MASTER OF ARTS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice - 36 Credit Hours

• Tuition: $565/credit hour
• Technology Fee: $7/credit hour
• Online Fee: $25/credit hour
• Matriculation Fee: $125 one-time fee

Estimated Indirect Costs for all Graduate Programs 

• Books: $1,114
• Transportation: $1,690
• Personal/Miscellaneous: $5,530
• Room & Board Allowance: $8,140

Our MACJ Advanced Standing program was established for Simpson undergraduates who have distinguished themselves in the classroom and wish to earn criminal justice experience. You can receive advanced standing in the MACJ program by completing graduate coursework during your senior undergraduate year at Simpson.

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Application

We are happy you are interested in the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program at Simpson College. To get started in either program please follow the following instructions.

1. Official Transcripts – An official transcript is required from each institution attended. The preferred GPA for the program is 3.0.

SEND YOUR TRANSCRIPTS TO:
Simpson College 
Office of Admissions
701 North C Street
Indianola, Iowa 50125
admiss@simpson.edu

2. Admissions Essay – The MACJ admissions essay is a two-part essay, combining a personal statement and social problem analysis. The personal statement should address why the applicant wishes to pursue the MACJ at Simpson and include supportive information from their own career experience about how they perceive an advanced degree will benefit their ability to function more effectively in the criminal justice system OR how the advanced degree will allow them to contribute to the criminal justice field in the future; in addition, the applicant will analyze a social problem of great concern. The social problem portion should include key factors contributing to the issue, plausible solution(s), possible steps for implementation and challenges likely to surface in seeking a solution. (2 pages)

3. Resume – Be sure that your resume specifies the name of organizations, kind of work, positions held, dates, and full- or part-time positions and includes the following (2 pages):

• All paid criminal justice positions held- both full-time and part-time.
• All paid positions held other than criminal justice (include military experience).
• Volunteer and criminal justice internship experiences.

4. Letters of Recommendation and Rating Forms – Three letters of recommendation and scoring sheets from academic or professional contacts must be included to complete your application. 

Submit an Application

This advanced criminal justice theory class focuses on theory application. Students will be given information about crime, court, corrections, and security or prevention issues and asked to apply particular theoretical schemes in the attempt to understand and create a basis for dealing with issue areas. Graduate standing required. Prerequisite CJ 342/542 or CJ 343/543 or permission of instructor. 4 credits

Ethical concerns for justice system professionals will be examined. Dilemmas involving confidentiality and privacy, conflicts of interest, deception, coercion and control, and human subjects review will be explored within the broader context of the concepts of justice, fairness and respect. In addition to theoretical constructs of ethical issues that arise in social science disciplines, various written codes of conduct (such as National Association of Social Workers, American Corrections Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, American Bar Association, and American Psychological Association) will be examined and analyzed from a justice system policy perspective. Graduate students will read original research and provide in-depth analysis of ethical issues. Graduate standing required. 4 credits

This course is designed to examine social justice and human rights issues reflected in the U.S. Constitution and the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights as they interplay in various aspects of the criminal justice system including corrections, juvenile justice, enforcement, administration and legal action. Issues will include, but not be limited to, the influence of sexism, racism, ethnicity, homophobia, ageism, disability and other discrimination in the form of harassment, inappropriate action, group conflict, prejudice and discrimination in the United States and in the world community. Graduate standing required. 4 credits

This course serves as the first of a two-course sequence that will produce an original research project of the student’s choice. CJ 581 provides an overview of scientific procedures in criminal justice research. Students will develop a formal prospectus including a research question, literature review, well-conceptualized variables and a research hypothesis. We will explore the nature of causal explanation, the relationship between theory and observation, and the differences between positivist and interpretive models of study. Surveys, experiments, fieldwork and archival methods will be studied with a critical emphasis on development of research designs that are appropriate to particular empirical goals. In the second course of the sequence (CJ 582) students will carry-out the capstone project, which will involve data analysis, findings, and conclusions. Prerequisites: Graduate standing required. Core courses: CJ 502, 503, 505, 540, or with instructor permission. Offered Term 1 yearly. 4 credits

This course serves as the second of a two-course sequence (with CJ 581). In this half of the course sequence, students will examine the fundamentals of research showing the interplay between theory, research, the foundation for the use of statistical methods, and interpretation. With these skills, students will take the completed prospectus from CJ 581 and carry out the culminating capstone project that will involve analysis, interpretation of findings, and conclusions. The capstone project offers students the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the theory and practice of the criminal justice by applying the knowledge gained in this program to a project of the students’ choice. This involves completing a project report reflecting the cumulative knowledge gained from these experiences. The completed capstone project will be subject to faculty final approval. Prerequisites: Graduate standing required. Prerequisite: (or Co-req): Core courses: CJ 502, 503, 505, 540, and 581, or with instructor permission. Offered during Term 2 yearly. 4 credits

Select 12 credits of electives in subjects that will amplify your specialization in the criminal justice field. Elective options include:

• CJ 500: Juvenile and Family Law
• CJ 508: Legal Issues for Justice Professionals
• CJ 509: Internship
• CJ 524: Police and Society
• CJ 542: Juvenile Delinquency
• CJ 544: Correctional Practices in the U.S.
• CJ 560: Criminal Law and the Legal Process
• CJ 580: Independent Study
• CJ 590: Special Topics Seminar
• CJ 551: Trauma and Resiliency Foundations
• CJ: 552: Vicarious Trauma and Essential Self-Care Strategies
• CJ 553: Crisis Response and Debriefing