Criminal Justice Degree Online

Matriculated students are those who have been admitted to a graduate program at Westfield State College. If you intend to work toward a degree, you must apply as soon as possible. A maximum of six (6) Westfield State College credits taken prior to acceptance may be applied toward your degree program. Advising is recommended.

Once matriculated, students must see the graduate advisor and work out a Program of Study in accordance with the requirements for a degree in their major program. The Program of Study will include the following:

1. prerequisites in the area of concentration;

2. a planned program of courses necessary for competency in the field of concentration;

3. elective courses.

The Program of Study form must be signed by the student and approved by the graduate advisor, the chair of the department, and the Dean. A copy of this form will be sent to the student and to the graduate advisor. The original will be kept in the student’s file.

Specific Degree Requirements:

Required Courses: (12 s.h.)

CRJU 0606 Criminological Theory I

CRJU 0603 Research Methods

CRJU 0613 Statistics

CRJU 0624 Administrative Theory of Criminal Justice

Elective Courses: (21 s.h.)

Completion of 21 recommended graduate semester hours in Criminal Justice

Requirements for Master’s Degree: 33 s.h.

Please see the following page for a description of program completion options.

Program Completion Options: MS in Criminal Justice

A.Comprehensive Examination Option:

This option is intended for individuals seeking a terminal degree or wishing to continue their education beyond the master’s degree. In this option, candidates must complete a total of 33 credit hours of coursework. Students are also required to successfully complete a comprehensive exam to demonstrate knowledge gained in coursework and to relate concepts across the curriculum The exam may be taken only after completing all required courses and a minimum of 27 credits within the Master’s program.

B.Capstone Experience Option

The capstone experience option is intended for individuals seeking a terminal degree. After completing 27 credit hours, the student will enroll in a six credit capstone experience. The capstone experience is a formal writing project on a scholarly topic, overseen by a faculty advisor. The student must submit an abstract for approval to the faculty advisor and a capstone committee before undertaking the project. After choosing the area and focus of the project, the candidate writes a scholarly paper. The work will include an abstract of approximately 150 words and an annotated bibliography. It is expected that the paper will be approximately twenty-five to thirty pages in length. The final work is evaluated by a faculty advisor and a capstone committee who have an expertise related to the focus of the student’s work. The Addiction Studies Concentration is the first capstone option for completion of the Criminal Justice Master’s program. A description of the concentration follows the Program Completion Options section.

C.Master’s Thesis Option

This option is intended for students who wish to continue their education beyond the master’s degree. The student is required to complete 27 hours in addition to the six credit hour thesis. However, the student may register for the thesis after completing 24 credits of graduate program coursework with a B or better GPA. With the approval of a thesis advisor, the student develops a significant problem for research and study. The work is to be of publishable quality and is evaluated by a thesis committee. After the work is complete, it is to be defended in a public forum. The student is also required to provide bound copies of the thesis to the Department of Criminal Justice, Westfield State College Library, and the Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education.

Addiction Studies Concentration

The course concentration will offer graduate students studying for the Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice the opportunity to become familiar with the symptoms of substance abuse, the functions of substance abuse counselors and the diverse populations served by an extensive network of treatment modalities. It will help to enable those employed in various positions in the criminal justice system to identify individuals suffering from substance abuse and to arrange the most appropriate handling of their cases in the criminal justice environment. The concentration will combine coursework in the Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Program with course offered in the College’s Addiction Counselor Education Programs. Please see the description for CRJU 0651 in the Criminal Justice course listings for more information about this 6-credit capstone option.

As such, the concentration will require students to study the following topics:

1. Substance Abuse and Criminal Justice,

2. The Delivery of Alcoholism/Chemical Dependency Treatment Services,

3. Counseling the Alcoholic and Other Chemically Dependent Persons,

4. Psychopharmacology,

5. Family Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Treatment, and

6. Co-occurring Disorders (Dual Diagnosis). The concentration will also include an Addiction Studies treatment facility.

The concentration itself will not be sufficient to meet the substance abuse counselor certification requirements of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is intended only to help students who have or who aspire to professional responsibilities within the criminal justice system for making decisions about the handling or arrestees, defendants, probationers, inmates and parolees. The concentration is intended to assist those criminal justice agents in becoming more proficient at recognizing the problems of alcoholism and chemical dependency and in formulating more effective recommendations regarding the diversion of arrestees to pre-trial resources, or the disposition of defendants’ cases, or referrals to appropriate agencies , or classification within the most effective correctional programs. It will also benefit those students who choose to continue beyond the Master’s Degree requirements to complete the requirements for certification as Addictions Counselor by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Capstone Paper

