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COLLEGE OF PUBLIC POLICY

DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Master of Science in Justice Policy

The Master of Science in Justice Policy (M.S. in Justice Policy) is designed to provide students with competency in policy planning and evaluation, and skills for managing justice agencies in complex and dynamic environments. The program assists students to develop and apply research expertise to the study and resolution of contemporary justice policy problems.

Program Admission Requirements. To qualify for unconditional admission, applicants must satisfy University-wide graduate admission requirements and submit all transcripts. Applicants admitted unconditionally as a degree-seeking student must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or equivalent training at a foreign institution; a grade point average of 3.0 or better in the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate work as well as all previous graduate work; 18 hours in criminal justice, criminology, or a closely-related discipline, or professional experience in the justice system; coursework in criminology theory, organization theory and research methods; good standing at the last institution attended; and the recommendation of the Justice Policy Graduate Admissions Committee. Students who do not meet these criteria may be admitted conditionally or on probation as degree-seeking depending on the nature of the deficiency. Admission as a special student may be considered by the Admissions Committee upon request of the applicant.

Degree Requirements. The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the degree, exclusive of coursework (CRJ 5033) or other study to remove deficiencies, is 36.

Degree candidates must complete the following requirements:

  1. 21 semester credit hours of core courses:

    CRJ 5073 Research Methods
    CRJ 5083 Quantitative Analysis
    CRJ 5123 Justice Policy Formation and Implementation
    CRJ 5133 Management of Justice Organizations
    CRJ 6363 Paradigms of Justice Policy
    CRJ 6373 Crime Theory and Justice Policy
    CRJ 6503 Applied Policy Research

    Students are expected to complete core courses (with the exception of CRJ 6503 Applied Policy Research) within their first 21 hours of coursework. Normally, students should enroll in CRJ 5073 Research Methods and/or CRJ 5123 Justice Policy Formation and Implementation in their first two semesters, unless these courses are not offered. CRJ 6503 should only be taken in the student’s final semester. Students may take CRJ 5033 Independent Foundation Studies up to three times to develop foundation knowledge in three key areas. Credit hours in CRJ 5033 may not be used toward the degree.

  2. 15 semester credit hours of prescribed electives from the following. Up to 6 hours of elective credits may be taken outside of the discipline in related UTSA graduate programs with approval of the Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR).

    CRJ 5053 History of Justice Policy Development
    CRJ 5323 Program Evaluation: What Works, What Doesn’t
    CRJ 6003 Decision Analysis in Criminal Justice Settings
    CRJ 6103 Seminar on Topics in Theory of Crime and Justice
    CRJ 6113 Advanced Research Applications
    CRJ 6123 Seminar on Topics in Research Methods
    CRJ 6203 Seminar on Topics in Corrections Policy
    CRJ 6223 Ethics and the Practice of Social Control
    CRJ 6303 Seminar on Topics in Policing and Crime Control
    CRJ 6403 Seminar on Topics in Law, Society and Justice Policy
    CRJ 6951,3 Independent Study
    CRJ 6961 Comprehensive Examination

  3. Thesis Option includes 6 semester hours of Master’s Thesis. Students may enroll in CRJ 6991,3,6 Master’s Thesis after 24 semester credit hours. To enroll in one semester hour of Master’s Thesis, a student must already have completed six semester hours in that course. The Thesis Option requires compliance with UTSA Thesis Requirements and a thesis defense. See Section IV of the Policies and Procedures for the Master of Science in Justice Policy Program for additional information. Students electing the Thesis Option will request to have CRJ 6503 Applied Policy Research and 3 credit hours of prescribed electives waived, for a total of 36 program credit hours.

  4. Comprehensive examination. Degree candidates are required to pass an oral comprehensive examination. The examination is administered in the form of a presentation of the exit paper, written by the student in the required CRJ 6503 Applied Policy Research course, to a faculty committee. Candidates for the Master’s degree will complete the comprehensive examination requirement in a successful proposal defense. Students must register for one semester credit hour of Comprehensive Examination for the semester in which the examination is to be taken, if they are not enrolled in other courses.

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