Department of Justice Science - MS in Criminology and Criminal Justice

INTRODUCTION
The Department of Justice Sciences offers a program of study leading to the Master of Science Degree (MS) in Criminology & Criminal Justice. The program is divided into two tracks: the Traditional Program designed to prepare students to pursue doctoral-level study in criminology, criminal justice, or a related field and the Professional Program geared toward working professionals and designed to provide to them advanced training in such areas as research methods, program evaluation, and policy analysis. The required core curriculum for both tracks includes advanced courses in criminological theory, research methods, statistics, and criminal justice policy.

The MS curriculum is grounded in the study of crime and justice from the perspectives of sociology, political science, psychology, and law. The curriculum also stresses both theoretical and quantitative analyses. Beyond the core courses and electives, the Department also offers students areas of specialization that include white collar & corporate crime and computer forensics.

Graduates of the program have gone on to pursue doctorates in criminal justice and criminology at some of the finest doctoral training programs in the country or to careers in public and private-sector agencies in the criminal justice system at the federal, state, and local levels of government.

ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM

What are the minimum requirements for admission?
The UAB Graduate School has established minimum standards for admission into the MS Program in Criminology & Criminal Justice "in good standing." Minimum requirements for admission include: (1) evidence of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States, (2) a 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) computed either overall or for the last 60 hours of undergraduate credits earned (effective for those applying for admission Fall, 2007, the minimum acceptable GPA will increase to 3.3), (3) a combined score of 1050 on the verbal and the quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination. International students have additional requirements and are strongly urged to consult the Graduate School before seeking admission to the MS Program. All applications for admission to the MS Program in Criminology & Criminal Justice are made through the UAB Graduate School and not to the Department of Justice Sciences.

Are there additional admission requirements?
In addition to the established Graduate School minimum requirements, the Department of Justice Sciences requires students seeking admission to the MS Program to have completed an introductory-level undergraduate statistics course and an introductory-level undergraduate research methods course in which a grade of "B" or better was earned in each class.

What if I don't meet the minimum requirements for admission?
Students failing to meet the GPA and/or test score minimums described above but who are reasonably close, may still be admitted to the Program on probation. Students admitted "on probation" must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher by the time they have accumulated 12 semester hours of graduate credit or they will be dismissed from the program.

What if I meet the minimum GPA and test score requirements but do not meet the additional requirements?
A student who meets the minimum standards for admission, but either has not taken the additional courses or has not earned a grade of "B" or better in each class may be conditionally admitted to the program. However, before the student will be allowed to take any courses in the MS Program, he or she will be required to take the necessary statistics and/or methods course and earn a grade of "B" or better in each class.

What if I meet the minimum admission requirements but do not have a substantive background in Criminology/Criminal Justice?
A student seeking admission to the program who meets all of the admission requirements listed above, but who lacks a substantive background in criminology or criminal justice may be conditionally admitted to the program. These students will, however, be required to take remedial coursework before they will be allowed to enroll in any graduate-level courses. Typically, students will be required to take Introduction to Criminal Justice (JS100), Crime and Criminality (JS101) and Criminal Law (JS330) or their equivalents.

DEPARTMENT-BASED FINANCIAL AID

What kind of funding does the Department offer to students?
Students who are admitted into the program "in good standing" are automatically considered for Department-based funding that is awarded on a competitive basis. Funding may take one of three forms: (1) a Department-sponsored Research Assistantship, (2) a scholarship, or (3) research assistantships from research grants/contracts received by individual faculty members.

The Department-sponsored Research Assistantship includes a monthly stipend and partial waiver of tuition and fees in exchange for working 30 hours per week with a faculty member on his or her research projects. The Assistantship is granted for one year but is renewable for a second year. For the 2004-2005 academic year, the Research Assistantship totaled over $15,000.00 in benefits.

The Department also has scholarships available to qualified students. A scholarship award will typically pay for up to two classes per semester (four courses per year). The scholarship is renewable for a second year assuming the student remains "in good standing" in the program.

Individual faculty members in the Department of Justice Sciences may also have research assistantships available from grants they receive to fund one or more research projects. These assistantships typically pay the student a stipend in exchange for 30 hours per week of work on the project.

Tuition and Fees
Costs associated with pursuing the MS in Criminology & Criminal Justice are comparatively reasonable. Costs for tuition and fees during the 2005-2006 academic year are as follows:

Resident of Alabama
Tuition: $170.00 per semester hour
Student Services Fee: $42.00 (plus $8 per semester hour)
Student Building Fee: $32.00 (plus $3 per semester hour)
There may be additional, applicable fees.

Non-Resident of Alabama
Tuition: $425.00 per semester hour
Student Services Fee: $42.00 (plus $8 per semester hour)
Student Building Fee: $32.00 (plus $3 per semester hour)
There may be additional, applicable fees.

Additional tuition and fees information is available at the students.uab.edu website. Additional information, including how students may satisfy the residency requirement for in-state tuition, is available at the UAB Graduate School's home page. Students living in the southeast may also be able to take advantage of the Academic Common Market (ACM) which involves an agreement among more than a dozen southeastern states that allows students living in one state to pay in-state tuition while enrolled in graduate program in another participating state. Complete information on the ACM is found at the ACM home page.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

What is the deadline for making application?
Students are accepted into the program during the Fall of each year. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their completed application materials to the Graduate School no later than May 1st for Fall admission.Applications for the entering class for the Fall, 2007 will be due March 1st and this will become our new deadline for receipt of a completed package.

A completed application includes the following: application for admission, payment of application fee, GRE scores (and TOEFL scores for international applicants), transcripts from all post-secondary institutions the student attended, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Application forms are available on-line from the UAB Graduate School.

Graduate Record Exam Home Page
Information on the GRE, including practice tests, registration materials, and other important information for prospective graduate students.

General Information About Graduate Programs
Follow this link to learn more about graduate programs not only in criminal justice but disciplines in the social sciences, natural science and mathematics, the arts, and the humanities.

Program of Study
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Applying for Graduate Admission