  • Must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
  • Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale calculated on all attempted coursework.
  • See Important Program Information for additional prerequisites.

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) OR Millers Analogies Test (MAT) (suspended)

  • Please note: the test score requirement has been suspended indefinitely.  Applications that are otherwise complete will be sent without scores.
  • Minimum GRE Requirements:
    • 146 Verbal and 140 Quantitative with a 3.5 analytical score.
    • For GRE’s taken before October 2002 a minimum score of 800 on any two combined sections (verbal + quantitative or verbal plus analytical).
  • Miller Analogies Test Requirement (accepted starting Fall 2013): 387

Two-page essay 

Two Recommendations

  • General Recommendation Form Required
  • Please enter the name and email of your recommenders as you complete the application. They should receive an email inviting them to complete the recommendation after that. If they do not receive the email (or find it in their spam folder), they may submit their recommendation as an email attachment to gradschool@valdosta.edu. The General Recommendation Form can be used if the email from the online recommendation system does not arrive.
  • Letters must be accompanied by the required form or submitted through the online recommendation system.

VSU Medical Form (Distance Learning)

  • Students enrolling exclusively in online classes are not required to submit immunization records.
  • Applicants for the online track should complete the Student Information Section (top of page 1) and the Distance Learning Exemption (bottom of page 1) only.

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

Applicants must have completed an undergraduate basic statistics course and one course in research methodology.  Students may apply for a waiver of these requirements by demonstrating proficiency through an examination.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

Effective Fall 2015, the MS CJ is a fully online program.  Federal homeland security guidelines state that student visas cannot be issued for online programs. Prospective students whose first language is not English or those who completed coursework or degrees outside the U.S., please review the information below for specific information and guidelines.  

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam, International English Language Testing System (IELTS), ELS Language Centers Level 109, or completion of level 6 at VSU's English Language Institute – Applicants whose first language is not English (based on country of citizenship) must submit one of the above.  International applicants whose first language is not English but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution may be exempt from the language proficiency requirement.

  • Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc.  The transcript evaluation does not replace the transcript requirement. Official transcripts are still required.

ADMISSION CLASSIFICATIONS

  • Regular Status
  • Probationary Status

Applications for are reviewed as a total package in which transcripts, GPA, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and interest essays are reviewed to determine if a candidate is eligible for admission to the M.S. in Criminal Justice program. Thus, applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements but exceed the minimum GRE requirements, and applicants who do not meet the minimum GRE requirements but exceed the minimum GPA requirement, may still be eligible for regular admission. Such cases must be approved by the Criminal Justice Faculty before regular admission is granted.

Non-Degree Admission

Applicants who wish to take courses but do not intend to pursue a degree may be considered for Non-Degree admission status. Non-Degree applicants must submit the following documents by the admission deadline for their term: (1) Online Graduate Application for Admission; (2) Evidence of an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution (i.e., official or unofficial transcript); (3) VSU Medical Form. Non-degree applicants are subject to standard admission deadlines. Please note: Non-Degree students are not eligible for Financial Aid.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

For admission questions about this program, please contact the Graduate School by phone, email, or stop by our office.
  • Call Us: 229-333-5694 
  • Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu
  • Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Coordinator: Dr. Lorna Alvarez-Rivera, email: llalvarezrivera@valdosta.edu,  phone: 229-333-5944.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

  1. Students must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date.
  2. Students must receive a grade of “B” or better in all core courses.
  3. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative institutional grade point average (GPA). No grade below a “C” will be credited toward the degree.
  4. MSCJ students are required to satisfactorily complete the core requirements and electives as outlined in the degree plan.
  5. All students in the MSCJ program must also successfully complete a comprehensive examination requirement. This requirement may be satisfied by either the successful completion of a Thesis or of  an Area Paper. Students will select which of the two options to pursue. In either case, the Thesis or Area Paper will be written in accordance with established guidelines. A full description of the Area Paper is available from the departmental office. Specific requirements for the Thesis option are governed by the Graduate School.

