Criminal Justice (M.S.)
Important: This degree plan is effective for those starting this degree program in fall 2020 through summer 2021. This degree plan will remain in effect for students who do not break enrollment or who do not change degree programs, concentrations, or cognates.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| CJUS 500 | Criminal Justice Integration | 3 |
| CJUS 520 | Administration of Justice Organizations | 3 |
| CJUS 530 | Human Resource Management in Criminal Justice Organizations | 3 |
| CJUS 550 | Topics and Trends in Criminal Justice 1 | 3 |
| CJUS 601 | Criminal Justice Program Evaluation 2 | 3 |
| CJUS 610 | Leadership, Ethics and Policing 1,2 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
| 1 | Course must be taken through Liberty University |
| 2 | May register for CJUS 601 Criminal Justice Program Evaluation (3 c.h.) and CJUS 610 Leadership, Ethics and Policing (3 c.h.) after successfully completing 12 hours of graduate level CJUS courses |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Elective Courses 1,2 | ||
| Choose 12 credit hours of elective courses | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
| 1 | Public Safety Professionals who graduate from a National or Regional Command College and who have received graduate credit from a regionally accredited sponsoring university, and who have not previously used such credit for a degree, may transfer up to 12 hours of graduate credit associated with the Command College to the Master of Science in Criminal Justice as experiential-learning credit |
| 2 | Choose from the following courses: Any 500-600 level course offered by the Helms School of Government. Other 500-600 level courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis or Elective Courses 1 | ||
| CJUS 689 | Thesis Proposal and Research 2,3 | 3 |
| CJUS 690 | Thesis Defense | 3 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
| 1 | Students may take two elective courses4 instead of CJUS 689 Thesis Proposal and Research (3 c.h.) and CJUS 690 Thesis Defense (3 c.h.) |
| 2 | Any student who is not ready for enrollment in CJUS 690 Thesis Defense (3 c.h.) after completing CJUS 689 Thesis Proposal and Research (3 c.h.) may be required, as determined by the student's thesis chair, to repeat CJUS 689 Thesis Proposal and Research (3 c.h.) until deemed ready for enrollment in CJUS 690 Thesis Defense (3 c.h.) |
| 3 | While CJUS 689 Thesis Proposal and Research (3 c.h.) may be taken more than once, only one enrollment in the course will be permitted to count toward degree completion |
| 4 | Choose from the following courses: Any 500-600 level course offered by the Helms School of Government. Other 500-600 level courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis |
All applicable prerequisites must be met
Graduation Requirements
- Complete 36 hours
- A maximum of 50% of the program hours may be transferred if approved and allowable, including credit from an earned degree from Liberty University on the same academic level
- 3.0 GPA
- No more than two grades of C may be applied to the degree (includes grades of C+ & C-)
- No grade of D or below may be applied to the degree (includes grades of D+ & D-)
- Degree must be completed within 5 years
- Submission of Degree Completion Application must be completed within the last semester of a student’s anticipated graduation date