Criminal Justice Master of Science Degree
Criminal Justice
Master of Science Degree
RIT’s master’s in criminal justice, is a dynamic degree where you’ll develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills as you engage in applied research that contributes to the creation and dissemination of criminal justice knowledge and policy analysis.
Overview for Criminal Justice MS
RIT’s criminal justice master’s degree fosters the creation of new knowledge through active research in agencies and the community. You will learn and apply problem-solving skills rooted in areas of individual interest with an emphasis on applied research. The degree enables graduates to enter successful careers in criminal justice agencies, policy analysis, or pursue further education in a criminal justice doctoral program.
The MS in criminal justice emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to urban studies with a focus on public safety. The program stresses training in policy analysis and practice, particularly as it is relevant to the community and urban issues.
The master's degree in criminal justice builds on a foundation of locally relevant policy research by providing you with the critical skills to carry out such work and the experience to assure success in employment or in pursuit of further graduate studies. RIT’s criminal justice master's program provides you with a strong foundation in criminological, criminal justice theory, and social science research skills, enabling you to have a successful career in the policy analysis arena or to be prepared to pursue advanced study beyond the master's degree.
Recent criminal justice ms graduates have entered careers in prosecutorial investigation, criminal justice program evaluation, and crime analysis. Many have also pursued law degrees and doctoral degrees.
Students applying to the program should have a strong undergraduate foundation in criminology and research methods. Students that do not possess these skills may be required to complete additional undergraduate course work (e.g., Criminology, Theories of Crime, and Research Methods) or demonstrate equivalent skills for completion of the degree.
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Discover how graduate study at RIT can help further your career objectives.
Careers and Experiential Learning
Typical Job Titles
| Crime Data Analyst | Policy Analyst |
| Grant Manager/Writer | Lawyer |
| FBI Operational Support Technician | FBI Staff Operations Specialist |
| Advocacy Specialist |
Salary and Career Information for Criminal Justice MS
Cooperative Education and Internships
What makes an RIT education exceptional? It’s the ability to complete relevant, hands-on career experience. At the graduate level, and paired with an advanced degree, cooperative education and internships give you the unparalleled credentials that truly set you apart. Learn more about graduate co-op and how it provides you with the career experience employers look for in their next top hires.
Co-ops and internships take your knowledge and turn it into know-how. A liberal arts co-op provides hands-on experience that enables you to apply your knowledge in professional settings while you make valuable connections between course work and real-world applications.
Cooperative education is strongly encouraged for graduate students in the criminal justice master’s degree.
Featured Work
Spatial Data Analytics three-course electives sequence — entirely online
Offered entirely online, a new Spatial Data Analytics three-course electives sequence helps MS students build a critical skill set for today's criminal justice researchers.
Featured Profiles
“There is nothing more invigorating than using my research to brainstorm solutions to problems that have plagued my community.”
’23
— Libnah Rodriguez, criminal justice BS and MS, Research Associate at the RIT Center for Public Safety Initiatives
Shakierah Shayonna Smith
“My greatest accomplishment is becoming a licensed attorney in New York State. As a first-generation student, I was naïve about the process of becoming an attorney…But I did all of this on my first...
“I am so lucky to have the greatest mentors and peers.”
— Venita D’Angelo, criminal justice BS '23, Center for Public Safety Initiatives Research Assistant
Curriculum for 2023-2024 for Criminal Justice MS
Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements
Criminal Justice (thesis option), MS degree, typical course sequence
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| CRIM-700 | Pro-Seminar In Criminal Justice Theory In this pro-seminar, students examine the theoretical foundation of criminal justice. This course integrates studies of criminal justice systems, enforcement organizations, judicial decision-making, courtroom communities and correctional systems by focusing on the study of governmental social control premised on punishment or blameworthiness. It examines the underlying causes and patterns of official responses to behavior that may be labeled criminal, and the structures, policies, and practices of criminal justice. (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Fall). |
3 |
| CRIM-701 | Statistics The purpose of this course is to provide students with training in quantitative analysis of social science data. Students will develop a conceptual understanding of techniques, the ability to recognize the appropriate selection of techniques, and the ability to use those statistical measures and interpret their results. Students will gain experience with inferential statistics through the level of commonly used multivariate analyses. The prerequisite for this course will be a strong undergraduate foundation in statistical analysis. With the consent of their adviser and the graduate coordinator, qualified students may substitute more specialized statistics courses or courses in such areas as geographical information systems (GIS). (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Fall). |
3 |
| CRIM-702 | Pro-Seminar in Research Methods This seminar will focus on the principles and techniques of research with a special focus on evaluation research. The course will cover research conceptualization and design, development of appropriate measures, collection and analysis of data using a wide range of methods. Students will gain a thorough understanding of the research process as well as the policy implications and consequences of research and evaluation. Students will also begin to develop a thesis research proposal. (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Fall). |
3 |
| CRIM-703 | Advanced Criminology This course will provide students with a detailed understanding of the theories that have guided criminological research and policy. Subject matter will cover the major influences in criminology: the classical school, the Chicago School, strain theories, socialization, and learning theories, and conflict theories, among others. The prerequisite for this course will be a strong undergraduate foundation in theories of crime and criminality. (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Spring). |