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

  1. A 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation. No grade below “C” will be credited toward the M.S. degree with a major in Criminal Justice.
  2. Students must receive a grade of “B” or better in all core courses.
  3. Students will be dismissed from the MSCJ program if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points. Students who receive their first "Unsatisfactory" grade on their thesis or area paper will receive one deficiency point. Students who receive a second "Unsatisfactory" grade on their thesis or area paper will receive two additional deficiency points. A grade of “C” in any core course will not be counted toward the MSCJ degree and equals one deficiency point. A grade of “C” in any non-core course will be credited toward the MSCJ degree but also equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D” or “U” will not be credited toward the MSCJ degree and equals two deficiency points. A grade of “F” or “WF” (neither of which will be credited toward the MSCJ degree) equals three deficiency points.
  4. If a student is dismissed, they may, after a minimum of three semesters, apply for readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed. The student must also retake only those courses with deficiencies until the number of deficiency points is fewer than or equal to two. The student cannot take a class more than three times or apply for readmission more than twice.
  5. No more than 6 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master’s-level graduate program. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission, by the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old at the time of admission unless otherwise approved by the program.
  6. After admission, courses taken more than seven years prior to the semester of degree completion cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements or admission to doctoral candidacy requirements unless otherwise indicated by individual program requirements. 

Total Credit Hours: 36          Degree Format: Online

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice offers the Master of Science (M.S.) in Criminal Justice Administration degree. Students in the M.S. CJA program blends the expertise and experience of highly-trained faculty with hands-on field experience to provide students with excellent preparation to be competitive as Criminal Justice professionals.

The Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration is focused on integrating criminal justice theory with criminal justice practice.  Students in this program will:

  • develop an understanding of major criminological theories, their strengths and weaknesses, their role in explaining crime and delinquency, and their role in informing public policy.
  •  develop a familiarity with the structure and function of systems of criminal justice in the United States and in other countries.
  • develop the use and application of scientific research methods to the study of crime as well as to solving crimes.
  • Integrate criminal justice theory and research findings with criminal justice practice and,
  • develop an understanding of the development of contemporary criminal justice issue in modern societies and how such issues may be informed by systematic research and analysis.

This degree has a thesis and non-thesis option.

Program Coordinator: Dr. Lorna Alvarez-Rivera, email: llalvarezrivera@valdosta.edu,  phone: 229-333-5943

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice (SACJ) Website

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice (SACJ) - Criminal Justice Program Page

ADMISSION DEADLINES

  • Fall Semester: July 15
  • Spring Semester: November 15
  • Summer Semester: April 15

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online Graduate Application

  • Application Fee (credit or debit card and e-checks accepted)
  • Apply Online

Official transcript from your bachelor's degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

  • Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
  • Must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
  • Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale calculated on all attempted coursework.
  • See Important Program Information for additional prerequisites.

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) OR Millers Analogies Test (MAT) (suspended)

  • Please note: the test score requirement has been suspended indefinitely.  Applications that are otherwise complete will be sent without scores.
  • Minimum GRE Requirements:
    • 146 Verbal and 140 Quantitative with a 3.5 analytical score.
    • For GRE’s taken before October 2002 a minimum score of 800 on any two combined sections (verbal + quantitative or verbal plus analytical).
  • Miller Analogies Test Requirement (accepted starting Fall 2013): 387

Two-page essay 

Two Recommendations

  • General Recommendation Form Required
  • Please enter the name and email of your recommenders as you complete the application. They should receive an email inviting them to complete the recommendation after that. If they do not receive the email (or find it in their spam folder), they may submit their recommendation as an email attachment to gradschool@valdosta.edu. The General Recommendation Form can be used if the email from the online recommendation system does not arrive.
  • Letters must be accompanied by the required form or submitted through the online recommendation system.

VSU Medical Form (Distance Learning)

  • Students enrolling exclusively in online classes are not required to submit immunization records.
  • Applicants for the online track should complete the Student Information Section (top of page 1) and the Distance Learning Exemption (bottom of page 1) only.

