BA in Criminal Justice & Masters in Criminal Justice 5-Year Degree Plan
Earning your bachelors and masters in Criminal Justice can be done in as little as five years!
The bachelor of arts in criminal justice and masters of arts in criminal justice accelerated program allows undergraduate students to combine courses and complete an undergraduate and graduate degree in a shorter time frame.
Your First Graduate Course Could Be Free!
Scholarship funds may cover the cost of your first graduate-level class! Complete the Single Scholarship Application and indicate that you plan to enroll in an accelerated master’s program at MSUM. This funding is available for Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 courses only. Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come basis, so complete your scholarship application by the priority deadline of Dec. 15 and talk to your advisor about pursuing the accelerated graduate program. Full details of the Accelerated Graduate Program scholarship funds.
If you are interested in the BA & MA in Criminal Justice program complete the online form.
Undergraduate students who meet the following requirements may enroll in graduate level courses:
- Completion of a minimum of 90 semester credits towards a bachelor’s degree.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
- Any course prerequisites must be satisfied.
- “Request by Undergraduate to Register for Graduate Credit” form must be signed and approved by the instructor and the Office of Graduate and Extended Learning in advance of registration.
- Graduate credits may be applied to meet requirements for the baccalaureate degree with approval from the graduate program coordinator and undergraduate advisor.
BA in Criminal Justice & MA in Criminal Justice Program Example of Course Sequencing
This roadmap is an example of possible courses you could take each semester for the next five years to fulfill the requirements for the 4+1 program bachelor of arts in criminal justice and master of arts in criminal justice degrees. Your individualized educational plan may differ from the suggested courses below, but you must still fulfill the 120 credits for the BA degree and the 30 credits for the MA degree (including undergraduate LASC (42 credits), four writing intensive (WI) courses, and residency requirements).
- Program: Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice & Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
- Total Credits: 150 (120 undergraduate credits and 30 graduate credits)
- Catalog: 2023-2024
First Year
| Curriculum | Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall (1st Fall) | |||
| LASC Goal 1A | COMM 100 | Speech Communication | 3 |
| LASC Goal 1B | ENGL 101 | English Composition | 3 |
| Core Requirement: | CJ 200 | Intro to Criminal Justice | 4 |
| LASC Goal 3 | CHEM 105 | Crime Scene Science | 3 |
| LASC Goal 4 | MATH 105 | Contemporary Mathematics | 3 |
| First-Year Experience Course | FYE 101 | First Year Experience | 1 |
| Total Credits: 17 | |||
| Spring (1st Spring) | |||
| LASC Goal 3 | AST 100 | Introduction to a Universe of Astronomy | 3 |
| Concentration Requirement: LASC Goal 5 | SOC 110 | Intro to Sociology | 3 |
| LASC Goal 6 | MUS 111 | The Art of Listening | 3 |
| LASC Goal 5 | PSY 113 | General Psychology | 3 |
| LASC Goal 6 /WI | ENGL 201 | English Composition II | 3 |
| Total Credits: 15 | |||
Second Year
| Curriculum | Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall (2nd Fall) | |||
| LASC Goal 7 | PHIL 120 | World Religions | 3 |
| LASC Goal 8/WI | GEOS 320 | Economic Geography | 3 |
| Restricted Elective: | CJ 201 | Intro to Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| LASC Goal 2 | ECON 100 | The American Economy | 3 |
| LASC Goal 10 | SOC 319 | Society and the Environment | 3 |
| Total Credits: 15 | |||
| Spring (2nd Spring) | |||
| Core Requirement: | CJ 300 | Criminology | 3 |
| Related Requirement: | SOC 350 | Methods & Stats for Social Research | 4 |
| Core Requirement: LASC Goal 5 | SOC 310 | Dominate-Subordinate Group Relations | 3 |
| Core Requirement: | CJ 337 | Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| LASC Goal 9/WI | PHIL 311 | Morals and Medicine | 3 |
| Total Credits: 16 | |||
Third Year
| Curriculum | Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall (3rd Fall) | |||
| Core Requirement: | CJ 335 | Criminal Law | 3 |
| Related Requirement: WI for major | SOC 451 or 452 | Qualitative or Quantitative Methods | 3 |
| Concentration Requirement: | SOC 120 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| Concentration Requirement: | SOC 302 | Social Theory | 3 |
| Restricted Elective: | SOC 303 | Punishment and Prisons | 3 |
| Total Credits: 15 | |||
| Spring (3rd Spring) | |||
| Restricted Elective: WI for major | CJ 309 | Law & Society | 4 |
| Restricted Elective: | CJ 301 | Delinquent Behavior | 3 |
| Restricted Elective: | SOC 220 | Social Deviance | 3 |
| Restricted Elective: choose one | CJ 497, CJ 390/490, CJ 469 |
Readings in Criminal Justice (1-3 cr), Special Topics (1-3 cr), Internship (1-12 cr) | 3 |
| Total Credits: 13 | |||
| *Apply to graduate school for the Criminal Justice program and complete the Request by Undergraduate to Register for Graduate Credit form. | |||
| Summer (3rd Summer) | |||
| Restricted Elective: | CJ 306 | Gangs | 3 |
| Restricted Elective: | SOC 210 | Social Problems | 3 |
| Total Credits: 6 | |||
Fourth Year
| Curriculum | Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall (4th Fall) | |||
| BA Restricted Elective: | POL 333 | Constitutional Law II Civil Rights and Liberties | 3 |
| BA Restricted Elective: | CJ 303 | Punishment and Prisons | 3 |
| BA Restricted Elective: | POL 330 | The Judicial Systems | 3 |
| BA Concentration Requirement: | PSY 261 | Personality | 3 |
| MA Restricted Elective: | CJ 544 | Sociology for Law Enforcement | 3 |
| Total Credits: 15 | |||
| Spring (4th Spring) | |||
| MA Restricted Elective: | CJ 500 | Seminar on Women and Crime | 4 |
| MA Restricted Elective: | CJ 545 | Drug Abuse Control Policy | 3 |
| BA Restricted Elective: | PSY 463 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| Total Credits: 10 | |||
| *Confer Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice | |||
Fifth Year
| Curriculum | Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall (5th Fall) | |||
| MA Core Requirement: | SOC 551 | Quantitative Methods (or SOC 552 Qualitative Methods in spring) | 3 |
| MA Core Requirement: | CJ 602 | Advanced Criminology | 3 |
| MA Core Requirement: | CJ 667 | Restorative Justice Theory and Practice | 3 |
| MA Restricted Elective: | CJ 688 | Research & Planning | 3-8 |
| Total Credits: 12-17 | |||
| Spring (5th Spring) | |||
| MA Core Requirement: | SOC 552 | Qualitative Methods (or SOC 551 Quantitative Methods in fall) | 3 |
| MA Core Requirement: | CJ 661 | Historical Trauma and Resilience | 3 |
| MA Restricted Elective: | CJ 615 | Criminal Justice Agencies and Professional Leadership | 3 |
| MA Core Requirement | CJ 696 | Project/Action Research & Oral Defense | 1-6 |
| Total Credits: 10-15 | |||
| *Confer Master of Arts in Criminal Justice | |||