Program Overview

Introduction to the Master of Criminal Justice Administration Program

The Master of Criminal Justice (M.C.J.) degree is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills in the field of criminal justice. This program is offered by the Department of Criminal Justice Administration at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and can be completed entirely online, in class, or as a combination of both.

Program Overview

The M.C.J. degree requires the completion of a minimum of 33-36 semester hours for the thesis option or 36 hours for the non-thesis option. The program is designed to prepare students for advanced professional opportunities in law enforcement, homeland security, courts, police administration, correctional management, probation, parole, juvenile justice, drug rehabilitation, private security, or private investigations.

Careers

Graduates of the M.C.J. program can pursue a variety of careers, including:

• Attorney
• Chief of police
• Corporate security officer/director
• Court administrator
• Criminal justice professor
• Crisis counselor
• Emergency services director
• Family resource specialist
• Forensic scientist
• Investigator
• Juvenile court judge
• Police officer
• Pre-trial release/pre-trial diversion officer
• Probation officer/director
• Public information officer
• Regulatory board investigator
• Sheriff
• Social services district director
• Special agent
• State director of safety/homeland security
• State trooper
• U.S. deputy marshal
• Warden

Employers of MTSU Master of Criminal Justice Alumni

MTSU Master of Criminal Justice alumni have been employed by a range of organizations, including:

• Blue Ridge Center, Asheville, N.C.
• Cannon County
• City of Atlanta
• Cope, Hudson, Scarlett, Reed, McCreary
• Cumberland University
• Eastern Kentucky University
• Family Voices of Tennessee
• Fillauer & Wilson, P.C., Cleveland, Tenn.
• Forensic Medical
• Gallatin Police Department
• Hendersonville Police Department
• Humphreys County 911
• Keiser University
• La Vergne Police Department
• Litigation Paralegal
• Metro-Nashville Government
• Metro-Nashville Police Department
• Murfreesboro Police Department
• Oasis Center
• Regions Bank
• Rutherford County
• State of Tennessee
• State of West Virginia
• Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
• Tennessee Correction Academy
• Tennessee Department of Human Services
• Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security
• Tennessee Highway Patrol
• Tennessee Parole Board
• U.S. Department of Justice
• U.S. Probation Office (various locations)
• University of South Carolina

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the M.C.J. program are expected to have an undergraduate degree in criminal justice or to have completed a minimum of 18 credits at the undergraduate level in criminal justice or an approved equivalent, with an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or above.

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies. Applications for admission will be considered on a rolling basis. Applicants must submit an application with the appropriate application fee and official transcripts of previous college work.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Criminal Justice degree requires completion of a minimum of 33-36 semester hours (thesis) or 36 hours (non-thesis) with no more than 30 percent of the total degree hours dually listed as undergraduate/graduate hours. Thesis-track students will be required to complete and successfully defend a research-based thesis, while non-thesis track students will be required to complete and successfully pass a written comprehensive exam in the same semester as the capstone is taken.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the M.C.J. program includes:

Thesis Option (33-36 hours)

Core Courses (15 hours)

• CJA 6000 - Criminal Justice Administration
• CJA 6010 - Seminar in Law Enforcement
• CJA 6020 - Judicial Seminar
• CJA 6030 - Contemporary Corrections
• CJA 6900 - Research in the Criminal Justice Process OR CJA 6910 - Qualitative Research

Electives (15 hours)

• Selected in consultation with advisor

Thesis (3-6 hours)

• CJA 6640 - Thesis Research

Non-thesis Option (36 hours)

Core Courses (15 hours)

• CJA 6000 - Criminal Justice Administration
• CJA 6010 - Seminar in Law Enforcement
• CJA 6020 - Judicial Seminar
• CJA 6030 - Contemporary Corrections
• CJA 6900 - Research in the Criminal Justice Process OR CJA 6910 - Qualitative Research

Electives (18 hours)

• Selected in consultation with advisor

Capstone (3 hours)

• CJA 6990 - Graduate Capstone Course

Faculty

The Department of Criminal Justice Administration at MTSU has a diverse faculty with expertise in various areas of criminal justice. Some of the faculty members include:

• Dr. Joshua Harms, Interim Chair
• Dr. Thomas J. Jurkanin, Professor
• Dr. Robert D. Rogers, Associate Professor
• William L. Shulman, Associate Professor
• Dr. Carter F. Smith, Associate Professor
• Dr. Ben Stickle, Professor
• Dr. Lee Wade, Professor
• Dr. Elizabeth Quinn Wright, Professor

Information

The M.C.J. program is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills in the field of criminal justice. The program is offered entirely online, in class, or as a combination of both, and can be completed in 33-36 semester hours (thesis) or 36 hours (non-thesis). The program is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).