Criminal/Social Justice

CRIMINAL/SOCIAL JUSTICE/MASTER OF SCIENCE

Total Credit Hours: 36

The Master of Science in Criminal/Social Justice (C/SJ) is a thirty-six (36) hour course of study designed to provide students with a solid and broad-based understanding of the field of criminal/ social justice. The course of study blends theory and practice to provide students the necessary knowledge and professional skills to critically analyze and ethically address the many complex issues routinely faced in contemporary society by criminal justice practitioners. The program includes seven core courses that place emphasis on organizational and management theory, the development of practical skills relating to the administration of criminal justice agencies, and the ability to apply theory and research to address and resolve practical problems. Elective courses are also offered to satisfy the diverse academic interests and professional needs of students who are either currently employed or seeking employment in criminal justice administration, law enforcement, corrections, juvenile justice, and homeland security. Courses are offered year round, both day and evening, at several conveniently located sites in the Chicago metropolitan area allowing students to complete their graduate studies at their own scheduling pace, while maintaining a proper balance in both their personal and professional lives. The primary objective of this graduate program is to provide students with a high quality educational program that will enhance their personal capacity to excel in the field of criminal/social justice, increase their potential for career advancement, and facilitate personal and professional growth.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Graduates of the Masters of Science in Criminal/Social Justice are expected to be able to:

  • Demonstrate the ability to think critically about issues relating to crime and justice in contemporary society and apply creative solutions to address and resolve those issues.

  • Apply organizational and management theory to effectively manage personnel and efficiently allocate resources in the delivery of criminal/social justice services.

  • Work collaboratively with fellow practitioners and the community to jointly achieve common goals.

  • Recognize how professional and ethical thinking are essential to building both a successful career and elevating the stature of criminal/social justice as a profession.

  • Recognize the preeminence of social justice, the responsibility for safeguarding human rights, and personal stewardship of social justice in all professional endeavors.

ADMISION REQUIREMENTS

Full Admission

  1. Possess a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with

    1. A major in a social or behavioral science, OR

    2. Be currently serving as a criminal justice practitioner, OR

    3. If the bachelor’s degree is not social or behavioral science related, and if not currently serving as a criminal justice practitioner, successfully complete two criminal justice courses selected by the program director with a grade of “B” or better prior to admission as a degree candidate.

  2. Submit a completed application.

  3. Pay a non-refundable application fee with the completed application.

  4. Submit two letters of recommendation.

  5. Submit official transcripts from each institution attended.

  6. Submit a personal statement.

  7. Have earned an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0, calculated on the most recent 60 semester hours.

  8. Obtain acceptance by the Graduate Council.

Provisional Admission

Provisional admission status may be granted to a student applicant who has applied for full admission but did not achieve an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.  An applicant in this case may be granted provisional admission status provided the student achieved an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or greater on a scale of 4.0.

A provisional student must achieve a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the first nine(9) credit hours of coursework before they will be reviewed for full acceptance by Graduate Council. 

If a provisional student fails to achieve a 3.0 GPA in the first nine(9) credit hours, the student may not be able to continue their matriculation in the program.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

All international students are required to meet all of the admission requirements for full or provisional admission and also the admission requirements specified in the General Information section of the Graduate Catalog entitled Entering International Students.

STUDENT AT-LARGE STATUS

A student with a baccalaureate degree who wants to take certain graduate courses, with the intention of becoming a degree candidate, may be admitted as a student-at-large by meeting the following requirements:

  1. Submit official documentation of baccalaureate degree from a regionally accepted institution of higher education.

  2. Complete an application form; the application is to be accompanied by a non refundable application fee payable to Lewis University.

Nine semester hours of coursework may be completed as a student-at-large as the maximum credit toward an advanced degree, should a student-at-large seek full graduate admission status.

Enrollment as a student-at-large does not guarantee admission to the program, but does allow the student an opportunity to demonstrate the ability to perform successfully at the graduate level. Students must either meet all admission requirements by the last day of the semester in their third course as a student-at-large or discontinue matriculation.

ACADEMIC PROBATION

Any student fully admitted to the graduate Master's of Science Criminal/Social Justice program whose GPA falls below 3.0 will automatically be placed on academic probation.  The student will have the following semester of enrollment to raise their GPA to a minimum of 3.0.  If the student fails to do this, they may be dismissed from the program. 

Only grades attained in Lewis University will be used in determining GPA.  No more than two courses in which a grade is earned in the “C” category will count toward degree requirements. A grade in the “D” category will not count toward degree requirements.  A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation.

TRANSFER CREDITS

Students may apply up to nine (9) semester hours of graduate-level work from other regionally accredited institutions. In addition to satisfying the above stated admission requirements (full or provisional), the following conditions apply to the acceptance of transfer credit:

  1. Only courses with a grade of B or better will be accepted.

  2. Coursework must have been completed or granted by an accredited graduate school.

  3. Appropriateness of coursework will be decided by the graduate program director at the time of the student’s application to the program.

  4. Courses from outside the United States will be considered if they are evaluated as graduate level by the Commission of the American Council on Education.
 