At the conclusion of the course students will be required to write a capstone paper demonstrating their mastery of the required course work and its application to individuals and to treatment service modalities as observed during the internship phase of their studies. In the capstone paper students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the methods for identifying alcoholic and chemically dependent individuals as well as a familiarity with the techniques and modalities for treating such persons individually and on a family basis within the framework of the criminal justice process. Additionally, the student should demonstrate an ability to recognize the existence of co-occurring disorders and an understanding of the psychopharmacological dimensions of the problem. In sum, the capstone paper will demonstrate the extent to which the student has mastered the essential concepts of the files.

Upon completion of the required courses, students will work with the Addiction Counselor Education Program and the Criminal Justice department to prepare a scholarly capstone paper. The paper will include an abstract of some 150 words and an annotated bibliography. The paper will be evaluated by three Westfield State College faculty who have expertise related to the focus of the student’s work.

Please consult with the Criminal Justice graduate advisor and with Dr. L. Michael McCartney, advisor for the concentration, for specific information about applying to and completing the Addiction Studies Concentration.

The Master of Criminal Justice in Juvenile Justice Education is an interdisciplinary program designed for individuals seeking to work with incarcerated youth in an educational setting and criminal justice and correctional professionals interested in working with youth in human service and community settings. Its focus is on providing knowledge and understanding of youthful offenders involved in the criminal justice system and how this impacts the education environment and process.

The curriculum includes courses in criminal justice and education that are designed to meet the program objectives. The student can choose either the Practitioner or Research option depending upon the student’s interests and career goals. The practitioner option requires 46 semester hours of coursework and successful completion of a comprehensive examination. The research option requires 52 credit hours of course work and a thesis.

Program Director: Professor Norman Groner

The Master of Science in Protection Management Program provides advanced professional education in theory, design, management and operation of fire and security protection, and emergency management systems. Programs and procedures, and their practical application, are explored in a variety of public, commercial and residential settings.

Program details:
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
Required Management and Analytic Courses
- Specializations
- Required Courses
Electives

Degree Requirements
The program requires 39 credits of coursework. The program director may waive one course from the degree requirements when a student documents job and educational experiences that cover the same content and learning objectives as the waived course. Students will specialize in fire protection, security management, or emergency management.

All students must either take a one-part comprehensive examination, composed of the core knowledge of the curriculum, to be administered twice annually, or complete PMT 752, which entails completion of a major research paper.

Additional information. Students, who enroll for the first time at the College in September 2002 or thereafter, must complete the program in the form presented here. Students, who enrolled in the Fire Protection Management Program prior to that date and have maintained matriculation, may choose the version of the Protection Management Program or the Fire Protection Management Program, in place at their time of enrollment.

Required Courses Subtotal: 15 credits

Protection Management 701 Introduction to Protection Management Systems
Protection Management 711 Introduction to Emergency Management
Protection Management 712 Theory and Design of Fire
Protection Systems Management 740 Safety and Security in the Built Environment
Protection Management 781 Risk Analysis and Loss Prevention

Required Management and Analytic Courses Subtotal: 12 credits

Public Administration 702 Human Resources Management
Public Administration 705 Organization Theory and Management
Public Administration 715 Research Methods in Public Administration or
Protection Management 715 Analytical Methods in Protection Management
Public Administration 744 Capital and Operational Budgeting

Specializations Subtotal: 9 credits

Complete three courses from a selected specialization:

Security Management
Select three courses

Criminal Justice 750 /Public Administration 750 Security of Information and Technology
Criminal Justice 754 /Public Administration 754 Investigative Techniques
Protection Management 753 Theory and Design of Security Systems
Protection Management 754 Contemporary Issues in Security Management

Fire Protection Management
Select three courses

Fire Protection Management 700 Introduction to Fire Protection
Fire Protection Management 703 Analysis of Building and Fire Codes
Fire Protection Management 751 Contemporary Fire Protection Issues

Emergency Management
Select three courses

Required Courses
Protection Management 791 Emergency Management: Preparedness and Response
Protection Management 792 Emergency Management: Mitigation and Recovery

Electives Subtotal: 3 credits

Protection Management 761 Technology in Emergency Management
Protection Management 762 Business Continuity Planning

Approved electives include all protection management courses not required under the concentration or other courses by permission of the program director.

