Criminal Justice Master’s Program

Our Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice is available to Saint Anselm College criminal justice, forensic science, cyber criminology undergraduate students and alumni or those who are earning or earned a minor in criminal justice.

The program offers two options: the Accelerated 4+1 program or the traditional master's program.

Through the Criminal Justice Accelerated 4 +1 Program students complete their B.A. degree and then their M.A. in five years. Students accepted to the program will take undergraduate courses and two graduate courses simultaneously in their senior year. After graduating with their B.A., students finish their M.A. the following spring. There are two tracks students can pursue with the accelerated 4 + 1 program. Students can complete the thesis track or the professional track. With the thesis track, students will enroll in two semesters of thesis work. Instead of enrolling in the thesis courses, the professional track has students enroll in specific, substantive courses.  Both tracks require the completion of 44 credits. Both tracks begin spring semester of the student’s senior year.

The Criminal Justice Master’s Program allows alumni to return to the Hilltop to complete their Master of Arts degree. There are two tracks that an alumnus can pursue. A non-thesis track, referred to as a professional track, which would begin fall semester. Students in this track would take two substantive courses instead of the two thesis courses. The second option, a thesis track, would begin spring semester. Both tracks require the completion of 44 credits.

Course Sequence:

The Criminal Justice Accelerated 4+1 Program - Thesis Track

Courses Term
Advanced Research Design (CJ 475/500; 4cr.) Spring term (Traditional)
Descriptive & Inferential Statistics (CJ 490/CJ 620; 4cr.) Spring term (Traditional)
Understanding Crime Analysis (CJ 610; 4cr.) Summer term (I) (follows summer schedule)
Master's Thesis (CJ 700; 4cr.) Summer term (II) (follows summer schedule)
Advanced Criminological Theory (CJ 600; 4cr.) Summer term (III) (follows summer schedule)
Law & Justice Seminar (CJ 630; 4cr.) Fall term (Traditional)
Victimization Seminar (CJ 650; 4cr.) Fall term (I) (First 7.5 weeks)
Administration of Justice (CJ 510; 4cr.) Fall term (II) (Second 7.5 weeks)
Master's Thesis (CJ 700; 4cr.) Spring term (Traditional)
ST: Pol Tech, Big Data & The Law (Cyber Crim.)- (CJ 665; 2cr.) Spring term (I) (First 7.5 weeks)
ST: Forensics- (CJ 675; 2cr.)
or
Crime Mapping (CJ XX; 4cr.)
or
Internship (CJ 685; 4cr.)
Internship (Traditional)*
Issues & Trends (CJ 660; 4cr.) Spring term (II) (Second 7.5 weeks)

* Students can choose a 10 hour a week internship that runs the entire semester or complete the two credit special topics options, or the Crime Mapping Course. 
 

The Criminal Justice Accelerated 4+1 Program - Professional Track

Courses Term
Advanced Research Design (CJ 475/500; 4cr.) Spring term (Traditional)
Descriptive & Inferential Statistics (CJ 490/CJ 620; 4cr.) Spring term (Traditional)
Understanding Crime Analysis (CJ 610; 4cr.) Summer term (I) (follows summer schedule)
Crime Typologies (CJ 640; 4cr.) Summer term (II) (follows summer schedule)
Advanced Criminological Theory (CJ 600; 4cr.) Summer term (III) (follows summer schedule)
Law & Justice Seminar (CJ 630; 4cr.) Fall term (Traditional)
Victimization Seminar (CJ 650; 4cr.) Fall term (I) (First 7.5 weeks)
Administration of Justice (CJ 510; 4cr.) Fall term (II) (Second 7.5 weeks)
Crime Mapping (CJ XX; 4cr.) Spring term (I) (First 7.5 weeks)
ST: Pol Tech, Big Data & The Law (Cyber Crim.)- (CJ 665; 2cr.)
ST: Forensics- (CJ 675; 2cr.)
or
Internship (CJ 685; 4cr.)
Spring term (I) (First 7.5 weeks)
Internship (Traditional)*
Issues & Trends (CJ 660; 4cr.) Spring term (II) (Second 7.5 weeks)

* Students can choose a 10 hour a week internship that runs the entire semester or complete the two credit special topics options.
 