TRANSFER OF CREDIT AFTER MATRICULATION

Students who are already matriculated at Lewis University who wish to transfer in a course must seek written approval from the chairperson or program director before a course is attempted at another institution. Permission may be granted only when extraordinary circumstances exist. If permission is granted, the transfer of credit for the course will only be accepted if the student earned a grade of B or better. Students will not be allowed to transfer earned graduate credit hours for courses taken as part of another graduate program if they were applied by the student to satisfy the requirements for a graduate degree in another program.

COURSE LOADS

Graduate students registered for fewer than five hours during a semester are considered part time students. Graduate students registered for five through eight hours are considered half-time students. Nine credit hours per semester are considered a full course load. An overload may be permitted with the consent of the Program Director for students who have maintained a GPA of 3.0.

TIME LIMITATIONS

Students must complete all requirements for degree completion within seven (7) years from the time of completion of their first graduate C/SJ course at Lewis University. Students remain under the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of matriculation unless they discontinue attendance for more than two years, in which case they will follow the catalog requirements in effect upon their return.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To be awarded the Master of Science Criminal/Social Justice degree, the student must:

  1. Complete 36 semester credit hours which may include no more than three credit hours of Independent Study.

  2. Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

  3. Complete the seven (7) required core courses, totaling twenty-one (21) credit hours.

  4. Make a timely application for graduation to the Registrar’s Office and pay all financial obligations to the University.

  5. Pass a Comprehensive Examination. 

POLICY ON INCOMPLETE GRADES

An incomplete grade I is given when students are prevented by circumstances beyond their control – as explained to the satisfaction of the instructor – from completing the course requirements by the last day of classes. Incomplete work must be made up within the first six (6) weeks of the following semester, or the grade of “IF” will be assigned for the course. The provisions listed in the Graduate Catalog on page 13 under the heading Incomplete Grade will be followed when an incomplete grade is given to a student.

POLICY ON INTERNAL TRANSFER OF GRADUATE CREDITS

Students may take graduate courses from another graduate program offered by Lewis University. Students are required to obtain permission from their department chair prior to registering for the class. The department chair will make a determination at that time whether the course can be substituted for a course the student must take to satisfy program requirements for degree completion. A course substitution form will be completed in those instances when the department chair has approved a course substitution. However, credit earned in a graduate course may not be counted toward more than one degree.

POLICY ON GRADUATE COURSES TRANSFERRED FROM OTHER ACCREDITED UNIVERSITIES

A maximum of nine (9) semester hours of graduate level work earned from another regionally accredited institution of higher education may be transferred provided the student satisfies all requirements in the above listed sections entitled “Transfer of Credit” and “Transfer of Credit After Matriculation.”

COURSE FORMATS /LOCATIONS

Courses are offered in a sixteen (16) week format during the Fall and Spring semesters. Class sessions are two and a half hours in length and meet one day a week. Normally, two courses are offered (at a minimum) on the same day at all locations. During the summer, semester courses are offered in an accelerated format (seven or eight weeks) and meet one day with class sessions that are 4 hours in length. Day and evening courses are offered at various satellite campus locations; evening courses are offered at the main campus.

Criminal/Social Justice courses are offered at the Lewis University campuses in Romeoville, Oak Brook, Hickory Hills, and Chicago (De La Salle Institute). Classes may also be held at additional locations such as the Chicago Police Department’s Education and Training Division. The Criminal/Social Justice program is also offered in an accelerated, online format.  Students must choose either the classroom or online option prior to matriculation.  Current MSCSJ students may not switch to the accelerated online curriculum. 




I. Core Courses (21)
81-504 Criminal Justice Agencies Administration and Management (3)
81-511 Fiscal Preparation - Criminal Justice Agencies (3)
81-514 Fair Practices - Labor Relations in the Public Sector (3)
81-517 Applied Research Methods (3)
81-536 Criminal Procedure (3)
81-555 Criminal Law (3)
81-569 Criminology (3)

II. Electives (15)

The Master of Science degree in Criminal/Social Justice requires completion of five (5) elective courses selected by the student in conjunction with an advisor from the Department of Justice, Law, and Public Safety Studies.

III. Comprehensive Exam

The student must pass a comprehensive exam administered by the Department of Justice, Law, and Public Safety Studies. 

Students have the option to customize their degree with one of two career-focused tracks tailored for success in the modern Criminal/Social Justice workforce. A student must successfully complete 21 credit hours in the core and 15 credit hours in their chosen track.
  • Homeland Security Track: With courses in disaster response coordination, business continuity planning, bio-terrorism prevention and more, the Homeland Security track includes 9 credit hours in the Homeland Security concentration plus 6 credit hours of electives. The concentration courses give students access to advanced homeland security education usually reserved for current DHS or FBI employees. Graduates with this track will be uniquely positioned to seek leadership positions in local, state and federal law enforcement and public safety agencies.

  • Custom Criminal/Social Justice Track: Students can create a custom track to match their individual goals by choosing 15 credit hours of electives from Lewis' online Criminal/Social Justice courses. From courses in juvenile justice and corrections to white-collar crime and domestic violence, students can gain familiarity in topics that are immediately relevant to their current careers or future careers.