Graduate Program in Criminal Justice

Overview

Boise State’s Master of Criminal Justice program offers an accelerated option for students who want to complete part of their graduate course requirements while finishing out their undergraduate degree. Students in the accelerated master’s program can enroll in up to 10 total credits of CJ graduate coursework, typically consisting of up to three, three-credit courses and one single credit course, all of them 500-level CJ courses during the last two semesters of their undergraduate studies.

Students may enroll in no more than 6 credit hours of 500-level coursework per semester. These 500-level courses can be used to satisfy the degree requirements for both a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Master of Arts in Criminal Justice degree. The remaining requirements for the MACJ degree are satisfied by the student in the semesters subsequent to the award of the bachelor’s degree. All requirements for both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees must be met.

An MA in Criminal Justice can…

• Increase chances for employment, promotion or acceptance into PhD programs
• Improve application for law school or law enforcement academy
• Opportunity to conduct research with criminal justice faculty
• Count electives toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees

Curriculum

View the program curriculum on the graduate catalog

Application Requirements

Current Criminal Justice BA Students

1. Completion of at least 75 credits required for the undergraduate degree, including a grade of B or higher in CJ 425 by the end of the application semester. Students must also complete CJ 426 with a grade of B or higher before progressing into the master’s program, but are not required to be enrolled or have a posted grade during the application semester.
2. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a 4.0 scale.
3. A minimum GPA of 3.40 on a 4.0 scale for all courses completed within their Criminal Justice undergraduate degree.

Current Students in Other Social Science Disciplines

Applicants from related social or behavioral science undergrad degrees must meet the academic and administrative requirements as outlined by the Graduate College, including cumulative GPA, program GPA, individual course grade requirements, and submission of required forms and documentation by the designated due dates.

1. For students from other social science disciplines, discipline-specific methods courses (e.g., ANTH 418, POLS 301, PSYC 321, PSYC 405, or their equivalents) will be considered as fulfilling the required coursework for admission, in place of Criminal Justice-specific methods course, provided students have earned a grade or B or higher.
2. Students must also earn a grade of B or higher in equivalent statistics courses in their respective disciplines to meet the same standards required for Criminal Justice courses.

Note: Meeting the listed eligibility standards does not guarantee acceptance into the accelerated master’s program. Acceptance is based upon an evaluation and recommendation provided by the Criminal Program to the Dean of the Graduate College who will make the final admission decision. The recommendation and decision will be based on the strength of the application materials and the applicant’s career trajectory.

How to Apply

Step 1: Submit an application to the Boise State Graduate College. When submitting a graduate admission application, students should select the “accelerated master’s degree program” option. Students selecting this option will see a statement explaining that admission is only available with prior department approval and asking them to verify that they are applying to an existing accelerated program. Students must read the information about accelerated programs and check the “yes” button to confirm that they are applying to an available accelerated program.

Step 2: Request official transcripts from all institutions previously attended to be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office, MS-1110, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725- 1110.

Step 3: Submit supplemental program application materials, including a Statement of Purpose which explains the student’s reason for seeking admission and what they hope to achieve in the program, and two letters of recommendation from professors competent to judge the student’s likelihood of success in a graduate program.

Financial Assistance

When students in the accelerated program complete their undergraduate degree requirements, they will receive their bachelor’s degree and will then be classified as graduate students to continue their studies in the MA-CJ program. At this time, they are eligible to receive financial support with a Graduate Assistantship. To be considered for these competitive Graduate Assistantship positions, students should apply in the senior year of their bachelor’s degree.

Students are subject to all academic performance requirements of the Graduate College, including semester GPA, program GPA, and individual course grade requirements. These requirements include maintaining a 3.0 GPA in the graduate level courses taken during their bachelor’s degree. Undergraduate students at other colleges and universities are not eligible to participate in this program.

Admission

Students admitted into the accelerated master’s program register for courses recommended by the Master of Criminal Justice during the last two semesters of their undergraduate career. Registering for any 500-level course requires the completion and approval of a Permit for Seniors to Take Graduate Courses form.

Up to 10 credits from the following 500-level courses may be taken as part of the accelerated program and may be applied toward both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements: CJ 500 (1); CJ 502 (3); CJ 505 (3); CJ 507 (3); CJ 508 (3); CJ 509 (3); CJ 514 (3); CJ 515 (3); CJ 516 (3); or CJ 597 (3).