Program Overview

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Master of Science in Criminology Program

The Master of Science in Criminology program at The University of Texas at Dallas is a 36 semester credit hour minimum program that aims to deliver high-quality education to a diverse body of students regarding the etiology, control, and variation of law-breaking across space and time.

Mission

The mission of the program is threefold:

• Deliver high-quality education to a diverse body of students regarding the etiology, control, and variation of law-breaking across space and time.
• Serve local, regional, and national communities through professional development programs, public policy analyses and evaluation research, program and policy design, and as a forum for new ideas and approaches to the study of crime.
• Advance the understanding of criminology through a multidisciplinary mix of theoretical and applied research, as well as to provide a forum for new ideas and approaches to the study of crime.

Objectives

The Master of Science (MS) in Criminology provides students with a coherent yet intellectually challenging degree that prepares them to conduct interdisciplinary research among the many aspects of criminology and criminal justice, varying with individual interests and areas of specialty. Graduates of the MS program will be competent to:

• Teach at the community college and at the university level as adjunct lecturers.
• Enter into analytic and administrative posts within a vast array of research and policy institutions, criminal justice organizations, and in the private sector.

Facilities

Students have access to the computing facilities in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and the University's computer labs. The school has four computing laboratories which have 24-30 computers that are network linked and equipped with major social science software packages, including:

• EViews
• R
• RATS
• SPSS
• Stata A computerized geographic information system, the LexisNexis database, and Westlaw are also available for student use.

Application and Admission Requirements

The Master of Science in Criminology seeks applicants from a baccalaureate in Criminology, Sociology, or a relevant discipline. A 3.2 undergraduate GPA and a combined GRE verbal and quantitative score of 300 are desirable, but students may be admitted at the program's discretion. All transcripts must be submitted, along with:

• Three letters of recommendation (preferably academic)
• A one-page essay describing their background, education, and professional objectives

Prerequisites

For the Master of Science in Criminology, students with an undergraduate degree in Criminology or a related field will have the necessary academic foundation to begin their graduate coursework.

Program of Studies Policy

Each student admitted to a graduate program will have a specific program of studies agreed upon in consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee or graduate advisor for Criminology per the degree plan for the program. A complete Program of Studies Form will be filled in and approved prior to the student's registration for his/her 19th semester credit hour to be counted toward a master's degree.

Writing Requirement (MS in Criminology)

All Doctoral track students must complete a writing requirement while enrolled in the MS Program. Students must:

• Take a minimum of six semester credit hours of CRIM 6V96 or CRIM 6V98
• Complete an independent paper
• Present their findings in a colloquium setting to be eligible for graduation with the MS

Non-Writing Requirement Option for the MS in Criminology

MS students on a terminal track who do not wish to be considered for admission into a doctoral program have the option of taking 6 semester credit hours of any graduate classes as electives in lieu of the writing requirement.

Course Requirements

Coursework: 36 semester credit hours of graduate study

Criminology Core Required Courses: 15 semester credit hours

• CRIM 6300 Proseminar in Criminology
• CRIM 6301 Research Design I
• CRIM 6303 Etiology of Crime and Criminality
• CRIM 6311 Crime and Justice Policy
• EPPS 6313 Introduction to Quantitative Methods

Elective Courses: 21 semester credit hours

• 9 semester credit hours in Elective Criminology graduate courses
• 6 semester credit hours in any program or school outside Criminology
• 6 semester credit hours of CRIM 6V98 Analytical Writing Research (for PhD track students) or 6 semester credit hours of graduate-level course electives (for students wishing to terminate at MS)

Academic Performance

A grade of "B-" or lower in any core graduate class requires that the class be retaken. Only one retake is allowed per course. If the retake results in a final grade of "B-" or lower, the student will be dropped from the program. Students are allowed to retake no more than two core classes. In addition, all students must meet the University's minimum required GPA of 3.0 or higher.