Select one course
Criminal Justice 708 Law, Evidence and Ethics
Criminal Justice 713 White Collar Crime
Criminal Justice 716 Using Computers in Social Research
Criminal Justice 747/Public Administration 747 Computer Applications in Public Policy and Management
Psychology 723 Communication, Persuasion and Attitudes
Protection Management 752 Advanced Seminar in Protection Systems (by permission of instructor)
Public Administration 741 Administrative Law and Regulation

Program Director: Professor William Heffernan

Criminal justice is a rapidly expanding field of academic study central to the mission of the College. The aim of the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Program is to broaden the perspective of those already in the criminal justice profession and prepare students for further graduate work and scholarship. Its courses provide a general survey of the field covering research methods, causes of crime and analyses of the police, courts and correctional system. In addition, courses are offered in criminal law, crime mapping, cybercrime, information security and technology, as well as drug abuse and terrorism.

The program is designed for:
students, who wish to obtain a terminal master’s degree as a credential for entry into the criminal justice professions
those employed in the criminal justice system, who wish to acquire job-related knowledge or broaden their perspectives
those already employed in the criminal justice system, who seek to teach at the community college level or to obtain a post in some other area of the criminal justice system
those interested in an academic career in higher education, who wish to obtain a master’s degree before entering a doctoral program

Program details:
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
Electives
Specializations

Degree Requirements
The course requirements for the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice are 30–36 credits, depending on whether the thesis or the comprehensive examination track is selected.

Thesis Track
Students, who select the thesis track, must complete 30 credits of coursework. The thesis track includes 15 credits in the program’s core courses, 12 credits from elective courses and an additional 3 credits for the thesis prospectus. This option is available only to students who received a grade of A or A- in CRJ 715. Pursuit of the thesis track also requires permission of the program director.

Comprehensive Examination Track
Those who choose the comprehensive examination track must complete 36 credits of coursework and must pass the comprehensive examination. The Comprehensive Review Course (CRJ 793) is recommended but not required. If CRJ 793 is taken for credit, 18 additional credits of electives are needed. If not, 21 credits of electives are needed. Electives may be selected from any of the graduate courses offered at John Jay, subject to the approval of the graduate program director.

Required Courses Subtotal: 15 credits

Criminal Justice 710–711* Issues in Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice 715* Research Design and Methods
Criminal Justice 716 Using Computers in Social Research
Criminal Justice 730 Policy Analysis in Criminal Justice

* Students must complete Criminal Justice 710, 711 and 715 within their first 15 credits of courses.

Electives Subtotal: 12-21 credits

All students must complete the 15 core credits listed above. In addition, students must take from 12 to 21 credits in elective courses (depending on whether the thesis or comprehensive examination track is followed). Electives may be selected from any of the graduate courses offered at John Jay, subject to the approval of the graduate program director.

Specializations
Students must specialize in one of eight areas and take a total of 9 credits within the specialization selected. The specialization lists provided below are not intended to be exhaustive. The program director has discretion to accept courses other than those noted in determining whether a student has satisfied the specialization requirement. Students should consult with the program director before taking a course for specialization credit when that course has not been noted in the list of courses for the student’s specialization.

Experimental courses in the 800-level series can be used to fulfill a specialization requirement with the approval of the program director. Dual specializations are permissible if the student has fulfilled the requirements of both specializations.

Criminology and Deviance
Criminal Justice 701 The Sociology of Crime
Criminal Justice 712 Sex Crimes
Criminal Justice 713 White Collar Crime
Criminal Justice 714 Social Aspects of Alcohol and Drug Use
Criminal Justice 727 Cybercriminology
Criminal Justice 744 Terrorism and Politics
Criminal Justice 746 Terrorism and Apocalyptic Violence
Criminal Justice 766 Sociology of Delinquency
Criminal Justice 769 Deviant Behavior
Criminal Justice 770 Advanced Criminology
Criminal Justice 772 Treatment of the Offender
Criminal Justice 778 Victimology
Criminal Justice 783 Crime and the Media
Criminal justice 784 Organized and Transnational Crime
Psychology 701 Psychology of Criminal Behavior
Psychology 704 Epidemiology of Deviant Behavior