The Criminal Justice Accelerated 4+1 Program - Thesis Track (Starts spring term)

Courses Term
Advanced Research Design (CJ 475/500; 4cr.) Spring term (Traditional)
Descriptive & Inferential Statistics (CJ 490/CJ 620; 4cr.) Spring term (Traditional)
Understanding Crime Analysis (CJ 610; 4cr.) Summer term (I) (follows summer schedule)
Master's Thesis (CJ 700; 4cr.) Summer term (II) (follows summer schedule)
Advanced Criminological Theory (CJ 600; 4cr.) Summer term (III) (follows summer schedule)
Law & Justice Seminar (CJ 630; 4cr.) Fall term (Traditional)
Victimization Seminar (CJ 650; 4cr.) Fall term (I) (First 7.5 weeks)
Administration of Justice (CJ 510; 4cr.) Fall term (II) (Second 7.5 weeks)
Master's Thesis (CJ 700; 4cr.) Spring term (Traditional)
ST: Pol Tech, Big Data & The Law (Cyber Crim.)- (CJ 665; 2cr.)
ST: Forensics- (CJ 675; 2cr.)
or
Internship (CJ 685; 4cr.)
Spring term (I) (First 7.5 weeks)
Internship (Traditional)*
Issues & Trends (CJ 660; 4cr.) Spring term (II) (Second 7.5 weeks)

*Students can choose a 10 hour a week internship that runs the entire semester or complete the two credit special topics options, or the Crime Mapping course. 
 

The Criminal Justice Accelerated 4+1 Program - Professional Track (Starts fall term)

Courses Term
Law & Justice Seminar (CJ630; 4cr.) Fall term (Traditional)
Victimization Seminar (CJ 650; 4cr.) Fall term (I) (First 7.5 weeks)
Administration of Justice (CJ 510; 4cr.) Fall term (II) (Second 7.5 weeks)
Advanced Research Design (CJ 475/500; 4cr.) Spring term (Traditional)
Descriptive & Inferential Statistics (CJ 490/CJ 620; 4cr.) Spring term (Traditional)
Issues & Trends (CJ 660; 4cr.) Spring term (II) (Second 7.5 weeks)
Understanding Crime Analysis (CJ 610; 4cr.)  Summer term (I) (follows summer schedule)
Crime Typologies (CJ 640) Summer term (II) (follows summer schedule)
Advanced Criminological Theory (CJ 600; 4cr.) Summer term (III) (follows summer schedule)
Internship (CJ 685; 4cr.) or Special Topics Course (4cr.) Fall term (Traditional)
Crime Mapping (CJ XX; 4cr.) Fall term (I) (First 7.5 weeks)

 

Learning Objectives:

Student achievement and success can be examined through assessment of the Criminal Justice 4 + 1 Learning Objectives: 

  • Demonstrate an advanced understanding and comprehension of the criminal justice system. This includes having the ability to conceptualize, analyze, and theorize the changing nature of crime, social order, and justice issues.
  • Students will be able to assess the relevance of historical and current criminological theories to evidence-based practices and contemporary public policy.
  • Articulate key concepts in criminology and criminal justice and master content in upper-level specialization courses.
  • Acquire the methodological and analytical skills to interpret available information related to the criminal justice system and various justice issues; including the ability to assess, analyze, and evaluate the effectiveness of various policies and laws governing the operation of the criminal justice system and its function in society.
  • Integrate knowledge of the criminal justices system to contribute to the ever-growing and increasingly interdisciplinary field.
  • Prepare students for career advancement, especially as they relate to leadership roles within their agency, company, or organization.

 

Program Requirements for Admission:

  • Minimum of 96 semester credits.
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of the application’s submission for the required courses: Introduction to Criminal Justice, Theories of Crime, Research Methods in Criminal Justice (or equivalent), Statistical Techniques for Criminal Justice (or equivalent), one criminal justice law course (Criminal Law, Criminal Procedures, or Evidence), and any CJ course (a systems course or any Criminal Justice elective).
  • For those students who have below a 3.0 GPA, they will be required to submit two criminal justice faculty letters of recommendation that detail the justification for their success in the program.  
     

Required application materials include:

  • Completion of the online application form including a $65.00 application fee.  
  • Unofficial Saint Anselm College transcript if you are a current student and official transcript if you are a graduate. This will be uploaded with your application. Directions are found in the application link.
  • For those that have a 3.0 GPA, one faculty letter of recommendation from the Criminal Justice Department is required. For those under the 3.0 GPA requirement, the applicant will need to submit a second letter from a Criminal Justice faculty member detailing the justifications for considering the candidate. You will submit the Criminal Justice Faculty member’s email on your application. A link will then be sent to your letter writer(s).
  • For alumni that have a 3.0 GPA, one faculty letter of recommendation from the Criminal Justice Department is required. For those under the 3.0 GPA requirement, the applicant will need to submit a second letter from the Criminal Justice faculty detailing the justifications for considering the candidate. If the alumnus cannot find a second letter writer, s/he/they can ask an employer to speak on their potential success in program. You will submit the Criminal Justice Faculty member’s email on your application. If a second letter is required and an employer will be used you will submit the employer’s email on your application. A link will then be sent to your letter writer(s).
  • For those applying for consideration for the graduate assistantship, results from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required. Your scores will be uploaded with your application.
  • A statement of purpose explaining the motivation for pursuing graduate study for those applying for the graduate assistantship is required. This document will be uploaded with your application.
  • For those pursuing the thesis track or applying for the graduate assistantship, you will be asked to share your research interest on the application including a possible research question(s) you plan on exploring with your Master’s Thesis.
     

