Graduate Program in Criminal Justice

The Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice is designed to develop students and practitioners with skills to promote the administration of justice, crime prevention and control in a diverse and global society. Concentrations are offered in Law Enforcement and Corrections.

The program will prepare criminal justice students and practitioners for roles of management and supervision, research in criminal justice and changing trends in homeland security.

Two Paths To Success

We know not every student who pursues a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice does so immediately after receiving an undergraduate degree. We also recognize the value of on-the-job learning and feel graduate students should receive credit for the ir work as they enter a master's program. So the North Carolina Central University Department of Criminal Justice has developed two tracks -- one for traditional students and another for those who have already established their professional careers.

Achieving The Degree

Regardless of track, our master's program is designed to completed in 18 months (comparable programs typically require 24 months for completion) and offers evening classes to meet the demands of working students. The professional track is open to anyone who has at least two years relevant work experience in the criminal justice field or related areas. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is waived for candidates seeking admission to the professional track program.

• Degree requirements include a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and a minimum of 30 hours of graduate courses - 18 hours of core courses and 12 hours of concentration courses in law enforcement, corrections or juvenile justice. Homeland Security will also be added to our roster of available concentrations in the near future.

While the profssional track students are not required to write a thesis, they must successfully complete a comprehensive oral exam and develop a portfolio tailored to their work experience. The traditional track is identical to our professional track, but requires the completion of a written thesis (versus a portfolio) in addition to the oral exam.

For more information regarding the master's program, please contact us at

919-530-6280.