Dr. Thomas Kersen, Interim Chair & Associate Professor
P.O.  Box 18830
Telephone: (601) 979-2031
Fax: (601) 979-8299
E-mail: thomas.m.kersen@jsums.edu or cjs@jsums.edu

Faculty

Dr. C. McNeil, Professor
Dr. E. Morgan, Associate Professor
Dr. T. Kersen, Associate Professor
Dr. X. Su, Associate Professor

Program of Criminology and Justice Services

The Master of Arts degree in Criminology and Justice Services is designed to create a cadre of education and policy makers in the area of Criminal Justice. The primary focus of the program is on providing a strong theoretical and methodological foundation for those individuals desiring to restructure and plan for change in the contemporary justice system. The student is expected to demonstrate knowledge of the key theories as well as critical theoretical crime and justice perspectives within the progression of the humanistic spectrum. The curriculum includes significant strategies, issues and themes on the dimensions of planned change throughout the justice system.

Program Objectives

• To prepare students for studies beyond the master degree focusing on planned change.
• To provide studies in theory, analysis of varied criminal justice systems, management and research sufficient to prepare students for career development in the field.
• To provide courses to enhance the performance and employment potential of individuals in criminal justice agencies.

Admission Requirements

Students must meet all admission, testing and graduation requirements of the Graduate School at Jackson State University. Students must submit a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination, GRE, three letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose.

Students without a background in Criminal Justice, Criminology, Juvenile Justice or Administration of Justice must take competency courses before taking courses in the degree program. 

Applicants will only be admitted once a year during the Fall Semester. The department requires that students have a 3.0 grade point average. 

Transfer Credits

A maximum of nine (9) hours of credit may be transferred from an accredited graduate school provided the courses are significantly related to those required for the M.A. in criminal justice and the student has approval from the director of the program.

Degree Requirements

NON-THESIS: A total of 36 semester hours are required for the M.A.  Each student must complete twelve (12) semester hours of core courses, twenty-one (21) semester hours of criminal justice electives and three (3) semester hours of writing a policy paper.  A written comprehensive examination must be taken and successfully passed following the completion of the core courses.

Criminal Justice Electives