About

Are you a current criminal justice professional looking to move up in your career? Are you interested in advanced study in criminal justice or criminology?

East Carolina's graduate degree in criminal justice gives students the opportunity to tailor their studies to their individual applied or academic interests. The master's program provides extraordinary learning and leadership opportunities with the national criminal justice honor society, field experience, international study abroad, independent study or research with faculty mentors, and graduate assistantships.

ECU Advantage

ECU's criminal justice courses are taught by an exceptional faculty with diverse teaching and research experience in the areas of law enforcement, homeland security, criminology, juvenile delinquency, victimology, law, courts, corrections, justice administration and policy, transnational and comparative crime and justice, terrorism, and organized crime, just to name a few.

Our master's alumni have gone on to be high ranking officials in local, state, and national criminal justice organizations in positions as judges, federal agency directors, chiefs of police, and correctional administrators.

As an ECU student, you can research your future career in Steppingblocks. Explore real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with data-powered career exploration tools designed for doers like you.

What You Will Study

Program Coordinator: Michele Stacey (245 Rivers Building; 252-328-5559; mscj@ecu.edu)

The master's program in criminal justice prepares students to become highly skilled and competent professionals who are equipped to seek advancements in the criminal justice profession, teach on the community college level, or pursue a terminal degree in criminal justice or a closely related field. Students must complete 19 s.h. of core courses, 18 s.h. of electives, and can choose to obtain certification in security studies, public management and leadership, criminology, or criminal justice education. To obtain certification in criminal justice education students must complete 19 s.h. of required core and elective courses. To obtain certification in criminology students must complete 15 s.h. of required core and elective courses. A professional paper is required for completion of the master's degree in criminal justice.

A minimum of 37 s.h. of credit is required as follows:

1. Core - 19 s.h.
  • CRIM 6000 - Criminal Justice Principles
  • CRIM 6001 - Seminar in Research Methods and Statistical Interpretation
  • CRIM 6003 - Criminal Justice Proseminar
  • CRIM 6201 - Seminar in Criminal Behavior
  • CRIM 6300 - Principles of Criminal Justice Administration and Management
  • CRIM 6700 - Diversity Issues in Criminal Justice
  • CRIM 6991 - Professional Paper
2. Electives - 18 s.h.

Select 18 s.h. of Criminal Justice and Criminology (CRIM) courses. 

    Admission Requirements

    Each applicant is reviewed individually by the admissions committee. One criterion does not determine acceptance or rejection. A bachelor's degree from an accredited academic institution with a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale is required. Transfer credit must be established at the time of admittance.

    Applicants must submit 1.) official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work since graduating high school, 2.) three current letters of reference from professional or academic sources , and 3.) a statement of purpose that describes the applicant's relevant work experience, short- and long-term goals, and specific interests in the master's in criminal justice degree program (500-750 word, single spaced, typewritten).

    A student may elect to attend the program on a part-time basis. In order to qualify for part-time status for financial aid purposes a student must take a minimum of two courses per semester. It is recommended that at least one core course be taken each of the semesters that the student is enrolled in the program.

      Comprehensive Assessment Requirement

      All graduate programs at ECU require students to successfully complete a comprehensive assessment. The Criminal Justice, MS requires a professional paper in lieu of a thesis or examination.

        Discipline Related Certificate Programs
          1. Criminal Justice Education Certificate

          The Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology offers a Criminal Justice Education Certificate. Contact the program coordinator for more information. 

            2. Criminology Certificate

            The Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology offers a Criminology Certificate. Contact the program coordinator for more information. 

              3. Higher and Adult Education in Criminal Justice Certificate

              The Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology offers a Higher and Adult Education in Criminal Justice Certificate. Contact the program coordinator for more information.

                4. Public Management and Leadership Certificate

                Up to 15 s.h. of courses required for the graduate Public Management and Leadership Certificate can be transferred as electives for the master of science in criminal justice. Contact the program coordinator in the Department of Political Science for more information.

                  5. Security Studies Certificate

                  Up to 15 s.h. of courses required for the graduate Security Studies Certificate can be transferred as electives for the master of science in criminal justice. Contact the program coordinator in the Department of Political Science for more information. 

                  For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
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