Internet Masters program
Criminal Justice Internet
Applications for the Criminal Justice Internet Masters program are screened for fall and spring semester entry. All application material must be received before February 1 for consideration for the following fall semester and by September 1 for consideration for the following spring semester. Please send all application materials to the following address:
Criminal Justice Internet Masters Program
Michigan State University
560 Baker Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
Application materials include:
- Application for Graduate Study at Michigan State University. May be downloaded or submitted online. The major code for the Criminal Justice Internet Masters program is 4702. A check or money order for the application fee, payable to Michigan State University, must accompany the application if it is not submitted online.
- Application to the School of Criminal Justice. May be submitted online.
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended (a transcript of work at MSU is not required). Please send ONE copy of each. Applicants must have or be near completion of their bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general scores from an exam taken within the last five years. The GRE exam is waived for candidates with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher or for applicants with a completed graduate degree. Please note that your overall GPA will be determined by combining the credits and quality points earned throughout your undergraduate studies. Test preparation material and information about test dates can be found at www.gre.com. Please note when scheduling your exam that it may take 4-6 weeks for your scores to be forwarded to the university and this department. The institution code for MSU is 1465 and the departmental code is 2202. Admission requires scores at or above the 50th percentile.
- A personal statement of your academic and professional goals. This should include information about your motivation to study criminal justice, a description of relevant research and/or work experience, and any other information about yourself that you would like the admissions committee to know.
- Three letters of recommendation from people who can comment on your ability to perform graduate work.
At least two letters must be from tenure-track faculty from your undergraduate or graduate institution, if you have graduated within the past five years. It is important for the Graduate Review Committee to obtain an outside evaluation and recommendation from a person who has an understanding of your time management skills, abilities and work progression. The recommender must be familiar with the demands and rigor of graduate eduation, and must comment on the candidate's potential sucess in the program. Please use the Recommendation for Admission form found in the Application for Graduate Study at Michigan State University. The form should be included with all letters of recommendation.
- International students must submit Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL, exam scores. Students from countries where the primary language is English may have the TOEFL requirement waived at the discretion of the department. Please contact the graduate secretary at burrier@msu.edu to determine whether the requirement may be waived.
Please note: While a criminal justice undergraduate major is not required for admission to the program, the applicant must have a background of education and occupational experience appropriate to the successful pursuit of graduate work. Applicants insufficiently prepared for graduate studies in criminal justice may be required to complete collateral coursework or pursue individualized study.
Applicants must have at least 12 credits of undergraduate coursework in political science, economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, social work, or any combination of such courses. At least six of these credits must be in sociology, psychology, social work or any combination of such courses.
A limited number of applicants who do not satisfy the school's regular admission requirements may be admitted on a provisional basis. The decision to grant provisional admission is based on the student's potential contributions to the field of criminal justice, and is offered at the discretion of the department. A student may be enrolled on a provisional basis for only two semesters and must be admitted on a regular basis to be considered a degree candidate.
If you have questions about the program, please contact Peg Kowalk at kowalkm@msu.edu.
For questions about the application procedure, contact Melissa Christle at burrier@msu.edu.