Student Learning Outcomes
Master of Criminal Justice students, upon graduation, are expected to:
- Formulate administrative principles and practices like those used in criminal justice agencies.
- Assess theories relating to crime causation and criminality.
- Explain the interdisciplinary nature of the criminal justice system.
- Produce scholarly criminal justice related research.
- Evaluate criminal justice operational problems that affect the delivery of criminal justice related services.
- Employ critical thinking, advanced writing, and verbal communication skills.
MCJ Degree Requirements
- Thesis Option: The completion of 36 hours of course work, which includes CJ 699 Thesis.
Capstone Option: The completion of 36 hours of course work, which includes CJ 693 Capstone. - Complete all required coursework while maintaining no less than a “B” (3.0) average.
- No more than two grades of “C” in the plan of study will count for credit. If a student receives more than two grades of a “C,” the student must form a plan of completion, to include regularly scheduled performance check-ins with the MCJ Program Coordinator.
- At least 85% of the semester hours required for the degree must be earned at Washburn University.
- Maintain continuous enrollment each regular semester (fall and spring). A minimum of one (1) semester hour of graduate work will constitute continuous enrollments.
- Unless an earlier deadline is stipulated by the instructor of the course, incompletes must be completed by the end of two consecutive semesters which excludes the summer session, otherwise a grade of “F” will be recorded. Incompletes in the capstone or thesis course will remain I’s until the capstone or thesis project is completed.
- Complete all program requirements within seven (7) years of the date of entry into the MCJ degree program.
Program Requirements
Thesis Option (36 Hours)
Students pursuing the “Thesis” option must complete 18 hours in the core curriculum, 12 hours of elective courses, and 6 hours of Thesis.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CJ 600 | Seminar in Criminal Justice Systems | 3 |
| CJ 602 | Criminal Justice Research | 3 |
| CJ 603 | Issues in Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| CJ 610 | Corrections in the United States | 3 |
| or CJ 620 | Role of Law Enforcement in the United States |
| CJ 625 | Seminar In Criminological Theory | 3 |
| 15 |
| 15 |
| 15 |
| Thesis | |
| 6 |
| Total Hours | 36 |
Capstone Option (36 Hours)
Students pursuing the “Capstone” option must complete 15 hours in the core curriculum, 18 hours of elective courses, and 3 hours for the Capstone course. The Capstone course is typically offered once per year in the spring semester.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CJ 600 | Seminar in Criminal Justice Systems | 3 |
| CJ 602 | Criminal Justice Research | 3 |
| CJ 603 | Issues in Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| CJ 610 | Corrections in the United States | 3 |
| or CJ 620 | Role of Law Enforcement in the United States |
| CJ 625 | Seminar In Criminological Theory | 3 |
| 15 |
| 18 |
| 18 |
| CJ 693 | Capstone Experience | 3 |
| 3 |
| Total Hours | 36 |
Electives
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CJ 604 | Seminar in Criminal Justice Organization and Management | 3 |
| CJ 605 | Ethics in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJ 630 | Seminar in Correctional Administration | 3 |
| CJ 635 | Organized and White Collar Crime | 3 |
| CJ 640 | Seminar in Legal Issues in Law Enforcement | 3 |
| CJ 645 | Comparative Criminal Justice Systems | 3 |
| CJ 650 | Seminar in Community Corrections | 3 |
| CJ 655 | Seminar in Juvenile Justice And Delinquency | 3 |
| CJ 660 | Seminar in Operational and Staff Planning | 3 |
| CJ 670 | Seminar in Correctional Law | 3 |
| CJ 675 | Problems & Practices in Judicial Administration | 3 |
| CJ 680 | Seminar in Staff Development | 3 |
| CJ 685 | Special Topics - Criminal Justice | 1-3 |
| CJ 690 | Directed Readings - Criminal Justice | 1-3 |
| CJ 692 | Analytical Research and Statistics | 3 |