Program requirements:

  • Students falling below a 3.0 CGPA will be placed on Academic Probation, ultimately determined by the Office of the Dean. A student will return to good standing in the program upon earning the minimum CGPA after one term of probation. If the student is unable to raise their CGPA to the 3.0 threshold, s/he will be terminated from the program. 
  • Any student receiving merit aid must earn a minimum 3.0 CGPA. If a student falls below the 3.0 GPA threshold, s/he will lose their merit aid for the remainder of the program. Merit aid will be divided between the fall and spring semester during the student’s fifth year. For returning alumni pursuing the thesis track, merit aid will be divided and distributed between the fall and spring semester. Alumni pursuing the professional track, merit will be divided equally by the three terms (both fall terms and spring term).
  • A student must earn a B- or better in each course or they will need to repeat that course. This means that they would need to wait until that course is offered again and re-enroll (i.e., pay) for this course.
  • Students may withdraw at any time from the ABM program by informing the Director of the Graduate Program in writing, completing the Notice of Withdrawal form and completing the 4 + 1 Withdrawal Survey. An undergraduate student who either withdraws or is denied continuation in the ABM program will be able to complete the traditional B.A. degree. 
  • If a student decides to take a leave of absence s/he/they will have three years from the point of the start of the program to resume studies. After this time the student must reapply for acceptance into the program. 

The deadline for application submission is 5 p.m. June 1st for students applying for the Criminal Justice Master’s Program - both thesis and professional tracks - and August 1st for students applying for the Criminal Justice Accelerated 4 +1 Program – also both thesis and professional tracks. This includes all supporting materials: Transcripts, Letter(s) of Recommendation, Statement of Purpose, and GRE scores for those individuals who are applying for the graduate assistantship.

 

Admission Timeline

Spring Advising Session of Junior Year

Students should discuss interest and academic standing with their adviser.

Spring of Junior Year

Students should ask faculty for letters of recommendations.

June 1

Deadline for submitting Criminal Justice Master’s Program (Alum) application and supporting materials. There is a $65.00 application fee

June 30

Complete the GRE for those that are interested in applying for the graduate assistantship or for those students who have graduated prior to the spring of 2016. It can take as long as four weeks for your official scores to arrive at your designated schools and therefore it is suggested to complete the GRE by the end of June. Test Centers and Dates

July 1

Decision letters sent to applicants for the Master’s Program (Alum). For those receiving merit aid this will be included in the acceptance letter. Graduate Financial Aid is predominantly in the form of loan-based aid for those who qualify, we strongly encourage you to complete the FAFSA by July 15th. Visit FAFSA website for more information. This information may be needed for notification of cost sent early August.

August 1

Deadline for submitting the 4+1 application and supporting materials. There is a $65.00 application fee.

August 1 Notification of the costs sent out to admitted Criminal Justice Master’s Program (Alum).

August 14

August 14th Deadline for accepting offer of admission to the Criminal Justice Master’s Program (Alum) and for submission of a non-refundable $750.00 deposit.

September 1

Decision letters sent to applicants. For those receiving merit and/or athletic aid this will be included in the acceptance letter.

October 15

Graduate Financial aid is predominantly in the form of loan-based aid for those who qualify, we strongly encourage you to complete the FAFSA by Oct. 15thVisit FAFSA website for more information

Mid-November

Notification of the costs sent out to admitted students.

December 1

Deadline for accepting offer of admission to the 4+1 program and for submission of a non-refundable $750 deposit.  

Fall pre-registrations TBD

Seniors or alumni who are interested in the 4+1 program should enroll in spring graduate courses.

Spring pre-registrations TBD

Admitted students register for summer graduate courses.


Cost of the Program

The Saint Anselm College Accelerated Criminal Justice 4+1 Program is financially competitive with other regional programs. Tuition is based on $675 per credit, with the cost for each 4-credit course being $2,700. There is an additional comprehensive fee of $700. This results in a total tuition cost of $25,000 for the graduate portion of the Accelerated Master’s Degree.  