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

Applicants must have completed an undergraduate basic statistics course and one course in research methodology.  Students may apply for a waiver of these requirements by demonstrating proficiency through an examination.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

Effective Fall 2015, the MS CJ is a fully online program.  Federal homeland security guidelines state that student visas cannot be issued for online programs. Prospective students whose first language is not English or those who completed coursework or degrees outside the U.S., please review the information below for specific information and guidelines.  

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam, International English Language Testing System (IELTS), ELS Language Centers Level 109, or completion of level 6 at VSU's English Language Institute – Applicants whose first language is not English (based on country of citizenship) must submit one of the above.  International applicants whose first language is not English but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution may be exempt from the language proficiency requirement.

  • Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc.  The transcript evaluation does not replace the transcript requirement. Official transcripts are still required.

ADMISSION CLASSIFICATIONS

  • Regular Status
  • Probationary Status

Applications for are reviewed as a total package in which transcripts, GPA, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and interest essays are reviewed to determine if a candidate is eligible for admission to the M.S. in Criminal Justice program. Thus, applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements but exceed the minimum GRE requirements, and applicants who do not meet the minimum GRE requirements but exceed the minimum GPA requirement, may still be eligible for regular admission. Such cases must be approved by the Criminal Justice Faculty before regular admission is granted.

Non-Degree Admission

Applicants who wish to take courses but do not intend to pursue a degree may be considered for Non-Degree admission status. Non-Degree applicants must submit the following documents by the admission deadline for their term: (1) Online Graduate Application for Admission; (2) Evidence of an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution (i.e., official or unofficial transcript); (3) VSU Medical Form. Non-degree applicants are subject to standard admission deadlines. Please note: Non-Degree students are not eligible for Financial Aid.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

For admission questions about this program, please contact the Graduate School by phone, email, or stop by our office.
  • Call Us: 229-333-5694 
  • Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu
  • Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Coordinator: Dr. Lorna Alvarez-Rivera, email: llalvarezrivera@valdosta.edu,  phone: 229-333-5944.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

  1. Students must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date.
  2. Students must receive a grade of “B” or better in all core courses.
  3. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative institutional grade point average (GPA). No grade below a “C” will be credited toward the degree.
  4. MSCJ students are required to satisfactorily complete the core requirements and electives as outlined in the degree plan.
  5. All students in the MSCJ program must also successfully complete a comprehensive examination requirement. This requirement may be satisfied by either the successful completion of a Thesis or of  an Area Paper. Students will select which of the two options to pursue. In either case, the Thesis or Area Paper will be written in accordance with established guidelines. A full description of the Area Paper is available from the departmental office. Specific requirements for the Thesis option are governed by the Graduate School.

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

  1. A 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation. No grade below “C” will be credited toward the M.S. degree with a major in Criminal Justice.
  2. Students must receive a grade of “B” or better in all core courses.
  3. Students will be dismissed from the MSCJ program if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points. Students who receive their first "Unsatisfactory" grade on their thesis or area paper will receive one deficiency point. Students who receive a second "Unsatisfactory" grade on their thesis or area paper will receive two additional deficiency points. A grade of “C” in any core course will not be counted toward the MSCJ degree and equals one deficiency point. A grade of “C” in any non-core course will be credited toward the MSCJ degree but also equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D” or “U” will not be credited toward the MSCJ degree and equals two deficiency points. A grade of “F” or “WF” (neither of which will be credited toward the MSCJ degree) equals three deficiency points.
  4. If a student is dismissed, they may, after a minimum of three semesters, apply for readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed. The student must also retake only those courses with deficiencies until the number of deficiency points is fewer than or equal to two. The student cannot take a class more than three times or apply for readmission more than twice.
  5. No more than 6 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master’s-level graduate program. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission, by the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old at the time of admission unless otherwise approved by the program.
  6. After admission, courses taken more than seven years prior to the semester of degree completion cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements or admission to doctoral candidacy requirements unless otherwise indicated by individual program requirements.