Admissions Planning Message

Beginning Fall 2025, the individual degree programs of Criminology at the Florham Campus and Criminal Justice at the Metropolitan Campus will merge into a single, revised curriculum called Criminology and Criminal Justice. Current students will continue with the program they were admitted to; new students will enter under the new requirements. For the requirements of the revised combined BA and MA program, see Criminology & Criminal Justice BA, Criminal Justice MA 4 Plus 1.

BA Degree Requirements

Program Learning Objectives for BA Criminology

At the conclusion of the program, graduates will be able to:

  • Explain major criminological paradigms and theories.
  • Apply major crime policies.
  • Apply basic research methods in criminology.
  • Explain the fundamentals of the criminal justice system.

Major Requirements (36 – 45 credits plus 9 dual credits)

Six credits from the MAJOR may be applied towards General Education Requirements.

Required Major courses (16 credits)

Major Elective courses (12-21 credits)

NOTE: Students must take a minimum of 18 electives, 12 of these credits used be drawn from Criminology or designated Sociology courses, with at least 6 additional credits drawn from designated courses from at least two of the following fields: ANTH, GEOG, GOVT, PSYC, HIST. Please see department advisor for approved list of courses.

CMLGY3998 Internship in Criminology

The elective courses vary by semester, but some of the options include the following:

Dual courses (9 credits) (3.0 GPA Required)

Graduate courses applied to undergraduate degree. Two courses to count as Major Elective courses, one course to count as a Free Elective.

  • CRIM60__ or 70__(3 credits)
  • CRIM60__ or 70__(3 credits)
  • CRIM60__ or 70__(3 credits)

Minors and Free Electives

Six credits from the MINOR may be applied towards

Program Outcomes for MA Criminal Justice

Knowledge and Understanding: Consistent with and in addition to the criteria established by the Academy of Criminal Justices Sciences (ACJS), students will acquire a thorough knowledge and understanding of administration of justice; U.S. Constitution, U.S. government, political system, and public policy; corrections; criminological theory; law adjudication; law enforcement; and research and analytic methods.

Critical Thinking: Students will learn and demonstrate critical thinking, skeptical inquiry, and the scientific approach to problem solving by selecting and organizing information, identifying assumptions and causal relationships, distinguish between verifiable facts and value claims, determine the credibility of sources, distinguish between warranted or unwarranted reasons or conclusions, detect biases, and evaluate appropriate problem solving strategies, their feasibility and efficacy.

Effective Communication: Students will be able to communicate effectively, in writing and verbally, the conventions of the English language in a clear, concise, articulate, literate, and professional manner consistent with those of college writing and those specific to the discipline of law and criminal justice.

Information and Technological Literacy: Students will be able to demonstrate information literacy and technological competency utilizing the most current computer-based library computer systems and academic databases, governmental resources, and other bono-fide informational resources to facilitate the study of criminal justice and criminology.

Ethical and Professional Behavior: Students will learn to identify, evaluate, assess, and employ appropriate legal, ethical, and professional behaviors and practices within all aspects of their life, including, but not limited to an academic and criminal justice environment.

MA Degree Requirements

Thirty-three additional graduate credits to complete the MA degree.

Required Courses (15 credits)

  • CRIM6000 Professional Seminar in Criminal Justice
  • CRIM6005 Advanced Criminological Theory
  • CRIM6010 U.S. Constitution, Public Policy, and Criminal Justice
  • CRIM6015 Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology
  • CRIM6020 Statistics and Data Analysis
  • CRIM8001 Qualifying Examination/Master’s Thesis (0 credits)

Professional Seminar in Criminal Justice (CRIM 6000) must be taken within a student’s first 3-9 credits of graduate courses.

Graduate Elective courses (18 credits) 

Students can choose six courses from any of the following courses to fulfill their remaining 18 credits. All elective course selections must be made in consultation with the academic advisor.

  • CRIM7020 Ethics, Politics, and Justice
  • CRIM7025 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
  • CRIM7030 Principles of Leadership
  • CRIM7060 Social Justice Advocacy
  • CRIM7065 Crime, Victimology, and Risk Reduction
  • CRIM7070 Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice
  • CRIM7080 Politics and Policies of Criminal Justice
  • CRIM7081 Civil Rights and the Administration of Justice
  • CRIM7082 Crime and Punishment
  • CRIM7083 Selected Studies in CJ
  • CRIM7084 Transnational Crime/Global Issues Selected Studies in CJ
  • CRIM7085 Advanced Internship in Criminal Justice