TCU. AddRan College of Liberal Arts. Department of Criminal Justice. About. About the. About the

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2 About TCU About the AddRan College of Liberal Arts About the Department of Criminal Justice Mission: To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community Committed to excellence and the highest standards of scholarship, TCU offers students many options for traditional and non-traditional graduate study. Through rigorous academic programs, TCU provides students with opportunities to search for meaning and examine values, yet graduate well-prepared for professional accomplishment. The TCU campus encompasses 277 acres in a residential neighborhood five miles from the heart of downtown Fort Worth, where students can work out in state-of-the-art recreation facilities, catch big-time NCAA athletic competitions and take advantage of the many unique student services offered. Visit graduate.tcu.edu to learn more about graduate student-specific opportunities. Mission: To advance life-long learning and discovery in the humanities and social sciences and to develop critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills that prepare students for successful careers in our global society. AddRan College is one of the largest and most broadly based academic units at TCU. It is comprised of 10 departments including Criminal Justice, Economics, English, History and Geography, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Political Science, Religion, Sociology and Anthropology, and Spanish. The Air Force and Army ROTC programs are also part of the College. The Center for Texas Studies, the Institute for Critical and Creative Expression, and the Institute for Urban Living and Innovation provide a variety of instructional and scholarly activities and programs for the entire TCU community. The TCU Department of Criminal Justice is committed to the success of our students inside the classroom and beyond. Our faculty is active in research, teaching, and service and ready to help students to prepare for careers in the criminal justice field, law school, and graduate programs in criminal justice, criminology, sociology and other related disciplines. Components of the criminal justice system (police, courts, and corrections) are critically examined in the context of crime, criminal behavior, theory, law, and policy. Critical thinking skills, academic writing, and the empirical research process are emphasized for an in-depth understanding of criminal justice and criminology.

3 ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS For unconditional admission, applicants should satisfactorily meet the following requirements set by TCU: o Bachelor s degree in criminal justice, criminology, or related discipline from an institution regarded as standard by the University and a regional accrediting agency o B average in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work, at minimum o B average in the major field The Department of Criminal Justice also requires the following from each applicant: o A personal statement of no more than 250 words describing the applicant s academic and professional objectives o Three (3) letters of recommendation o A non-refundable application fee of $60 in the form of a check made payable to TCU Individuals who do not meet these requirements may be accepted conditionally, in accordance with TCU policy and with the approval of the Program Director or Department Chair and AddRan Dean. Please see the TCU graduate handbook for more information. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program and it is up to the discretion of the Department Chair and faculty to select applicants for admission. The department will consider qualified majors in other fields and can take into account life and career experience for admissions. Students not meeting minimum GPA requirements can be considered for admission with supplemental performance predictors such as career experience, GRE exam scores (not required), and additional coursework. These students will be reviewed and approved by the Program Director, Department Chair, and AddRan Dean.

4 REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION Degree requirements differ depending on whether a student chooses to complete a thesis, which is recommended for those planning on doctoral studies. Since this is a fixed two-year program, students will not choose among course offerings and no transfer credits will be given. Students must spend one week on campus for orientation and completion of CRJU 61113: Introduction to Online Learning and Critical Thought. This one-week course is important for familiarizing students with the online platform, introducing campus and online resources, and assigning thesis-track students thesis committees. In addition, students may tour the campus, obtain their TCU ID cards, and meet the faculty and fellow students. In addition, the on-campus course will introduce students to fundamental concepts and frameworks that will be stressed throughout the program. REQUIRED COURSES YEAR ONE* CRJU Introduction to Online Learning and Critical Thought 3 CRJU Criminal Justice Systems 3 CRJU Advanced Research Methodology 3 CRJU Statistics and Probability 3 CRJU Advanced Criminological Theory 3 CRJU Policing 3 YEAR TWO CRJU Courts, Law, and Legal Procedure 3 CRJU Corrections and Reentry 3 CRJU Research Writing 3 CRJU White-Collar Crime 3 * Please note that classes continue through the summer. Credit Hours Credit Hours In addition to the above-mentioned 30 hours of coursework, thesis-track students must complete three credit hours of thesis work each year. The thesis is a paper that must be approved by student s advisor and thesis committee advisory members. It is a product of independent research and should demonstrate the appropriate level of analytic and writing acumen to the standards in the social sciences. Students will meet regularly with their advisors throughout the research and writing process. Each thesis student will enroll in at least one credit hour of CRJU each semester their first year and CRJU their second year. Non thesis-track students are required to take two additional courses in order to complete the required 36 hours of degree coursework. CRJU Applied Research & Policy 1 and CRJU Applied Research & Policy 2 are designed to incorporate course material, acquired analytic skills, and each student s life and career experience in a group project that assesses a contemporary topic in criminal justice and criminology. Students will work collaboratively, with each submitting independent research and writing, to create a final coherent project as directed by the instructor.

5 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How does the program cost compare to similar programs offered at other universities? The Master of Science in Criminal Justice & Criminology is offered at a lower cost to remain competitive with other online graduate degrees in criminal justice and criminology. However, this does not mean the quality of education is reduced. In fact, TCU s online program was developed to meet and exceed accreditation standards set forth by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In other words, it is quite a value. May I transfer credits from other colleges and universities? No, this is a two-year fixed program. Every class must be taken in sequence. What software platform does TCU use? TCU uses the Pearson LearningStudio (ecollege) online delivery platform. This robust software has an array of features and functionality, including integrated assignments, multimedia, and communications forums. Unlike some free open-source platforms, LearningStudio is fully hosted and backed by a dedicated technical support team. Student and faculty performance is constantly analyzed through a variety of data-driven analytic tools in order to identify areas of improvement. The software is reliable and continually updated. Most importantly, it is very user-friendly. Is financial aid available? There is no financial aid offered directly from the University. However, students may obtain federal student aid by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form directly to the U.S. Department of Education. Will I be allowed to access campus facilities? Yes, all TCU distance learning graduate students maintain the rights and privileges of on-campus students, including access to campus services and facilities, such as the campus recreation center, library, health center, computer labs, and admission to athletic events. In addition, faculty will be available to meet in-person on campus. May I attend graduation? Yes, you are invited to attend commencement on campus and walk with your cap, gown, and hood. The Department of Criminal Justice will hold an annual private reception for graduates. Will my degree say online on it? No. No distinction will be made between an online and on-campus degree. This is a full-fledged TCU Master of Science degree. How do I apply? The online application link can be found at: cj.tcu.edu Send one (1) official university transcript to : TCU Department of Criminal Justice Graduate Program TCU Box Fort Worth, TX All other documents can be uploaded.

6 CONTACT INFO PHONE Johnny Nhan CJ&C Program Director Pam Carlisle Administrative Assistant ADDRESS Scharbauer Hall, Suite Main Drive Fort Worth, Texas cj.tcu.edu