Program in Criminal Justice School of Public Affairs St. Cloud State University

Master of Science in Criminal Justice at St. Cloud State University

Since 1972, the Department of Criminal Justice has offered "academic, career-oriented" programs that have a liberal arts foundation. These programs prepare individuals for careers in a number of areas including law enforcement, courts, corrections, juvenile justice, and private security.

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice program at St. Cloud State University can be completed in as little as 3 semesters of full-time study. It offers students advanced courses, cutting-edge research opportunities, and accomplished and supportive faculty members.

Students may also pursue the program on a part-time basis. Furthermore, they can take courses on campus or online, or complete the program entirely online.

MS in Criminal Justice Options

The MS in Criminal Justice program has 3 specializations: criminal justice administration, criminal justice counseling, and elective track. The program also has 2 courses of study: Plan A and Plan C.

Plan A includes a minimum of 15 credits of research courses, at least 3 credits of core courses, at least 3 credits of seminar courses, and a minimum of 15 credits in specialization courses. Students in Plan A also complete master's theses and oral defenses of their theses.

Plan C consists of a minimum of 9 credits of research courses, at least 3 credits of core courses, at least 3 credits of seminar courses, 12 credits of application and implementation courses, and a minimum of 15 credits in specialization courses. Students in Plan C also complete professional portfolios of projects and papers as well as preliminary and final oral examinations pertaining to the portfolios.

MS In Criminal Justice -- Criminal Justice Administration Specialization

Students who pursue the criminal justice administration specialization have nearly 40 courses to choose from. This allows them to focus their studies in particular areas -- such as gangs, juvenile justice, administration, or corrections -- or take a broad range of courses.

Courses include "Criminal Law," "Corrections Alternatives," "Spatio-Temporal Crime Analysis," and "Philosophy of Law and Punishment." The curriculum also includes a practicum and a course that focuses on readings in a specific topic.

MS In Criminal Justice -- Criminal Justice Counseling

The criminal justice counseling specialization courses are taken on campus. All students complete the following courses: "Counseling Theories;" "Small Group Process;" "Counseling Procedures;" and "Family, School, and Organizational Partnerships."

They also complete at least 3 credits of courses from a diverse offering that includes the following: "Ethical Studies in Criminal Justice," "Correctional Alternatives," "Criminal Justice and the Media," and "Current Problems and Issues in Criminal Justice."

MS in Criminal Justice -- Elective Track

Students and their advisers create specialization curricula based on students' needs, career goals, and academic interests.

Financial Assistance

Graduate students in the criminal justice program at St. Cloud State University may qualify for loans, scholarships, and employment. Program, research, and teaching graduate assistantships are available. Each assistantship includes a salary and tuition waivers.

Graduate assistantships consisting of 20 hours a week for the academic year. Reward: 8-credits of tuition waiver for both fall and spring semester and a $10,000 salary (stipend).

MS in Criminal Justice Degree -- Career Benefits

A master's degree in criminal justice can lead to career advancement and higher starting salaries. Since students also gain skills in research and statistics, they graduate from the program prepared to build careers in public policy and research.

Experienced and Accomplished Faculty

Faculty members in the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program are practitioners in the field as well as academicians. Therefore, they bring both practical experience and theoretical knowledge to the classroom.

For example, Dr. John H. Campbell has more than 30 years of investigative, administrative, educational, and managerial experience with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

As another example, Dr. Mary Clifford has extensive teaching experience and has received many awards and honors for her work. She has also published books and articles in scholarly journals.

Faculty Research

Faculty members conduct research on a wide-variety of topics including gangs, extremist groups, substance abuse, state and war crimes, corrections, and ATM crime. They are also actively involved with national and international professional criminal justice organizations.

Student Population

The MS in Criminal Justice program serves the needs of a diverse range of students including individuals with no professional experience in the field and those who are currently employed in the field.

It is also designed for people who have experience in the field but want to acquire new competencies. Furthermore, those who want to increase their general knowledge of criminal justice, criminal justice research methods, and micro computing to advance their careers also benefit from the program.

Additionally, the program is ideal for individuals whose goals are to teach, conduct research, or pursue doctoral study.

St. Cloud State University

Founded in 1869, St. Cloud State University is located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, in the Midwestern region of the United States. It offers 200 academic programs to more than 17,000 students; these academic programs include 60 graduate programs.

As the 2nd largest university in the state, St. Cloud State has a full range of recreational and social options including events and activities, art and theatre, 250 clubs and organizations, NCAA athletics, club sports, intramurals, outdoor endeavors, and indoor recreational activities.

St. Cloud State University is situated along the Mississippi River in a metropolitan area that provides many shopping, cultural, entertainment, and recreational options. Furthermore, it is located just 1 hour northwest of the culturally-diverse and vibrant Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *Not Reported
• Out-of-state tuition *Not Reported
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year feesNot Reported
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitNot Reported
• Application deadlines for financial awardsNot Reported
• Types of financial support availableGraduate Assistantships

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students85
• Female Percentage71%
• Male Percentage29%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students85
• Part-time Percentage44%
• Full-time Percentage56%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino2%
• Black / African American2%
• White / Caucasian91%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native1%
• Asian0%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races0%
• Unknown4%

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty29
• Full-time Percentage28%
• Part-time Percentage72%
• Female Percentage21%
• Male Percentage79%