Master of Criminology & Justice

This course offers an intensive overview of the major paradigms and respective etiological theories of crime used in criminology and criminal justice. Classical and contemporary theories are reviewed including integrated theories crossing multiple paradigms. Linkages between theories of criminal behavior and current developments in crime control policies are explored.

Any of several different courses can be offered including security administration, premises liability and crime prevention, corrections, international terrorism, and deviant behavior.

This course examines research methods used in the social and behavioral sciences, including survey, field, and experimental research designs. Topics covered include sampling designs, reliability and validity of measures, scaling and index construction, the use of primary and secondary data, and data management. The most commonly used statistics in criminology and criminal justice are reviewed but will be covered in detail in CRIM A712: Graduate Statistics.

The course examines descriptive, inferential, and multivariate statistics employed in criminal justice research regarding the nature of crimes, criminals, and the criminal justice system. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) is employed in the course to aid students in the calculation and interpretation of key statistical techniques used in the field.

The course examines criminal justice organizations in terms of management, organization, and leadership. It explores making decisions, formulating goals, creating a mission, enacting policies and procedures, and uniting individuals in organizations so that these and other related tasks can be accomplished. Also discussed is the increasing pressures on criminal justice professionals to work within a global environment and in communities with heightened expectations. Adherence to ethical standards as the cornerstone of an organization is emphasized. Case studies are used in the course.

This course examines current topics and issues related to the fields of criminology and criminal justice. Recent seminars have included the following topics: (1) mass incarceration and the future of corrections, (2) firearms and violence, (3) race, ethnicity, and justice, (4) wrongful convictions, (5) the changing nature of juvenile justice, (6) restorative justice as an alternative, (7) global human trafficking, and (8) socially marginalized groups, crime, and victimization.

This course employs the application of social science research methods and is used to supply scientifically valid information with which to develop and/or evaluate or assess a program or policy dealing with crime prevention and control. Topics include conceptual, methodological, bureaucratic, political, and organizational factors in the evaluation process, as well as specific program evaluation research techniques.

This seminar examines advanced subjects in the discipline of criminology including crime measurement and analysis, crime, criminal and victim typologies, white collar crime, organized crime, corporate crime, human rights violations and crimes, cybercrime, political crime, etc.

This seminar allows students to study specialized works in the field by reading and analyzing both classical and contemporary works.

This capstone course consists of directed research in criminal justice under the guidance of a graduate faculty member. The student must complete a practicum report demonstrating mastery of professional skills in one of the following:

1. Write a 5,000-to-10,000 word research paper written in a research journal format based on quantitative data.
2. Write a 5,000-to-10,000 word research paper written in a research journal format based on a comprehensive review of the literature.
3. Write an evaluation of a criminal justice policy or program.
4. Write an acceptable grant proposal following, for example, the National Institute of Justice guidelines.