Criminal Justice, MS

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice program is designed for working professionals or practitioners who desire to improve their current level of proficiency or develop enhanced capabilities to enhance marketability in today’s criminal justice workforce. Students may enter the program in either the General Track or the Public Administration concentration.

The Criminal Justice General Track offers a comprehensive and flexible curriculum designed for students seeking a broad understanding of criminal justice while allowing for additional focus in various sectors of criminal justice such as public administration, cybersecurity, and financial crime prevention.

The concentration in Public Administration is designed to provide basic foundational courses in criminal justice, as well as courses to develop  knowledge and skills necessary for the effective and efficient administration and management of public sector organizations and agencies with a public safety, homeland security, or social service focus. The concentration focuses the student’s education to help prepare them for leadership positions in public sector and public safety agencies, with a particular emphasis on the development of core knowledge areas and administrative skills, such as strategic planning and assessment.

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice program requires successful completion of 48 quarter credit hours. Students have the option to move through the General Track or the Public Administration concentration track. Courses for this program are conducted in an online delivery format through a competency-based education (CBE) approach. The faculty model utilized is designed for a 1:1 faculty/student relationship that promotes and involves substantive faculty/student interaction. The faculty engage students through a variety of multimedia presentations, conversations, and qualitative and quantitative feedback.

The program is intended for working professionals currently in their designated field who are seeking a graduate degree to expand professional opportunities. The program design focuses on providing students with real world practical applications and exercises in which they can both demonstrate their prior knowledge and understanding and application of new knowledge and skills that can be directly applicable to their current and future professional responsibilities.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates completing the program will accomplish the following outcomes:

1. Demonstrate effective skills in written assignments and online interaction with peers and faculty.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of various criminal justice technological implications for effective collaborations and use in contemporary criminal justice agencies.
3. Identify and discuss the essential theoretical and practical concepts used in the criminal justice system.
4. Interpret and analyze scholarly research related to the criminal justice field and apply it to real world issues and contemporary practice.
5. Articulate understanding of the role of critical stakeholders in the criminal justice system and how these roles and interactions influence desired outcomes in criminal justice systems.
6. Discuss the role and function of criminal justice managers in contemporary criminal justice agencies.
7. Demonstrate and articulate understanding of a range of special topics related to existing criminal justice systems and how they influence the effective administration of justice.
8. Discuss the importance of community collaboration and partnerships in achieving positive criminal justice system outcomes.
9. Demonstrate cognitive skills and capabilities when analyzing historical or current problems related to the criminal justice field.

MS Criminal Justice, Public Administration Concentration Additional Learning Outcomes:

1. Articulate an advanced understanding the nature of public administration and its function with the American political system.
2. Identify and discuss the principles theories and practices related to directing a public sector organization. Specifically:
   • The principles and practices of organizational behavior and leadership.
   • Advanced knowledge of the principles legal environment affecting public sector management.
   • An understanding of the concepts, principles and assessment practices involved in the strategic planning process in public sector organizations.

Admission Requirements

Applicants interested in the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program are required to meet individually either in person or via telephone with an admissions representative to discuss the program and all requirements. 

• Applicants must provide a completed South College application for admission and application to the program.
• Applicants must provide evidence of completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education (related undergraduate preferred) with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.

Academic Participation and Withdrawal

Participation Policy

New students in their first term must participate and complete one competency/module within the first 28 days of the term.  Failure to participate within this period will result in the student being administratively withdrawn from the program.  Additionally, students must complete one formative or summative assessment with the first 28 days of any subsequent term to remain active for the term.

Continuing students, those in their second and subsequent terms, must submit at least one assessment within the first 28 days of a continuing term. Failure to participate within this period will result in the student being administratively withdrawn from the program.

If a student wishes to withdraw from the program, a withdrawal request is considered to be official when the student notifies the Registrar’s Office or the Dean of Academic and Student Services, CBE. No other college official has the authority to accept official withdrawals from the program. Students are requested to submit a withdrawal request in writing via their South College email address.

Administrative Withdrawal Policy

If at the end of a term, at least 50% of one course has not been completed and the student has been inactive for more than 60 days, the student will be administratively withdrawn from the program. If a student, who has been administratively withdrawn (due to non-participation), wishes to continue with the program, the student must formally re-apply through standard admissions process.