Criminal Law and Procedure
Criminal Justice 708 Law, Evidence and Ethics
Criminal Justice 725 Capital Punishment
Criminal Justice 732 United States Constitutional Law
Criminal Justice 733 The Constitution and Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice 734 Criminal Law
Criminal Justice 736 Seminar in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice 754/Public Administration 754 Investigative Techniques
Criminal Justice 785 The American Jury
Public Administration 741 Administrative Law and Regulation
Public Administration 760 Court Administration

Police Administration
Criminal Justice 739 Crime Mapping
Criminal Justice 751 Crime Scene Investigation
Criminal Justice 756 Problems in Police Administration
Criminal Justice 754/Public Administration 754 Investigative Techniques
Criminal Justice 757 The Police and the Community
Criminal Justice 759 Comparative Police Administration
Criminal Justice 760 History of Police Administration
Criminal Justice 761 Youth Crime and Delinquency Control
Criminal Justice 786 Problem-Oriented Policing

Correction Administration
Criminal Justice 703 Advanced Penology
Criminal Justice 704 Probation and Parole: Theory and Practice
Criminal Justice 728 Problems in Contemporary Corrections
Criminal Justice 749 Punishment and Responsibility
Criminal Justice 761 Youth Crime and Delinquency Control

Computer Applications in Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice 720/Public Administration 720 Computer Programming for Management and Analysis
Criminal Justice 727 Cybercriminology
Criminal Justice 739 Crime Mapping
Criminal Justice 747/Public Administration 747 Computer Applications in Public Policy and Management
Criminal Justice 750/Public Administration 750 Security of Information and Technology
Public Administration 711 Operations Research

Study of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Criminal Justice 714 Social Aspects of Alcohol and Drug Use
Criminal Justice 729 Drugs, Crime and the Criminal Justice System
Criminal Justice 775 Evaluation and Monitoring of Alcoholism Treatment Programs
Criminal Justice 776 Sociological Perspectives on Alcoholism
Criminal Justice 777 Alcohol Abuse and the Family

Investigative Techniques
Criminal Justice 708 Law, Evidence and Ethics
Criminal Justice 733 The Constitution and Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice 739 Crime Mapping
Criminal Justice 751 Crime Scene Investigation
Criminal Justice 754/Public Administration 754 Investigative Techniques

Juvenile Justice
Criminal Justice 704 Probation and Parole
Criminal Justice 729 Drugs, Crime and the Criminal Justice System
Criminal Justice 761 Youth Crime and Delinquency Control
Criminal Justice 766 The Sociology of Delinquency
Psychology 716 Psychology and Treatment of the Juvenile Offender

The Criminal Justice Program at the University of South Carolina Upstate is designed to provide present and future criminal justice professionals with the educational background necessary to be successful in a criminal justice career, graduate school, or law school. Criminal justice majors complete a course of study that includes the study of crime, criminals, courts, policing, corrections, and victims. The program is concerned with both theory and practice.

Criminal Justice Degree Requirements
Choose the catalog year you declare(d) your major.
Criminal Justice degree requirements Catalog Years 2005-2007
Criminal Justice degree requirements Catalog Year 2007-2008
Criminal Justice degree requirements Catalog Year 2008-2009
Criminal Justice Minor Requirements

Criminal Justice Internship Program

Crimnal Justice Internship Information
(Eligibility & Application Process)
Available Agencies
Criminal Justice Internship Application
Information for Agencies

Criminal Justice Field Study

New York City, May 2009

Criminal Justice Course Descriptions

Faculty News

University of South Carolina Upstate Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Reid C. Toth wrote several chapters for, and has co-edited a book just published by Pearson Education/ Prentice Hall, called In the Margins: Special Populations and American Justice.

In the Margins examines how African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, women, gays and lesbians, the disabled, the elderly, and religious groups are treated by the justice system in various roles such as offenders, victims, employees within the criminal justice system, or as members of the prison population.

“One of the consequences of the terrorist attacks of September 11 is that Americans are more aware of cultural differences and the discriminatory acts and attitudes towards minority groups,” says Toth. “The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive examination of how minority groups, including the traditional racial minorities and the other special groups that are often ignored such as the physically impaired, are treated within the American justice system.” Toth gathered the co-editors and writers together because she felt there was a lack of research literature dealing with special populations in the justice system.

