Master of Science in Criminal Justice

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration offered by the University of Great Falls is appropriate for individuals who have baccalaureate degrees in sociology or criminal justice or who are currently working in an area of criminal justice.

The number of career opportunities in the field of criminal justice is unprecedented. The demand for university educated personnel is a result of society's rapidly evolving political and social changes which reflect a renewed interest in and need for effective administration of the nation's criminal justice system. There are many areas of expertise within the broad scope of the criminal justice field. This graduate program addresses not only the pedagogy of criminal justice, but also the fundamentals of managerial science as applied in a criminal justice setting. Students will learn to recognize and resolve policy decisions and management issues regarding law enforcement, courts, and corrections,

Students who have completed graduate course work in Criminal Justice may be able to transfer up to 6 credits. The course work must be from an accredited institution, with grades of B or better. The course work may not be older than 5 years at the time of transfer. Credit cannot be given for experiential work completed prior to enrollment in the program. Once enrolled, students may complete field experiences, internships and independent study under the supervision of a faculty member, provided that experience has been approved by a full-time member of the graduate faculty and administration. Students may complete the entire MCJ degree on-line.

 

The primary goal of the Criminal Justice program is to educate professionals in both the theory and application of criminal justice, and in the management and administration of criminal justice agencies. Faculty within the department strives to develop students’ abilities for critical thinking and analytical reasoning.

The Master of Criminal Justice students have a number of unique characteristics. First, upon entering the program, the majority of the students have had extensive exposure and academic understanding of the criminal justice system. Second, students graduating with the Master in Criminal Justice must be prepared to pursue a variety of careers, including further graduate school, law school, and a variety of management positions within the criminal justice system.

A central goal of the Master in Criminal Justice Program is to promote critical thinking, social justice and civic responsibility through an academic curriculum designed to ensure that all students master the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of the criminal justice through a multi-disciplinary lens.

The mission of the Criminal Justice program is three-fold:

• To provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the structure, operation, and management of the criminal justice system
• To provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how criminal justice relates to other social structures and institutions, and how those structures and institutions impact criminal justice.
• To prepare students to employ critical thinking, social justice, and civic responsibility in their decision-making processes as they pursue their careers and encounter life situations.

 

Objectives

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• Make evident an understanding and command over key concepts, theories and data regarding society and the criminal justice system.
• Be able to critically evaluate social research.
• Demonstrate their ability to formulate a problem/topic, assemble relevant published background research, include an original explanation, conduct a new study, and/or provide new data toward the topic in a formal research paper or proposal.
• Display a working knowledge of quantitative and/or qualitative research methods.
• Exhibit an understanding of and ability to apply criminological theories in explaining the criminal justice process.
• Make evident an understanding of the process of management and supervision of personnel.
• Demonstrate their ability to fiscally manage an organization and to pursue revenue and manage expenses.
• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of substantive areas within the discipline of criminal justice. For example, such areas of specialization can include, but are not limited to, law enforcement, the courts and law, and corrections.
• Exhibit an understanding of ethics and obligation of service to others.

 

Core Curriculum

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Course Number	Course Name	Credits
MHS 503	Budgeting and Fnancing Organizations	3
MSC 516	Statistics and Research Methods	3
MHS 504	Organizational Communication	3
MHS 508	Personnel Management and Administration	3
MCJ 541	Criminal Justice System	3
MCJ 542	Criminal Law and the Courts	3
One of the following two courses:		3
MCJ 543	Administration of Law Enforcement Agencies
MCJ 544	Corrections: History, Management and Alternatives
MCJ 545	Juvenile Justice System	3
MCJ 547	Psychology of Criminal Behavior	3
	Approved Electives*	6
	Total	33

 

* See course descriptions for these MCJ approved electives:

Course Descriptions

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MCJ 541 Criminal Justice System. An encompassing view of the discrete elements which comprise the criminal justice system and their interrelatedness.
3 credits

MCJ 542 Criminal Law and the Courts. This course explores criminal offenses and the response of society to these offenses.
3 credits

MCJ 543 Administration of Law Enforcement Agencies. Managerial theories and management styles pertinent to the management of law enforcement organizations is the subject of this course.
3 credits

MCJ 544 Corrections: History, Management, and Alternatives. This course is a constructive exploration of the field of corrections, emphasizing the historical development of corrections, correctional management and critical analysis of the use of alternatives to incarceration.
3 credits

MCJ 545 Juvenile Justice System. Explores the various agencies and organizations which make up the juvenile justice system. These agencies are charged with intervening in the lives of the offender. Topics include historical background, definitions, system development and other areas of interest.
3 credits

MCJ 546 At Risk Youth. Constructive exploration of the dysfunctional behavior of young people and the factors that cause this behavior. Dysfunctional behavior includes, but is not limited to, teenage violence, risky sexual behavior, and drug and alcohol abuse.
3 credits

MCJ 547 Psychology of Criminal Behavior. This course explores the current and prevailing theories of human criminal behavior. Topics range from the possibility of genetically based behavior to the various models of social and personal deprivation.
3 credits

MCJ 595 Internship. On-the-job experience in a criminal justice agency/organization, arranged and coordinated by a MCJ faculty member. Twenty hours of duty per week for each credit. Candidates may offer no more than six credits of 33 for degree completion. Arrangements for specific placement must be made prior to the term of enrollment with an MCJ instructor and host organization. All grades are Pass and Fail. The internship must be completed at an approved center. Prerequisite: Admitted MCJ candidate and prearrangement with advisor
1-3 credits arranged.

MCJ 600 Professional Development Seminar. Students may attend with approval a professional conference related to their field of study and complete further research on an approved topic. Prerequisite: Approval of MCJ instructor and internet access required
1-3 credits