Part-time Study

Criminal Justice

Program Overview
Curriculum Review
Career Outcomes
Admission Requirements
Related Links

Program Overview

The field of criminal justice has become information-driven for both policy making and analysis as well as research in law enforcement and crime prevention and reduction. RIT's MS degree in criminal justice emphasizes skills in quantitative and qualitative policy analysis as applied to the field of criminal justice

The MS criminal justice program is a direct hands-on program as students will be heavily involved in research to reinforce the curriculum that teaches the use of data and analytical processes.

Students in the program will have ample opportunities to be involved with hands-on research that reinforces the program's curriculum.

This program is taught on campus and is designed to be completed in one calendar year. Part-time study is possible, however, most courses will be taught during the day. Program entry is possible any quarter.

Curriculum Review

The MS in criminal justice is a 12-course, 48 credit hour program that includes a thesis as one of the 12 courses.

All students take the following eight criminal justice core courses that emphasizes research, analysis, and interdisciplinary approaches:

Seminar in Criminal Justice Theory

Advanced Statistics

Advanced Criminology

Interventions and Change in Criminal Justice

Seminar in Research Methods

Seminar in Law and Policy

Crime, Justice and Community

Criminal Justice Practicum

Students work with an adviser and graduate coordinator to choose three electives that complement their program experience through the selection of elective courses from a wide range of other fields including statistics, public policy, urban sociology, business, economics, and political science.

Students transferring into the MS program from other BS degree programs at RIT or from outside the university may be required to complete bridge courses before entering the program.

Career Outcomes

Job Titles

Graduates of the program are most likely to hold positions such as crime analyst, policy analyst and policy researcher for government and law enforcement agencies on local, state, and national levels.

Admission Requirements

Students from a wide variety of undergraduate academic backgrounds will be considered. Students applying to the program should have a strong interest in the application of research to criminal justice.

Students seeking admission to the MS program from other RIT programs, or from outside RIT, should meet the following requirements:

Successful completion of the baccalaureate degree at an accredited college or university

Minimum 3.0 overall GPA

Two writing samples, one of which should be a statement of interest (personal statement)

Personal or telephone interview

Completion of at least one college-level statistics course (Students may be required to take a data analysis or statistics course, if not taken previously)

Two formal letters of recommendation, preferred from faculty familiar with the applicant's academic work

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score - exceptions may be considered on an individual basis based on undergraduate preparation and work experience

Minimum TOEFL of 570 (paper-based) or 230 (computer based) for students who do not speak English as their native language