The book’s eight contributing authors use criminological, anthropological, sociological and historical perspectives as they detail how each special population is treated by the justice system and within the justice system, making the book unique among texts that address minority issues. Each of the chapters discusses one of the minority groups and uses statistics as well as anecdotal discussions and general trends to present a picture of the group’s relation to and within American justice.

The thesis track requires 36 credits. Six (6) of those are related to work on the thesis.
The non-thesis track will require 36 credits plus successful completion of the comprehensive exams for which a student will register for one credit of CRIMJ 594, a comprehensive examination preparation course. This will bring the total number of credits to 37 for those students who take the comprehensive exam track.
Course credits must be at the 400-level or above with a minimum of 30 credits at the 500-level or above. This means that students may, in consultation with their academic adviser, take 6 credits of course work at the 400-level. These credits must not be for coursework already completed at the undergraduate level.
A minimum grade-point average of 3.0 must be earned and maintained for course work taken as a graduate student.
Students are required to take the following courses:
CRIMJ 500 ADVANCED CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY (3). Prerequisites: admission to program or permission of program
CRIMJ 501 QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3). Prerequisites: to be taken concurrently with CRIMJ 503, permission of program
CRIMJ 502 PUBLIC POLICY AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (3). Prerequisites: admission to program or permission of program
CRIMJ 503 ADVANCED STATISTICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3). Prerequisites: to be taken concurrently with CRIMJ 501, permission of program
CRIMJ 504 CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT (3). Prerequisite: permission of program (CRIMJ 501 and CRIMJ 503 are to be taken concurrently.)
Students who believe they have completed a course substantially similar to one of the specific course requirements may apply to have their previous work evaluated by the MACJ Program Coordinator for the purposes of exemption to that requirement. If approved, another course will be taken in place of that requirement.
A maximum of 6 credits of completed graduate work may be transferred in from another accredited institution.

The criminal justice program offers coursework leading to the M.S.C.J. Upon graduation, students will be prepared for agency employment or continued study in the field of criminal justice/criminology.

Degree and program plans require a minimum of 36 semester hours of credit, to include the following:

Required Core (36 Hours)

CJ 606 Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice (3)
CJ 610 Nature and Function of the American Judicial System (3)
CJ 614 Management and Policy in Criminal Justice Organization (3)
CJ 618 Crime in America (3)
CJ 622 Contemporary Issues in Corrections (3)
CJ 630 Victimology (3)
CJ 634 Advanced Criminal Procedure (3)
CJ 640 Methods of Research in Criminal Justice (3)
CJ 645 Advanced Statistical Applications (3)
CJ 650 Criminological Theories (3)
CJ 660 Comparative Criminal Justice (3)
CJ 690 Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement (3)
CJ 698 Comprehensive exam (0)

Optional (3 hours)

CJ 699 Independent Study/Research

In the last semester in which all other course requirements are expected to be completed, the student must register for CJ 698 in order to take a written comprehensive examination prior to graduation in order to complete the program.

COURSES

CJ 606. Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice.

An analytical approach to the controversies surrounding the juvenile justice process. Including the goals of the system, police-juvenile interaction, juvenile adjudication and corrections.

CJ 610. Nature and Function of the American Judicial System.

Structure and function of the American judicial system; judicial process, ethics and decision making in the criminal and juvenile courts.

CJ 614. Management and Policy in Criminal Justice Organizations.

Approaches to the effective management of criminal justice organizations, with specific emphasis on personnel management and policy implications. Specialized topics include management principles, organizational structures, legal mandates, and political and social influences.

CJ 618. Crime in America.

This course will focus upon the statistical patterns of specific crimes, the modus operandi of offenders, the social-psychology of specific types of offenders (rapist, arsonists etc…), techniques of crime prevention/protection, and potential solutions to the crime problem.

CJ 622. Contemporary Issues in Corrections.

An analytical examination of current issues in corrections, including those applicable to American prisons and jails, probation, parole, and correctional programs both within correctional institutions and in the community.

CJ 630. Victimology.

The study of victims and victimization, including sources of victimization data, patterns of victim/offender relationships, the role of victims in their own victimization, special needs of victim types, responses of the community, law enforcement, judicial and correctional systems to the needs of victims.