3 |
| CRIM-704 | Crime, Justice and Community This course provides an overview of the role of communities in crime and criminal justice. The course begins by preparing a foundation in community theory. Students will gain an understanding of the critical dimensions and attributes which define community. The course will emphasize how these critical community dimensions are related to both crime and criminal justice. The course will involve an examination of community-based theory and research, with a special emphasis on the criminology of place and how crime and justice patterns are embedded in particular social structures and cultures. We will discuss the extent to which structural characteristics (e.g., poverty, residential mobility, etc.) and social processes (e.g., social capital, collective efficacy, etc.) are related to crime and disorder. The course will also examine the potential that exists within criminal justice to intervene in communities to reduce crime and disorder and build community in the process. Central to this will be a discussion of co-production (i.e., the intersection between formal and informal social control). (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Spring). |
3 |
| CRIM-705 | Interventions and Change in Criminal Justice This course will focus on theory and research regarding the effectiveness of broad anti-crime strategies and specific intervention efforts at the local, state, national and international level. Theoretical explanations of crime and ideological orientations towards crime will be linked with the crime control and prevention strategies associated with those perspectives. Each strategy of crime control/prevention (including deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation, and community crime prevention) will be assessed in terms of research findings on its effectiveness. Detailed attention will be given to prevention/control strategies aimed at both juvenile and adult offenders. Programs will also be examined in the broader context of the ideology and philosophy of justice. Students will become familiar with the state of the art in crime and justice related interventions by studying the theory, practice and evaluation of contemporary crime and justice interventions. (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Spring). |
3 |
Electives |
6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| CRIM-800 | Thesis in Criminal Justice The master's thesis in criminal justice involves independent research on an approved topic judged by a faculty committee and under the supervision of one faculty member. The thesis requires students to develop, design and complete an original research project; orally defend the thesis before the thesis committee and the public; and submit a bound copy to the library. Students will meet weekly with their thesis chair. (Prerequisites: CRIM-700 and CRIM-701 and CRIM-702 and CRIM-703 and CRIM-704 and CRIM-705 or equivalent courses.) Thesis (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
6 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 30 |
|
Criminal Justice (project option), MS degree, typical course sequence
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| CRIM-700 | Pro-Seminar In Criminal Justice Theory In this pro-seminar, students examine the theoretical foundation of criminal justice. This course integrates studies of criminal justice systems, enforcement organizations, judicial decision-making, courtroom communities and correctional systems by focusing on the study of governmental social control premised on punishment or blameworthiness. It examines the underlying causes and patterns of official responses to behavior that may be labeled criminal, and the structures, policies, and practices of criminal justice. (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Fall). |
3 |
| CRIM-701 | Statistics The purpose of this course is to provide students with training in quantitative analysis of social science data. Students will develop a conceptual understanding of techniques, the ability to recognize the appropriate selection of techniques, and the ability to use those statistical measures and interpret their results. Students will gain experience with inferential statistics through the level of commonly used multivariate analyses. The prerequisite for this course will be a strong undergraduate foundation in statistical analysis. With the consent of their adviser and the graduate coordinator, qualified students may substitute more specialized statistics courses or courses in such areas as geographical information systems (GIS). (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Fall). |
3 |
| CRIM-702 | Pro-Seminar in Research Methods This seminar will focus on the principles and techniques of research with a special focus on evaluation research. The course will cover research conceptualization and design, development of appropriate measures, collection and analysis of data using a wide range of methods. Students will gain a thorough understanding of the research process as well as the policy implications and consequences of research and evaluation. Students will also begin to develop a thesis research proposal. (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Fall). |
3 |
| CRIM-703 | Advanced Criminology This course will provide students with a detailed understanding of the theories that have guided criminological research and policy. Subject matter will cover the major influences in criminology: the classical school, the Chicago School, strain theories, socialization, and learning theories, and conflict theories, among others. The prerequisite for this course will be a strong undergraduate foundation in theories of crime and criminality. (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Spring). |
3 |
| CRIM-704 | Crime, Justice, and Community This course provides an overview of the role of communities in crime and criminal justice. The course begins by preparing a foundation in community theory. Students will gain an understanding of the critical dimensions and attributes which define community. The course will emphasize how these critical community dimensions are related to both crime and criminal justice. The course will involve an examination of community-based theory and research, with a special emphasis on the criminology of place and how crime and justice patterns are embedded in particular social structures and cultures. We will discuss the extent to which structural characteristics (e.g., poverty, residential mobility, etc.) and social processes (e.g., social capital, collective efficacy, etc.) are related to crime and disorder. The course will also examine the potential that exists within criminal justice to intervene in communities to reduce crime and disorder and build community in the process. Central to this will be a discussion of co-production (i.e., the intersection between formal and informal social control). (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Spring). |
