Criminology—M.A.
Department of Criminology
Pafford 240 • 678-839-6505
www.westga.edu/criminology
Professors:
D. Jenks (Chair), J. Fuller
Associate Professors:
C. Jenks, M. Johnson
Assistant Professor:
C. Bounds (Director of Graduate Studies), E. Stupi, V. Woodward
Program Description
The Master of Arts degree in Criminology is offered by the Department of Criminology with two tracks: Criminal Justice Administration and Crime and Social Justice. The Criminal Justice Administration track addresses issues of crime and criminal justice within a framework that emphasizes theory and research and their implications for criminal justice policy and practice. The Crime and Social Justice track trains students in understanding and applying theory and research in academic settings, with an emphasis on preparing students for doctoral work. Both curricula are grounded in the social, behavioral and natural sciences. The Department of Criminology recognizes the value of diverse methodological and theoretical approaches and encourages their complementary use and integration. The MA Criminology program is conceived widely to include the study of crime, justice, law, and society. Criminology faculty members represent broad and varied backgrounds in working with the criminal justice system, dealing with offenders and victims, and conducting research on a wide range of criminal justice issues.
Admission
For admission to the program, a student is expected to have a bachelor's degree in criminology, criminal justice, or another social or behavioral science. However, other complimentary degrees may be considered. Students can be admitted without the expected degree with the stipulation that selected undergraduate and/or graduate-level courses must be completed. Applicants for graduate study in criminology must meet the College of Social Sciences requirements and:
- Submit official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
- Obtain three strong letters of recommendation
- submit a 750 - word intellectual autobiography that includes reasons for seeking a Master's degree in Criminology
- Have a minimum overall 2.50 GPA
Program Requirements
Both the Criminal Justice Administration and Crime & Social Justice tracks require a core of four courses: CRIM 6000: Principles of Criminology, CRIM 6003: Applied Statistics in Criminology, CRIM 6010: Theories of Crime & Justice, and CRIM 6013: Social Research. Both tracks have a list of approved courses for completion of the degree and are available from the Director of Graduate Studies. Students accepted into the program may choose either the Plan I (Thesis) or Plan II (Comprehensive Exam) option. Under the thesis option, a student must complete a minimum of 30 hours of coursework and 6 hours of thesis. Under the comprehensive exam option, a student must complete a minimum of 36 hours of coursework and a comprehensive exam is required.