CJ 634. Advanced Criminal Procedure.

Investigation, pretrial procedure, trial procedure and sentencing, post-trial motions, appeals, reviews, and remedies in the criminal courts.

CJ 640. Methods of Research in Criminal Justice.

The application of the elements of scientific research to criminal justice; the implementation of research designs and tools; data processing analysis.

CJ 645. Advanced Statistical Applications.

An examination of the use of inferential statistics in the analysis of criminal justice data. Major course topics will include the analyses and applications of probabilities, chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, correlations, bivariate and multiple regression.

CJ 650. Criminological Theory.

A critical analysis of the major criminological theories and their empirical foundation with emphasis on current theory and research.

CJ 660. Comparative Criminal Justice.

A study of international expressions of law, police, courts, and corrections emphasizing how various countries organize and administer their formal social control efforts. This course aims to provide students with an opportunity to contrast American criminal justice practices with those of several countries so as to understand why criminal justice systems work as they do and what advantages and disadvantages are related to such expressions of criminal justice.

CJ 690. Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement.

An analytical examination of the controversies surrounding law enforcement practice, with primary emphasis on its functions, problems, administration, and interaction with other criminal justice agencies.

CJ 698. Comprehensive Examinations.

Orientation to and administration of written comprehensive examination for the M.S.C.J. program. A non-credit course required of all candidates to be taken the last term in which the student is expected to complete all other program requirements. A grade of “S” indicating satisfactory performance or a grade of “U” for unsatisfactory will be recorded on the transcript. A grade of “S” is required for graduation; may be repeated once. Prerequisite: student must have completed all other program requirements or be enrolled in the last course for program completion.

CJ 699. Independent Study/Research.

Guided independent study and/or research in an area related to criminal justice administration. Prerequisite: approval from department chair.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Criminal Justice degree at Loyola University Chicago offers professional education in critical thought, analysis research, administration and operations in the discipline of criminal justice. The program aims to create highly motivated, well-educated and thoroughly trained professionals and scholars ready to respond to the demands of today’s criminal justice challenges.

Courses for the M.A. in criminal justice are offered in the late afternoon or evening at Loyola’s Water Tower Campus in the heart of downtown Chicago. Both scheduling options and convenient class locations attract many working in the criminal justice field to complete their graduate degree at Loyola University Chicago.

This program offers two broad concentrations of graduate study. Flexibility within these two areas allows some individual specialization, for example, in the areas of police, courts or corrections. The concentrations are:
M.A. in Criminal Justice Administration
M.A. in Criminal Justice Research and Evaluation

Requirements for the master’s degree in criminal justice include:
30 hours of coursework completed with at least a 3.0 GPA.
An M.A. thesis, major research paper or field practicum.
Written comprehensive examination based on the core course curriculum.

For more information, please complete our online information request form.

FACULTY

Department Chair: Kimberly Tobin, Ph.D.

Department Coordinator: Betty Raymond

Department Office: 333 Western Avenue

Department Telephone: (413) 572-5309

Graduate Advisor: Judith McDonald, Ph.D.

Graduate Faculty: Victor Ascolillo, Ph.D., J.D.

William Cook, Ph.D.

Hamid R. Kusha, Ph.D.

Audrelee Dallam-Murphy, Ph.D.

L. Michael McCartney, Ph.D.

Judith McDonald, Ph.D.

Penny Martin, Ph.D.

Thomas Roscoe, Ph.D.

Stephen Smith, Ph.D.

Elizabeth Stassinos, Ph.D.

Kimberly Tobin, Ph.D.

Description of Program

The graduate program in Criminal Justice focuses on theoretical and applied issues in law enforcement, corrections, administration, and public law. Its goal is to further critical thinking about significant issues in crime and criminal justice. Offered at Framingham as well as Westfield, the program seeks to examine how the criminal justice system works. Judges, lawyers, managers, and criminal justice researchers supplement the faculty, bringing many practical considerations to the study of the discipline.

Graduate students are required to complete 33 graduate credit hours and a comprehensive examination or 27 graduate credit hours and a six-hour thesis. Some students may choose to satisfy the requirement for a culminating experience by completing the Addiction Studies Concentration, described below. For all three tracks, there are four required courses: Criminological Theory I, Research Methods, Administrative Theory of Criminal Justice, and Statistics. Each student is assigned an advisor who will assist in selecting courses and, if undertaking a thesis, a thesis advisor. Thesis advisors are members of the graduate faculty.