The Criminal Justice Master’s Program total tuition is $30,400.

The comprehensive fee helps the college provide students with a variety of services that enhance their academic and student life experiences. The fee provides access to services such as the Geisel Library, fitness center, campus-wide Wi-Fi, free tickets to Saint Anselm College athletic events, career services, printing up to 1,000 pages each academic year, discounted tickets to events held at the Dana Center, and Health & Wellness services which provide a wide range of confidential medical, health, and counseling services, and technologies on and off-campus. In addition, a portion of this fee contributes to the CJ department in support of programming activities.  

Financial aid at the graduate level is predominantly loan-based and subject to the terms and conditions set forth by the provider(s).  

 

Attendance Policy - Athletics & Employment

Students are expected to attend all classes either in person or remotely. It is up to the discretion of the professor teaching the course to decide what constitutes an excused absence and what does not. That is, absences for work, practice, or games may not be considered acceptable. For this reason, students should meet with the professor prior to the start of class to provide and discuss the student’s athletics and employment schedule. Coursework and due dates are outlined in course syllabi and must be adhered to in order to successfully complete a course. Any absence will negatively affect the grade in the course and, in some cases, may result in course failure. It may be suggested to the student if they cannot attend in person or remotely to refrain from enrolling in the course.
 

Incomplete Policy for Master’s Thesis CJ 710

Students granted an incomplete for CJ 710 Master’s Thesis II will have the opportunity to submit a second draft on June 1st for feedback. The committee will have two weeks to provide the student with comments. The final thesis submission and defense will take place the last week in July. At the conclusion, the student will be granted the master’s degree or informed that they will not be receiving the degree. Students can appeal the decision by emailing the Dean of the College and Graduate Director seven (7) days from being notified of the committee’s decision. At the discretion of the Dean of the College and the Graduate Director, a student might be eligible to re-enroll in CJ 710 Master’s Thesis II.
 

Requirements for Graduation

Requirements for the 4 + 1 in Criminology and Criminal Justice Master of Arts degree are satisfied upon successful competition of forty-four (44) credits. Students who begin the program in spring of their senior year will earn 36 credits at the graduate level and returning alumni 44 credits.

Candidates for degrees must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and earn a B- (2.67) or higher in all program courses. Failure to earn the B- or better requires a student to repeat the course. A student may still be eligible to walk at graduation if they only need to repeat one course, due to not earning the B- or better. If a student fails a course, they will not be eligible to walk at graduation.

Students pursuing the thesis track, if granted an Incomplete for CJ 710 - Master’s Thesis II, will still be eligible to walk at graduation if they have maintained the cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or higher and will not be repeating another graduate course in which they earned below a B-.

If a student is assigned an Incomplete in any graduate course aside from CJ 710 - Master’s Thesis II, they may not participate in graduation until the course is successfully completed.

Only those students who have met all graduation requirements are eligible to participate in the commencement activities.

For students who have matriculated full-time, the expectation is that requirements for the degree will be completed within three years from the date of initial enrollment in the program.

No student will be recommended for graduation who has not satisfied the faculty and administration of the College as to standards of character and sufficient accomplishment in scholarship.

An application for degree and intent to graduate form must be completed and submitted to the Registrar’s office.

 

Criminal Justice Policies

For more information on graduate policies pertaining to a Master’s in Criminal Justice please see the College Catalog, Programs by Area: Majors and Minor: Masters of Art: Criminal Justice Master’s Program. Graduates will find information pertaining to add/drop/withdrawal of graduate courses, admission requirements, leaves of absence, course repeat policies, auditing a course, academic standing, matriculated and non-matriculated status, and the graduate grade appeal procedures.

 

Graduate Student Handbook

For information pertaining to rules, policies, and guidelines applicable to the graduate community at Saint Anselm College please see the Graduate Student Handbook (come back soon for more information!).

Application

Once students complete the form, they will receive an email with information to log in and access the actual application.

Apply Now »

Frequently Asked Questions

The Saint Anselm College Accelerated Criminal Justice 4+1 Program is financially competitive with other regional programs. Tuition is based on $675 per credit, with the cost for each 4-credit course being $2,700. There is an additional comprehensive fee of $700. This results in a total tuition cost of $25,000 for the graduate portion of the Accelerated Master’s Degree.  

The Criminal Justice Master’s Program total tuition is $30,400.

Email

For questions concerning the program, please email Professor Kaitlyn Clarke at kclarke@anselm.edu.