Degree Requirements
A total of 30 credits is the minimum requirement for the degree regardless of concentration. All students must satisfactorily complete the following core courses at Saint Joseph's University:
Remaining coursework should be chosen to facilitate the student’s individual professional growth.
All Graduate Assistants and students who intend to do a thesis and, those who have a recent and substantial undergraduate preparation in research methods will be required to take SOC4075 Advanced Research Methods and Analysis in lieu of SOC4005.
NOTE: Students are not required to do a master’s thesis. However, those students who plan to continue their studies in a Ph.D. program are urged to do a master’s thesis. Arrangements for thesis supervision will be made through the Program Director on an individual basis.
MASTER OF SCIENCE—CRIMINAL JUSTICE
This program provides students the opportunity to enhance their theoretical foundation of criminal justice; develop cognitive skills including application of ethics, written and oral communications, critical thinking, reasoning, understanding and conducting research; and preparation for their professional future.
Core courses (four required, as specified under Degree Requirements) Electives (six required)
MASTER OF SCIENCE—CONCENTRATION IN ADMINISTRATION
INCLUDING POLICE EXECUTIVE
This program enhances the leadership, management, and administrative skills, knowledge, and ability of present and future senior and mid-level managers. The core courses develop cognitive skills at the graduate level. The specialized courses address the critical areas in the management of a contemporary criminal justice agency.
ADMINISTRATIONCore courses (four required, as specified under Degree Requirements) Specialized area courses (select any four listed below) SOC 4065 Law and Social Policy SOC 4165 Courts, Policies, and Administration SOC 4185 The Criminal Justice Process: Policy Values, Efficiency and Due Process SOC 4305 Law Enforcement Management SOC 4345 Criminal Justice Administration SOC 4395 Criminal Procedure: Investigation to Testimony SOC 4515 Diversity in Criminal Justice HED 4825 Leadership Principles MBA 4535 Empowering Human Potential at Work MGT 5015 Human Resources Management MGT 5205 Leading Change in Organizations MGT 5265 Leadership in Modern Organizations MGT 5295 Conflict Resolution POLICE EXECUTIVE SOC 4275 Community and Problem-Oriented Policing SOC 4295 Crime Analysis Using GIS Mapping SOC 4315 Police Executive Management SOC 4325 Technology for the Police Executive
Electives (two required) Selected from any Criminal Justice courses SOC 4555 Law Enforcement Intelligence: Policy and Process (recommended for police executives)
MASTER OF SCIENCE—CONCENTRATION IN INTELLIGENCE AND CRIME ANALYSIS
This program provides insights into the contemporary functions of law enforcement intelligence and crime analysis. The specialized courses develop the deliberative and cognitive activities and methodologies including crime mapping that produce intelligence information in support of decision-making at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels of law enforcement. Students will be prepared for the growing number of intelligence and criminal analyst positions at the federal, state, and local levels.
Core courses(four required, as specified under Degree Requirements) Required concentration courses SOC 4545 Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis SOC 4555 Law Enforcement Intelligence: Policy and Process Specialized area courses (select any two listed below) SOC 4295 Crime Analysis Using GIS Mapping SOC 4405 Organized Crime: Targets and Strategies SOC 4215 White Collar Crime SOC 4385 Drugs: Threats, Laws, and Strategies SOC 4415 Terrorism: Threats and Strategies SOC 4595 Electronic Intelligence Analysis Elective (two required) Selected from any Criminal Justice course.
MASTER OF SCIENCE—CONCENTRATION IN BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT AND JUSTICE
This program is intended to assist case managers and other professionals providing services to criminal justice system clients with behavior needs and/or chemical dependency. The core courses develop cognitive skills at the graduate level. The specialized courses cover criminal justice and health, adults and juveniles.
Core courses (four required, as specified under Degree Requirements) Specialized area courses(select any four listed below)
SOC 4255 Therapeutic Strategies in Criminal Justice SOC 4205 Mental Health and the Law SOC 4435 Youth Cultures and Deviance SOC 4245 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency SOC 4805 Foundations of Addictions for Criminal Justice Professionals HED 4885 Addictions HED 4855 Stress and Crisis Management HED 4865 Behavioral Health of Children and Youth HED 4815 Concepts of Mental Health Behavior Analysis SOC 4605 Basic Principles of Behavior Analysis in Criminal Justice SOC 4615 Applied Behavior Analysis for Criminal Justice Personnel SOC 4625 Behavior Analysis: Consultation for Criminal Justice Personnel SOC 4635 Behavioral Development for Criminal Justice Personnel SOC 4645 Clinical Behavior Analysis for Criminal Justice Personnel
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) has approved courses SOC 4605 through SOC 4645 as meeting the coursework requirement for taking the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Examination. Applicants will have to meet additional requirements to qualify.