Admission Requirements

In order to be considered for admission to the program, a complete application must be presented for review, including:

1. Bachelor’s degree with a major or minor in any of the social sciences with a 2.7 GPA or a 3.0 for the last

two years of undergraduate studies, class ranking will also be considered;

2. Three professional or academic letters of reference;

3. An official GRE with a combined score of 950 on two sections or a MAT score of 45 or better;

4. A narrative statement about your professional goals, academic experience, factors which support your future

endeavors.

Applicants not fulfilling one or more of these requirements may be admitted to the program on a conditional basis by recommendation of the graduate committee, with the approval of the Dean. No application, however, will be reviewed until information on all requirements has been filed.

BS/MS track for high achieving students

1. Students with a GPA of 3.5 entering into their final semester or after completing their undergraduate degree would be considered for the program.

2. Students who are entering into their final semester at Westfield State College may be eligible to take two courses from graduate credit, assuming the 120 credits needed to complete their BS will be fulfilled independently of the MS coursework.

3. All students must apply for the program. They will be required to complete the entire application packet, WITH THE EXCEPTION of the standardized test requirement.

Matriculation Requirements

Matriculated students are those who have been admitted to a graduate program at Westfield State College. If you intend to work toward a degree, you must apply as soon as possible. A maximum of six (6) Westfield State College credits taken prior to acceptance may be applied toward your degree program. Advising is recommended.

Once matriculated, students must see the graduate advisor and work out a Program of Study in accordance with the requirements for a degree in their major program. The Program of Study will include the following:

1. prerequisites in the area of concentration;

2. a planned program of courses necessary for competency in the field of concentration;

3. elective courses.

The Program of Study form must be signed by the student and approved by the graduate advisor, the chair of the department, and the Dean. A copy of this form will be sent to the student and to the graduate advisor. The original will be kept in the student’s file.

Specific Degree Requirements:

Required Courses: (12 s.h.)

CRJU 0606 Criminological Theory I

CRJU 0603 Research Methods

CRJU 0613 Statistics

CRJU 0624 Administrative Theory of Criminal Justice

Elective Courses: (21 s.h.)

Completion of 21 recommended graduate semester hours in Criminal Justice

Requirements for Master’s Degree: 33 s.h.

Please see the following page for a description of program completion options.

Program Completion Options: MS in Criminal Justice

A.Comprehensive Examination Option:

This option is intended for individuals seeking a terminal degree or wishing to continue their education beyond the master’s degree. In this option, candidates must complete a total of 33 credit hours of coursework. Students are also required to successfully complete a comprehensive exam to demonstrate knowledge gained in coursework and to relate concepts across the curriculum The exam may be taken only after completing all required courses and a minimum of 27 credits within the Master’s program.

B.Capstone Experience Option

The capstone experience option is intended for individuals seeking a terminal degree. After completing 27 credit hours, the student will enroll in a six credit capstone experience. The capstone experience is a formal writing project on a scholarly topic, overseen by a faculty advisor. The student must submit an abstract for approval to the faculty advisor and a capstone committee before undertaking the project. After choosing the area and focus of the project, the candidate writes a scholarly paper. The work will include an abstract of approximately 150 words and an annotated bibliography. It is expected that the paper will be approximately twenty-five to thirty pages in length. The final work is evaluated by a faculty advisor and a capstone committee who have an expertise related to the focus of the student’s work. The Addiction Studies Concentration is the first capstone option for completion of the Criminal Justice Master’s program. A description of the concentration follows the Program Completion Options section.

C.Master’s Thesis Option

This option is intended for students who wish to continue their education beyond the master’s degree. The student is required to complete 27 hours in addition to the six credit hour thesis. However, the student may register for the thesis after completing 24 credits of graduate program coursework with a B or better GPA. With the approval of a thesis advisor, the student develops a significant problem for research and study. The work is to be of publishable quality and is evaluated by a thesis committee. After the work is complete, it is to be defended in a public forum. The student is also required to provide bound copies of the thesis to the Department of Criminal Justice, Westfield State College Library, and the Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education.