Reinstatement and Re-entry after Withdrawal

Within 7 days of a withdrawal request, a student may request to be reinstated to the program. The student must send their written reinstatement request to the President of Competency-Based Education. Reinstatement is not guaranteed and is at the discretion and approval of the President of Competency-Based Education.

If a student would like to re-enter the CBE program after withdrawal outside of the 7-day grace period for reinstatement, the student must apply for re-entry to the CBE program by sending a written re-entry request to the President of Competency-Based Education. Re-entry, if approved, may not be within the same 6-month term and will only be approved in a subsequent 6-month term.

Withdrawal Policy (within term)

If a student withdraws before the 5th month of any 6-month term, the student will be issued a W grade for any uncompleted courses, unless the student was on academic probation for not completing a course the prior term. In this case, the student will receive a letter grade of F for the course.

If a student withdraws after the 1st day of the 5th month of any 6-month term, any course that is not completed will be assigned the letter grade of F.

Academic Standards, Candidate Progress, and Grading

Upon entering the graduate program, students are encouraged to confer with their Student Success Mentor as needed. Student academic progress is monitored each 6-month term to ensure satisfactory progression, which is considered mastery of at least two courses per 6 month term. A student who has not completed a course by day 1 of the 4^th month of the term will be placed on Academic Warning. Students who do not meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) within 60 days of being placed on Academic Warning must complete an Academic Plan by day 1 of the 6^th month outlining how they will reach course completion. The Academic Plan must be signed, approved, and on file prior to the start of the next term.  

Students who complete the minimum requirement of two course completion by the end of the term will be removed from Academic Warning and return to Good Standing. Students who do not complete the minimum requirement of two course completion per term will be placed on Academic Probation at the end of the term. Students who do not gain approval for an Academic Plan before the end of the term are not eligible for the 28 day probationary period and will be dismissed from the program. A student may only be placed on Academic Probation one time.

Students placed on Academic Probation who do not complete the required two courses within 28 days of the next consecutive term are not eligible to progress and will be notified of dismissal from the program.

Students who were  dismissed or voluntarily withdrew from the program and who wish to return to the program must submit a formal application for re-entry. Program requirements in effect at that time of approved reentry must be met. A student may only be readmitted to the program one time.

Student deficiencies that may impact academic standing, which may include probation or dismissal from the program, are monitored by the Student Success Mentor.

Categories of Academic Standing for Program Candidates are:

• Good Standing: Status of a student who has met academic requirements in a satisfactory manner.
• Academic Warning: Status of a student whose academic performance places him/her in jeopardy of falling below the minimum stated grade required or progression. Students who have not completed a course by the 1^st day of the 4^th month of their term will be placed on Academic Warning.
• Academic Probation: Status of a student who has failed to receive mastery in at least two courses within a 6-month term.  Following a 28-day period of Academic Probation during the next consecutive term with an Academic Plan approved and in process, the student will either return to Good Standing by satisfactorily completing the minimum required courses during the probationary period or be dismissed from the program for not completing the minimum required courses. Students may only be placed on Academic Probation one time.

Grading

Course Instructors determine mastery of competencies and the resulting final grade in all courses. The requirements of each course are found in the course syllabus.

Letter Grade	Q.P.	Percentage Score Range
A (Mastery)	4.00	90-100%

Grievance Process

Students are encouraged to discuss any concern with their advisor. If satisfaction cannot be attained at this level, and the students wants to make his/her concern official at the School of Legal Studies level, the student must complete a Grievance Form. Every effort will be made to resolve the concern at the School of Legal Studies level. If the grievance cannot be resolved at that level, the students should then follow the College’s grievance process outlined in the current South College Catalog and Student Handbook available on the institutional website and on the Student Portal.

Graduation Requirements

For a student to graduate from the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program, the student must be in a good academic and professional standing, have had satisfactory progress in all quarters of the academic program, and satisfactorily complete the following:

• Successfully complete the required quarter credit hours of academic coursework.
• Evidence a minimum cumulative grade point average of 4.00 or A for the required coursework.
• Achieve a designation of “mastery” for all course competencies.
• Complete all required South College and program documents in preparation for graduation.
• Honor all professional and financial obligations to South College.

South College reserves the right, and the student, by the act of matriculation, concedes to give South College the right to require withdrawal at any time the college deems it necessary to safeguard the standards of scholarship, conduct, and compliance with regulations, or for such other reasons deemed appropriate by South College as set forth in the South College Student Handbook and/or the South College Catalog.