3 |
| CRIM-705 | Interventions and Change in Criminal Justice This course will focus on theory and research regarding the effectiveness of broad anti-crime strategies and specific intervention efforts at the local, state, national and international level. Theoretical explanations of crime and ideological orientations towards crime will be linked with the crime control and prevention strategies associated with those perspectives. Each strategy of crime control/prevention (including deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation, and community crime prevention) will be assessed in terms of research findings on its effectiveness. Detailed attention will be given to prevention/control strategies aimed at both juvenile and adult offenders. Programs will also be examined in the broader context of the ideology and philosophy of justice. Students will become familiar with the state of the art in crime and justice related interventions by studying the theory, practice and evaluation of contemporary crime and justice interventions. (CRIM-MS) Seminar (Spring). |
3 |
Electives |
6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| CRIM-775 | Criminal Justice Capstone The criminal justice capstone involves guided research on a topic approved by the instructor. The capstone requires students to develop, design and complete an original research project. Satisfactory completion involves the execution of a substantial research paper and includes a public oral presentation. Project 3 (Fall, Spring). |
3 |
Elective |
3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 30 |
|
Criminal Justice Graduate Electives
| CRIM-660 | Project Based Learning in Criminal Justice This course engages students in research that builds on problem identification and analysis in criminal justice. Topics may include exploration of community issues and views on justice, health and medical approaches to crime problems, practitioner orientations and practices relative to specific issues in criminal justice, and applications of new techniques, such as data science, to contemporary problems. Students will apply theoretical frameworks towards understanding the scope and nature of the problem in the form of working papers. The class culminates in a final project which will involve analysis and evaluation research components addressing the underlying problem/issue/program in consultation with the instructor. (Restricted to students in CRIM-BS/MS or CRIM-MS programs.) Lecture 3 (Fall). |
| CRIM-706 | Current Issues in CJ This course provides an examination of current issues in criminal justice with an emphasis on the application of evaluation, management, theory and ethics to analysis of criminal justice policy, The goal is to engage students in discussion of current issues with their peers and with experts in the field. (CRIM-MS) Seminar 3 (Fall). |
| CRIM-711 | Directed Readings in Criminal Justice This course will be tailored to individual students’ research interests as they explore areas of inquiry that may become topics for their thesis research. An emphasis will be placed on building a theoretically informed research question via existing literature and research in criminal justice and other disciplines (economics, psychology, sociology, and so on). Parallel to that effort, students will work to identify locally relevant research questions, potential research designs, and possible projects and/or agencies with whom which to conduct this research. (CRIM-MS) Seminar 3 (Fall). |
| CRIM-712 | Crime And Media This course is designed to analyze and critique the mainstream media’s coverage of criminal justice issues, and to study how that coverage impacts society at large. The course will scrutinize, compare and contrast crime coverage of different eras, and will also discuss how that coverage is changing today with around-the-clock media outlets and ubiquitous social media. Among the issues studied will be the impact of crime coverage on public policy; the impact of televised trials; the editorial decisions made daily in newsrooms across America about the placement and priority of crime news; the trademarks that can catapult a crime story into local, regional or even national prominence; and the occasional alliances between law enforcement and media. (CRIM-MS) Seminar 3 (Biannual). |
Admissions and Financial Aid
This program is available on-campus only.
| Offered | Admit Term(s) | Application Deadline | STEM Designated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full‑time | Fall or Spring | Rolling | No |
| Part‑time | Fall or Spring | Rolling | No |
Full-time study is 9+ semester credit hours. Part-time study is 1‑8 semester credit hours. International students requiring a visa to study at the RIT Rochester campus must study full‑time.
Application Details
To be considered for admission to the Criminal Justice MS program, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Complete an online graduate application.
- Submit copies of official transcript(s) (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work, including any transfer credit earned.
- Hold a baccalaureate degree (or US equivalent) from an accredited university or college.
- A recommended minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent).
- Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Submit a personal statement of educational objectives.
- Submit two letters of recommendation.
- Entrance exam requirements: GRE required. No minimum score requirement.
- Submit one writing sample.
- Submit English language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic), if required. Details are below.
English Language Test Scores
International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of the following official English language test scores. Some international applicants may be considered for an English test requirement waiver.
| TOEFL | IELTS | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|
| 88 | 6.5 | 60 |
International students below the minimum requirement may be considered for conditional admission. Each program requires balanced sub-scores when determining an applicant’s need for additional English language courses.
How to Apply Start or Manage Your Application
Cost and Financial Aid
An RIT graduate degree is an investment with lifelong returns. Graduate tuition varies by degree, the number of credits taken per semester, and delivery method. View the general cost of attendance or estimate the cost of your graduate degree.
A combination of sources can help fund your graduate degree. Learn how to fund your degree
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