Addiction Studies Concentration

The course concentration will offer graduate students studying for the Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice the opportunity to become familiar with the symptoms of substance abuse, the functions of substance abuse counselors and the diverse populations served by an extensive network of treatment modalities. It will help to enable those employed in various positions in the criminal justice system to identify individuals suffering from substance abuse and to arrange the most appropriate handling of their cases in the criminal justice environment. The concentration will combine coursework in the Criminal Justice Master’s Degree Program with course offered in the College’s Addiction Counselor Education Programs. Please see the description for CRJU 0651 in the Criminal Justice course listings for more information about this 6-credit capstone option.

As such, the concentration will require students to study the following topics:

1. Substance Abuse and Criminal Justice,

2. The Delivery of Alcoholism/Chemical Dependency Treatment Services,

3. Counseling the Alcoholic and Other Chemically Dependent Persons,

4. Psychopharmacology,

5. Family Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Treatment, and

6. Co-occurring Disorders (Dual Diagnosis). The concentration will also include an Addiction Studies treatment facility.

The concentration itself will not be sufficient to meet the substance abuse counselor certification requirements of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is intended only to help students who have or who aspire to professional responsibilities within the criminal justice system for making decisions about the handling or arrestees, defendants, probationers, inmates and parolees. The concentration is intended to assist those criminal justice agents in becoming more proficient at recognizing the problems of alcoholism and chemical dependency and in formulating more effective recommendations regarding the diversion of arrestees to pre-trial resources, or the disposition of defendants’ cases, or referrals to appropriate agencies , or classification within the most effective correctional programs. It will also benefit those students who choose to continue beyond the Master’s Degree requirements to complete the requirements for certification as Addictions Counselor by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Capstone Paper

At the conclusion of the course students will be required to write a capstone paper demonstrating their mastery of the required course work and its application to individuals and to treatment service modalities as observed during the internship phase of their studies. In the capstone paper students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the methods for identifying alcoholic and chemically dependent individuals as well as a familiarity with the techniques and modalities for treating such persons individually and on a family basis within the framework of the criminal justice process. Additionally, the student should demonstrate an ability to recognize the existence of co-occurring disorders and an understanding of the psychopharmacological dimensions of the problem. In sum, the capstone paper will demonstrate the extent to which the student has mastered the essential concepts of the files.

Upon completion of the required courses, students will work with the Addiction Counselor Education Program and the Criminal Justice department to prepare a scholarly capstone paper. The paper will include an abstract of some 150 words and an annotated bibliography. The paper will be evaluated by three Westfield State College faculty who have expertise related to the focus of the student’s work.

Please consult with the Criminal Justice graduate advisor and with Dr. L. Michael McCartney, advisor for the concentration, for specific information about applying to and completing the Addiction Studies Concentration.

The University offers a Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. The Criminal Justice Graduate Program is designed to serve as a stepping stone to further graduate work, law school, or administrative research and management careers in the criminal justice system or the private sector. The Criminal Justice Graduate Program has three primary concentrations: Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Juvenile Justice. The program is responsive to the criminal justice needs in the public sector in specialized areas such as corrections, police administration, and Juvenile Justice.

The Graduate Program is designed to serve the following students:

Those seeking intermediate level administrative or research positions.
Those gainfully employed in the criminal justice system who wishes to broaden their perspective and advance in the system.
Those pursuing a teaching career at the community college level.
Those who plan to continue in a doctoral program, specifically in one of the cognate areas (criminology, criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement).
Those preparing to enter law school.

The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice requires a total of thirty-six (36) credit hours of graduate work.

Master’s with Thesis Option: The thesis option is recommended for those students wishing to conduct original research and those who wish to pursue law school or a doctoral degree in the future. This option requires students to take at least thirty (30) credit hours of approved graduate course work in addition to six (6) thesis hours for a total of thirty-six (36) credit hours for graduation. An oral defense of the thesis is required.

Master’s without Thesis Option: This option is intended for students and/or working professionals who elect additional hours of course work. Students who choose this option must take at least thirty-six (36) credit hours of graduate course work, approved by his or her advisor, along with a Comprehensive Examination in the final semester before graduation. The comprehensive must be registered for but offers no credit.

Criminal Justice graduate students are encouraged to join professional associations, and to attend conferences and meetings. Student participation in research presentations and round table discussions during regional and national conferences is encouraged.