ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ

Program Requirements - 36 Credits

(All courses are three credits unless otherwise indicated)

Specialization Requirements - 12 Credits (4 Courses)

Choose 1 of the following specializations:

Justice Policy Specialization

• CJS 500/600 level elective  or   
• CJS 500/600 level elective
• CJS 500/600 level elective
• CJS 500/600 level elective

Cybersecurity Specialization

• Required Courses - 6 Credits (2 Courses)
   
•  
  Elective Courses - 6 Credits (2 Courses) Choose from:
   

Leadership Specialization

Choose 9 Credits (3 Courses) from:
 

• 
   
  Choose 3 Credits (1 Course) from:
   

Public Administration Specialization

Required Courses - 3 Credits (1 Course)
 

Choose 6 Credits (2 Courses) from:
 

•  
  Choose 3 credits (1 Course) from:
   

Offered with the ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ School of Law. 

Course Requirements for the M.S. Criminal Justice/J.D. Dual Degree Program

The following four School of Law courses transfer to the School of Justice Studies to fulfill remaining M.S. Criminal Justice degree requirements:

1. LAW 623 Criminal Law
2. LAW 627 Criminal Procedure - Investigation
3. LAW 682 Criminal Procedure - Adjudication
4. A LAW elective from one of the following: LAW 631 Administrative Law, LAW 681 Advanced Evidence, LAW 860 Criminal Defense Clinic, LSM 890 Seminar in Domestic Violence

The following four M.S. Criminal Justice courses transfer to the School of Law to fulfill J.D. program requirements:

1. CJS 503 Survey of Research Methods
2. CJS 509 Crime and Public Policy
3. CJS 511 Criminological Theory
4. CJS 513 Analysis of Criminal Justice Data

Earn your M.S. in Criminal Justice in just one year.

Undergraduates (at ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ or other institutions) in criminal justice, psychology, and related majors may participate in a special 4+1 M.S. Criminal Justice program. 

How does it work? 

You’ll begin the M.S. Criminal Justice program by taking one graduate course in each semester during your senior year. For ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ students, each course will count for both undergraduate and graduate credit, subject to advisor approval. Once you graduate, you will complete six credits of online coursework in the summer and then complete the remainder of your studies on campus at ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ in the fall and spring.

Curriculum

Senior Fall
1 Required Course (e.g., CJS 501 Criminal Justice System Overview)

Senior Spring
1 Required Course (e.g., CJS 509 Crime and Public Policy)

Summer (Online)
1 Required Course
1 Required or Elective Course

Fall (12 credits)
2 Required Courses (e.g., CJS503 Survey of Research Methods; CJS505 Legal Issues in the United States)
2 Approved Electives         

Spring (12 credits)
2 Required Courses (e.g., CJS511 Criminological Theory; CJS513 Analysis of Criminal Justice Data)
2 Approved Electives      

How to Apply

The preferred application deadline for consideration is March 1st in the second semester of your junior year.

To apply, please submit the following items to the Office of Graduate Admission:

1. Completed application form online at
2. Letter of Intent (two double-spaced pages maximum) describing your interest in the Criminal Justice program, career goals, and how you can positively contribute to the graduate program at ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ
3. Two (2) letters of recommendation from professional sources or academic faculty attesting to your potential to succeed in graduate school
4. Please note that your academic transcripts will be obtained by the Office of Graduate Admission from the University Registrar. Do not request your transcripts. 

Your letter of intent and letters of recommendation may be emailed directly to us at gradadmit@rwu.edu. Emailed letters of recommendation must come directly from your recommenders.

Open Houses

Open Houses are scheduled on the Bristol Campus every June and November with virtual Open Houses available in January and August. Join us to learn more about your program, the admission process, and financial aid at these informative events with faculty and Graduate Admission staff.

View our upcoming events for the most current opportunities to hear about the Criminal Justice program.

Virtual Information Sessions

Short on time or just want to learn more about us from the comfort of your home, school, or office? Join us for a Virtual Information Session.

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Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

Sean Varano, ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ; Pamela Kelley, PhD, Stonehill College; Laurie Becker (ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ Class of 2021)
Perceptions and Attitudes of Police Toward Treatment-Focused Approaches to the Opioid Crisis
Paper session

American Psychology-Law Society

Melissa B. Russano, ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ and Kate A. Houston, Texas A&M International University
Modeling and Understanding Confession Decisions in Interpreter-Facilitated Interrogations
Poster presentation

Melissa B. Russano, ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ; Atkinson Dominick, University of Idaho; and Christian A. Meissner, Iowa State University
Evaluating a Science-Based Interrogation Training Program Using a Between-Participants Design
Poster presentation

Brett Lowder (ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ B.S. Class of 2020); Melissa B. Russano, ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ; Christian A. Meissner, Iowa State University; and Dominick Atkinson, University of Idaho
Disparate Effects of Accusatorial Techniques During Real-World Interrogations 
Poster presentation