Effective Fall 2005, those taking the BACB examination at that time or later, will need five courses for 15 credits with 225 contact hours including courses SOC 4605, 4615, 4625, 4635, and 4645.
Electives (two required) Selected from any Criminal Justice course.
MASTER OF SCIENCE—CONCENTRATION IN PROBATION, PAROLE, AND CORRECTIONS
This program is intended to assist professional probation, parole, and correction officers or those interested in entering these or other community-based positions to address the fundamental client and organizational problems that might confront them.
Core courses(four required, as specified under Degree
Requirements)
Specialized area courses(select any four listed below)
SOC 4105 Contemporary Criminology: Scope and Application
SOC 4145 Problems in Contemporary Corrections
SOC 4155 Contemporary Probation, Parole, and Community
Corrections
SOC 4185 The Criminal Justice Process: Policy Values,
Efficiency and Due Process
SOC 4245 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency: Issues
and Responses
SOC 4435 Youth Cultures and Deviance
SOC 4515 Diversity in Criminal Justice
SOC 4525 Criminal Jurisprudence
SOC 4805 Foundations of Addictions for Criminal
Justice Professionals
HED 4885 Addictions
Restorative Justice
SOC 4125 Victimology
SOC 4445 Victim-offender Mediation
SOC 4475 Restorative Justice: Theory
SOC 4485 Restorative Justice: Practice
Electives (two required)
Selected from any Criminal Justice course.
MASTER OF SCIENCE—CONCENTRATION IN FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
This program provides background, foundation and advanced knowledge of law enforcement at the federal level. The specialized courses develop the necessary cognitive skills and methodologies including critical thinking, analytical reasoning, legal application, and professional writing to support interdiction, investigation, prosecution, and post conviction of federal crimes. Students will be prepared for positions throughout the federal criminal justice system including investigation, inspector general, prosecution support, various correctional roles, and uniform divisions.
Core courses (four required, as specified under Degree Requirements) Required concentration courses SOC 4505 Federal Criminal Justice SOC 4495 Federal Criminal Law and Prosecution Specialized area courses(select any two listed below) SOC 4215 White Collar Crime SOC 4365 Federal Search and Seizure SOC 4375 Forensic Financial Analysis SOC 4385 Drugs: Threats, Laws, and Strategies SOC 4405 Organized Crime: Targets and Strategies SOC 4415 Terrorism: Threats and Strategies Electives (two required)
Selected from any Criminal Justice courses with the following recommendations. Students interested in investigative positions should consider courses from the specialized area courses and/or the Law Enforcement Intelligence and Crime Analysis concentration. Students interested in federal probation, parole, corrections, or pre-trial services should select courses from the Probation, Parole, and Corrections concentration and may substitute one additional course for one of the specialized area courses.
MASTER OF SCIENCE—CONCENTRATION IN CRIMINOLOGY
The concentration in criminology is specifically designed for those students interested in the theoretical rather than the applied aspect of criminal justice. The program is directed toward those who wish to pursue careers in the academic field or who intend to continue into doctoral programs in criminal justice, criminology, law, or sociology.
Core courses (four required, as specified under Degree Requirements) Specialized area courses(select any four listed below) SOC 4045 Crime, Police, and Punishment SOC 4065 Law and Social Policy SOC 4105 Contemporary Criminology: Scope and Application SOC 4125 Victimology SOC 4175 Violence and Victims SOC 4435 Youth Cultures and Deviance SOC 4455 Gender, Crime, and Justice SOC 4465 Violence Between Intimates SOC 4475 Restorative Justice: Theory SOC 4525 Criminal Jurisprudence SOC 4535 Crime and Urban Communities SOC 4805 Foundations of Addictions for Criminal Justice Professionals Electives (two required) Selected from any Criminal Justice course. Students who plan to continue their studies in a Ph.D. program are urged to do a masters thesis. See course SOC 6005 for details.
POST-MASTER'S CERTIFICATE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Students who earned a Master's degree in criminal justice or a closely related discipline may update/expand their knowledge or expertise through this certificate program. There are several options including Criminal Justice Administration; Federal Law Enforcement; Intelligence and Crime Analysis; Police Executive Administration; Probation, Parole, and Corrections; Behavior Management and Justice; Criminology, Behavior Analysis, Restorative Justice, and Criminal Justice. Each certificate requires successful completion of eighteen credits (six courses) including four courses from a prescribed group and two free electives (see the concentrations specified above).