Master of Arts - Criminal Justice

The Master of Arts degree program in Criminal Justice is designed to improve a student's understanding of the nature, causes, and consequences of crime and crime control. The program provides students with advanced knowledge of criminal justice institutions and processes, current criminal justice policy, and training in research methods, statistics, and program evaluation. Based on the tradition of the liberal arts, the program emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between crime and the structure of society and the interplay between criminal justice theory and practice. These relationships are explored through course work in criminological theory, law and social control, the administration of justice, and crime and public policy. By completing the requirements for this program, students will be prepared for teaching at the community college level, conducting evaluations of policies and programs within various agencies in the justice system, and applying for doctoral study in crime and criminal justice.

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Directory.

Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

1. An undergraduate degree from an institution with regional accreditation is required.
2. Students are encouraged to complete some undergraduate course work related to criminal justice/criminology, and statistics in social sciences.
3. A minimum GPA of 2.75 for all undergraduate work and a 3.00 for the last two years of undergraduate work is required for admission to the program.
4. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for admission.
5. A Criminal Justice Graduate Program Application Cover Page must be completed.
6. A statement of purpose for pursuing the Master of Arts Degree, addressing the student's particular interests in the field of criminal justice and their future academic and/or professional goals, must be provided at the time of application.
7. Two letters of recommendation are required. It is preferred that both letters be from professors from whom the applicant took the classes.
8. If the applicant completed the undergraduate degree work within the past five years, it is required that at least one letter be from a professor, unless the applicant can document the reasons why a letter from a former professor is difficult to obtain. If the applicant completed the undergraduate degree work more than five years ago and is currently working in a criminal justice-related field, two letters may be obtained from the applicant's direct supervisor or co-workers.
9. References from other sources will not be reviewed.
10. The admissions process requires submitting all information and materials through the UNLV Graduate College Online Application. See the Criminal Justice Department website for more details.
11. During the application process, applicants will select a thesis or non-thesis option as their culminating experience for the program.

All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements. Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

• Complete a minimum of 36 credits at the 600- and 700-level with a minimum GPA of 3.00.
• A maximum of 9 credits of 600-level course work is allowed.
• Students may select up to 6 credits of approved graduate study in other social or behavioral sciences or in graduate programs formally approved by the department.
• An approved list of outside electives is available at the Criminal Justice website. Students must obtain an approval from Graduate Coordinator to take an outside elective course that is not on the approved list. All students are required to complete a culminating experience: pass a comprehensive examination or complete a thesis.
• Theses will be written under the direction of a committee of three graduate faculty and chaired by a member of the faculty in Criminal Justice. One 4th member of the thesis committee is a graduate faculty member from outside the Department of Criminal Justice. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department's discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
• Upon completion of the course work and thesis, an oral examination related to the general field and thesis topic is required of all students completing a thesis.
• The examination will be administered by the student's thesis committee and a representative from outside the department chosen by the Graduate College.
• The oral examination will assess: a. The student's competency in defending the substantive, theoretical, and methodological topics covered by the thesis. ​b. The student's general knowledge, including the ability to integrate topics covered by core and elective criminal justice classes and to apply core fundamentals to important issues.

The student must successfully pass a comprehensive exam or complete a thesis.

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.