General
Information
Minimum Equipment Requirements
Program Cost
Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
The School of Criminal Justice was established in 1935 as an academic
program providing courses for those seeking careers in law enforcement. Graduate
studies in the School of Criminal Justice began in 1956 with the Masters of
Science degree, followed by the Interdisciplinary Doctoral program in 1968 and
the Doctorate in Criminal Justice in 2001. Housed in the College of Social Science,
the School of Criminal Justice has evolved to provide exemplary undergraduate
and graduate programs in which students and faculty apply the theories and methods
of science to understanding and solving critical policy issues in both the criminal
justice and private security fields.
Graduates of the School
of Criminal Justice have gone on to distinguished careers in law enforcement,
security, and other areas of the criminal justice system. Graduates join elite
global alumni, many who are leaders within their chosen field. To maintain its
leadership role, in 1998 the School of Criminal Justice began to offer its Masters
of Science in Criminal Justice program on the Internet. This brought its distinguished
academic program to students' personal computers, and provided advanced educational
opportunities to practitioners. This was the first online degree program to
be offered by MSU, and in December 1999, the first group of students graduated
with their MS in Criminal Justice.
The program is designed to add new dimensions to the skills of career people
in various areas of criminal justice and security. A number of online support
services are available to assist students as they progress through the program.
Students enrolled in the program may choose to follow the general requirements
for the MS in Criminal Justice, or decide to specialize in either Security Management
or International Focus. Please see Program Requirements
for more information.
Courses are offered entirely online, and are taught by the same faculty that
is involved in the on-campus program. Students can complete their degree within
two years if they begin their studies in Fall of an even year, provided attention
is paid to when courses are offered and whether there are prerequisites. This
requires taking two courses for 4 of the 6 semesters. We are finding that many
students, due to work and personal commitments, are taking about 3 years to
complete the program.
If you have questions about the program, please contact Administrative Assistant
Peg Kowalk at kowalkm@msu.edu or 517-353-5272,
or Program Director Rad Jones at jonesrad@msu.edu or 517-432-9236.
Minimum Equipment Requirements
In order to participate in the Criminal Justice Internet Masters program, the
student must have access to and be comfortable with a computer with an Internet
connection. See the Virtual University Home
Page and the appropriate course previews for current minimum equipment requirements
for specific courses.
At a minimum, each student needs access to:
1. A browser that meets the ANGEL minimum requirements.
2. Minimum screen resolution of 800x600 (1024x768 recommended)
3. 56K modem or direct connection to the Internet. A broadband (high-speed) Internet connection is recommended (and required for some courses)
4. Adequate responsiveness and performance from your computer. Most computers manufactured within the last four years will meet your needs.
Every MSU Virtual University student will receive an MSU NetID and password. MSU Mail is an MSU information technology resource used by all MSU students.
Program Cost
The total cost of the program (not including books) is approximately $14,250,
or $1425 per course. Tuition rates and billing information may be found at the
Controller's Office website.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a typical course like?
Online courses are very similar to the on campus program except for the method of delivery. A syllabus outlining course requirements will be made available to students. Students are assigned weekly readings and required to post their evaluation of the readings in discussion rooms. Classmates then comment on the input of other students. Case problems may be required and the class may be broken into small groups with a team leader. The team leader would then be required to post the group's solution to the case. Research papers may be required with an executive summary being posted for review by students and a complete paper transmitted to the professor. If the topic appears of interest to other students they may request a copy by contacting the author. You may wish to view the online CJ demo course for a sample of how an online course in the program is structured.
I am concerned with taking the GRE since I have been out of school for several years.
Some students express concern with taking the GRE and their scores since they may have been out of college for a number of years. Remember this is only one area considered by the graduate review committee when making admission decisions. Letters of reference, personal statement, prior grades, and success on the job are other factors considered. GRE practice exams, a list of testing centers, etc. may be found at www.gre.com.
If the course is on the Internet why do I have to order course books?
Volumes of written material on the Internet become boring for students to handle. If supplemented with reading packs or books the student is able to do some reading away from the computer and break from the terminal. It is also important for students to obtain a professional library.
What University services are available to me?
Library access, writing center, financial aid, bookstore, and other resources of the university are available to Internet students. For example students may order course books via e-mail from various campus bookstores. Books and documents needed for course projects may be obtained from library via e-mail at no costs.
What type of financial aid is available?
Since most students are working, they may not qualify for financial aid. Students are eligible for loans if they are taking at least 6 credits. Loans are also available for computer equipment required in the program. Information may be obtained by contacting the financial aid office at (517) 353-5940 or finaid@msu.edu.
Since this is a degree granting program, veteran benefits may be applicable. Students eligible for veteran benefits must submit the required certificate to the VA Office on campus. Information may be obtained by contacting the Veteran benefit office at (517) 432-3952.
How many credits can I transfer into the program?
You may transfer up to nine graduate level credits from an accredited institution into the program. You must have received at least a 3.0 in each of the courses and we will need to review course descriptions and syllabi to determine if the courses meet the requirements of this program. Transfer credits are most often applied toward elective requirements. The department chair or dean has final approval.