Master of Criminal Justice at East Carolina University

The Criminal Justice is a Master degree offered by East Carolina University at its main campus in Greenville , United States of America. The program is delivered on campus as a Full Time course in English and requires approximately 2 years to complete. Students study at the university's main campus while gaining the knowledge and practical experience expected for this area of study. The next intake is available from August 21, 2027.

About Master of Criminal Justice

Are you a current criminal justice professional looking to move up in your career? Are you interested in advanced study in criminal justice or criminology?

East Carolina's graduate degree in criminal justice gives students the opportunity to tailor their studies to their individual applied or academic interests. The master's program provides extraordinary learning and leadership opportunities with the national criminal justice honor society, field experience, international study abroad, independent study or research with faculty mentors, and graduate assistantships.

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Program Coordinator: Michele Stacey (245 Rivers Building; 252-328-5559; [email protected])

The master's program in criminal justice prepares students to become highly skilled and competent professionals who are equipped to seek advancements in the criminal justice profession, teach on the community college level, or pursue a terminal degree in criminal justice or a closely related field. Students must complete 18 s.h. of core courses, 18 s.h. of electives, and can choose to obtain certification in security studies, public management and leadership, or criminal justice education. To obtain certification in criminal justice education students must complete 18 s.h. of required core and elective courses. A professional paper is required for completion of the master's degree in criminal justice.

A minimum of 36 s.h. of credit is required as follows:

1. Core - 18 s.h.

JUST 6000 - Criminal Justice Principles
JUST 6001 - Seminar in Research Methods and Statistical Interpretation
JUST 6201 - Seminar in Criminal Behavior
JUST 6300 - Principles of Criminal Justice Administration and Management
JUST 6800 - Program Evaluation (Applied)
JUST 6991 - Professional Paper

2. Electives - 18 s.h.

JUST courses

Admission Requirements

Each applicant is reviewed individually by the admissions committee. One criterion does not determine acceptance or rejection. A bachelor's degree from an accredited academic institution with a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale is required. Transfer credit must be established at the time of admittance.

Applicants must submit 1) official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work since graduating high school, 2) three current letters of reference from professional or academic sources , and 3) a statement of purpose that describes the applicant's relevant work experience, short- and long-term goals, and specific interests in the master's in criminal justice degree program (500-750 word, single spaced, typewritten).

A student may elect to attend the program on a part-time basis. In order to qualify for part-time status for financial aid purposes a student must take a minimum of two courses per semester. It is recommended that at least one core course be taken each of the semesters that the student is enrolled in the program.

Criminal Justice Education Certificate

The department offers a Criminal Justice Education Certificate.

Public Management and Leadership Certificate

Up to 15 s.h. of courses required for the graduate certificate in public management and leadership can be transferred as electives for the master of science in criminal justice. See Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Political Science, for certificate requirements.

Security Studies Certificate

The department participates in the offering of a graduate security studies certificate. Up to 15 s.h. of courses required for the graduate certificate in security studies can be transferred as electives for the master of science in criminal justice. See Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Political Science, for the security studies certificate requirements.

For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Master of Criminal Justice at East Carolina University

Entry Requirements

In order to be considered for admission, international graduate applicants follow the same steps as a U.S. applicant with a few exceptions as identified in Red font. Step by step instructions are identified below:

Complete the ECU Online Graduate School Application: One application fee and one set of supporting documents should be submitted for each program of study applying to.
Pay the Application Fee: Payment will be made through the self-service portal prior to submission of the application. The payment portal accepts debit or credit card only.
Provide Foreign Transcript Evaluation:

An official course by course credential evaluation of all foreign transcripts indicating that, at minimum, the US equivalent of a bachelor’s degree has been awarded by an accredited college or university is required.

Provide Official Transcript(s) & Diploma Copy: A copy of your transcript(s) and diplomas showing a full education history issued in your native language as well as a notarized or certified copy in English must be uploaded to your application.
Provide Evidence of English Proficiency: If English is not your native language and you have not completed at least one year of education (minimum of 18 credit hours) at a United States school, you are required to take a standardized English language exam or complete the ECU Language Academy (ECULA).
- Language Exam Options: The Graduate School accepts either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Duolingo English Test or Pearson Test of English (PTE) and scores must be forwarded to the Graduate School by the testing service. The paper- or computer-based TOEFL exam is accepted by request only.
ECU Language Academy: You may choose to attend the ECU Language Academy instead of taking the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE. Also, if you do not obtain the required score on the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE, at least one session of the ECU Language Academy may be required prior to the start of your program. Successful completion of all levels of the ECU Language Academy is required for admission without TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores. More information on the ECU Language Academy, including the ECULA application, is available on the Intensive English Program website. Individual programs may have higher minimum requirements.
Provide Official Standardized Admissions Test Results: If required by the program you’re applying to, please arrange for an official score report to be sent directly to the Graduate School by the testing service (GRE or GMAT). ECU’s institutional code is 5180. ECU does not have departmental codes.
Upload Statement of Purpose: If required by the program you’re applying to, please upload a copy of your personal statement (why you believe you would be a good candidate for the program) to your application. You may want to use resources to help you write a personal statement in English such as this webinar.
Provide Letters of recommendation: If required by the program you’re applying to, please arrange to have LOR’s submitted electronically with the online application. Review your program’s application requirements to determine the number of letters, if any, that they require.
Upload Resume: If required by the program you’re applying to, please upload a copy of your most recent resume to your online application.
Provide Financial information: If/when you are admitted to a graduate program at ECU you will be required to provide certified evidence of financial resources adequate to cover educational costs and living expenses. Documents only need submitted if/when an offer of admission is extended.

English Requirements

PTEMin 65
IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 78

Career Opportunities after Completing Master of Criminal Justice

Graduates with this degree are successful in many fields and careers, including the following:

Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
Law Enforcement
Crime Laboratory
Courts
Corrections
Juvenile Justice
Victim Services
Asset Protection

Career Opportunities

ECU has developed resources to help you learn more about career opportunities and job market outlook. In addition, the websites below provide specific information on careers in the various majors from which students may choose:

NC Tower

This website provides graphs and tables of in-depth information on employment rates, wages and ongoing higher education enrollment of graduates from the North Carolina Community College System and from the University of North Carolina system schools. NC Tower includes data on former UNC students who are working in roughly 90% of all jobs in North Carolina. This database excludes information for graduates who are:

Self-employed;
Work for the federal government, including the military: or
Work outside of North Carolina.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook

This website also provides in-depth information regarding pay, projected new jobs, required education, growth rate and on-the-job training information on various occupations.

Degree-specific internships

For information on internship information for specific majors, go to the home page of the department in which the major is located and, as available, find the link to the information on internships in that major.

Tuition and Fee Information for Master of Criminal Justice at East Carolina University

Application Fee 75

How to Apply for Master of Criminal Justice at East Carolina University

Thank you for your interest in a graduate program at East Carolina University!

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Master of Criminal Justice at East Carolina University

East Carolina University

United States of America, Greenville