Admission Requirements: Master of Science in Criminal Justice

Next Term Application Deadline

April 15, 2023

Total Credits

Next Term Starts

May 08, 2023

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SUMMER 2023 NEW STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP

All incoming MSCJ students are eligible for a scholarship that will cover the tuition cost (Instructional Fee) of their first class. Contact an Enrollment Services Advisor to find out more.

Active Military & Veteran Scholarship

You could be eligible for up to $2500 per semester. Learn more today.

Admission Requirements

Admission into the University of Cincinnati’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice online program is selective and based on meeting the requirements outlined below. A background in criminal justice is not required for this program.

Prerequisites

Bachelor’s Degree (in any field of study) from a regionally accredited university
At least two professional or academic letters of recommendation from individuals you have known for a minimum of one year – at least one letter must be from a current or past supervisor
A personal goal statement
Current resume or CV
An overall 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) or higher from all previous undergraduate coursework

– OR –

An overall 2.75 GPA will be considered for acceptance with at least one of the following:
- Five years of criminal justice work experience (does not include social work)
- Nine hours of graduate coursework with a 3.0 GPA or higher with a regionally accredited college or university
- A minimum combined score of 300 on the verbal and quantitative parts of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) taken within five years of your application*
  - *The GRE is not needed with a 3.0 GPA or higher

Fast Track Admission: automatic admission into the MS DL program for undergraduate students who graduate from UC (beginning Fall 2023)

Cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above (for courses completed at UC)
Earned 4-year undergraduate degree from UC
Graduated from UC within the past 5 years (15 academic semesters)
Any major applies (not limited to Criminal Justice majors)
Must still complete the application and pay the application fee, but if the student meets the above requirements they will be automatically admitted to the program
Letter of recommendation will be waived as a requirement (a generic letter signed by the MS DL Director or the Associate Director will be provided to meet Graduate School requirements)

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor's Degree Letters of Recommendation Personal Goal Statement Current Resume or CV GPA Requirement TOEFL Scores Transfer Credits Fast Track Admission

Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree (in any field of study) from a regionally accredited university.

Letters of Recommendation

At least two professional or academic letters of recommendation from individuals you have known for a minimum of one year, presented on corresponding professional letterhead. At least one letter must be from a current or past supervisor.

Personal Goal Statement

The personal goal statement should explain how the Master of Science in Criminal Justice will further your career goals in less than 500 words. You may also provide any other information about your ability to succeed in our program that you’d like us to consider.

Current Resume or CV

Must provide a current resume or CV.

Minimum GPA

An overall 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) or higher from all previous undergraduate coursework. An overall 2.75 GPA will be considered for acceptance with at least one of the following:

Five years of criminal justice work experience (does not include social work)
Nine hours of graduate coursework with a 3.0 GPA or higher with a regionally accredited college or university
A minimum combined score of 300 on the verbal and quantitative parts of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) taken within five years of your application.

Minimum TOEFL Score

International applicants must have a minimum TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 550 (paper version) or 190 (electronic version) to be considered for acceptance.

Transfer Credits

Have you already completed some graduate study? You may transfer up to 9 hours of graduate credit in criminal justice or criminology courses from a regionally accredited college or university. These credits must have been earned within the last five years prior to entrance into the program and can be used only for general electives. Talk to your enrollment advisor to discuss the petition process.

Fast Track Admission

Automatic admission into the MS DL program for undergraduate students who graduate from UC.

Cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above (for courses completed at UC)
Earned 4-year undergraduate degree from UC
Graduated from UC within the past 5 years (15 academic semesters)
Any major applies (not limited to Criminal Justice majors)
Must still complete the application and pay the application fee, but if the student meets the above requirements they will be automatically admitted to the program
Letter of recommendation will be waived as a requirement (a generic letter signed by the MS DL Director or the Associate Director will be provided to meet Graduate School requirements)