Master's Degree Admissions Requirements

The Criminology & Criminal Justice Department encourages students from a variety of backgrounds to apply. We regularly admit students with undergraduate degree from other disciplines and people who are returning to school after being away for a period of time. Prospective students should submit their application through PSU’s online graduate admissions portal. The minimum requirements for admission to the Criminology & Criminal Justice Department’s Master of Science program include all of the following:

• Bachelor's Degree from an Accredited College or University: The degree does not need to be completed at the time of application, but there must be evidence that you will be done before your first term of graduate enrollment.
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher: This criterion can be substituted with a graduate GPA of 3.2 or higher for a minimum of 9 credit hours. The admissions committee may consider applicants with a graduate or undergraduate GPA below 3.2. Only on very rare occasions will the committee consider an applicant with a GPA under 3.0.
• Letters of Recommendation: A minimum of two letters of recommendation from faculty members at colleges or universities previously attended, or from others in a position to comment on the student’s academic and professional background and experience. Three letters are encouraged and will increase consideration. Students who may not be able to secure two academic letters are encouraged to ask non-academic letter writers to discuss the skills that you possess that will help make you successful in graduate school.
• Transcripts: At the time of application, at least, unofficial transcripts from all universities and colleges attended must be submitted. Scanned copies of your official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended are required prior to being allowed to register for graduate courses.
• TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE -Academic exam scores: Proof of English Language Proficiency through the submission of TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE-Academic exam scores for applicants who have not earned a degree from a qualifying institution for all non-native English speaking applicants. This requirement cannot be waived by the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
• Understanding of Criminology and Criminal Justice as a Discipline: Prospective students must demonstrate a clear understanding of this field and their educational goals need to be a good fit for our program. Students must submit a 500-word statement of purpose describing academic and professional career goals, including subfields of primary interest. The statement may also be used to provide additional information pertinent to the applicant's qualifications.
• Resume/C.V. A resume/C.V. outlining previous work and educational experience.
• GRE: Students are not required to take the GRE to apply to the program.
• A Complete Application: All prospective students must complete an online application to the program though the graduate school admission portal. A $65 non-refundable application fee and a $2 processing fee will be assessed and cannot be waived for financial reasons. The fees are good for one year. Questions about the online graduate application process should be directed to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Application Review Criteria 

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all application materials are received by the deadline, including transcripts, test scores (if applicable), and letters of recommendation. The Department does not review application files until they are complete. If an application file is incomplete and the deadline passes, the applicant may request that the file be reactivated and considered for the next admission term. Unless such a request is made, the application will receive no further attention.

The Department’s Graduate Studies Committee evaluates applicants based on a combination of criteria including: past academic achievement as indicated by the applicants' transcripts, test scores (where applicable), and letters of recommendation; potential for success and timely completion of the program’s degree requirements; extracurricular achievements and experiences; educational and career goals; and the availability of CCJ faculty who are well-matched to help the applicant achieve their goals.

The program admits new students once a year for the fall quarter (term starts late September). Having a single-entry term helps to ensure that our first-year students enter as a cohort. This facilitates collaborative relationships among the students and increases their commitment to the program. Approximately 15-20 students are admitted per academic year and not all students who meet the minimum requirements for the program will be admitted.

Application Deadline

Our program will begin accepting applications for admission starting on October 1st. Our priority application deadline, when we will start reviewing applications, will be February 1st. The final application deadline is June 1st. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their application prior to priority deadline. Students who submit their completed application by the priority deadline will be given priority in admission and funding decisions. Students meeting the final deadline will be considered for any remaining positions. Applicants can expect to be informed of our admission decision 3 to 4 weeks after the applicable application deadline. Applications submitted after June 1st will not be reviewed.